What got you into cooking?
Always loved food and enjoyed cooking with family members and I excelled at home economics in school
Why did you choose the gastropub route?
I want to work in a more relaxed, less formal environment than the country house hotels and Michelin starred restaurants I was working in before
What do you enjoy most about your industry?
The friendships you make that last a lifetime, I’m still friends with people I met over 30 years ago
Where’s your favourite place to eat in the UK?
My wife and I love The Angel at Hetton, Michael’s food is second to none. I went on the first day he opened and have seen it evolve over the past few years
Who’s your biggest influence?
I’ve taken something from everyone I’ve ever worked with, Steve Blake at the Royal Crescent in Bath taught me how to cook in the early 90’s, and Lisa Goodwin Allen at Northcote were I was her head chef, taught me about flavours and leaving the guests wanting more from a dish
What advice would you give to an aspiring chef?
Take notes, listen, taste and if you don’t understand ask and ask again, better to keep asking and get it right
Best country for food?
It has to be the UK, since the late 80’s the UK’s restaurants have kept on improving and moving forward, we are never more than a few miles from a great pub or restaurant nowadays
Sweet or savoury?
Both, but I do have a huge sweet tooth
What do you think the future holds for Gastropubs?
Great food and drinks in relaxed environments has to be the way forward, I think more pubs will start adding rooms to become more of a destination
