What got you into cooking, was it always something you wanted to pursue?
I always wanted to be a chef and I blame my dad because he is also a chef. I always say he's one of the most passionate chefs I know and still is to this day. Growing up to watch your parent absolutely love their job made me fall in love with it. It was the only thing I have ever wanted to do.
Why did you choose the gastropub route?
It was something I fell into. I've not always worked in gastropubs. Before I started working with Tom Kerridge, I worked in a country house hotel, so it’s the opposite end of the spectrum. I prefer the gastropub style of food, cooking and eating, especially at the Coach with smaller plates. That's the dream because I love to eat out – I want to try as much as I possibly can so small plates suit me.
What do you enjoy most about your industry?
I love everything about the industry. It's an incredible one to be in. It's full of incredibly passionate people because it is hard work – there's no denying that – but it so full of love.
I don't know if I've just been particularly lucky but I've worked with people who are so interested in every aspect of it and I love the camaraderie of being in a kitchen. I also enjoy the discipline, especially working at a high-end pub, you've got a standard that you want to set, and you work hard to keep and achieve that.
One of the coolest things about being at the Coach is it's a very open kitchen and so many guests and customers say to me ‘it's so calm’, they're quite shocked at how smooth the running of the kitchen is. That just shows you don't have to shout. I love being a chef. I love everything about hospitality – it's an incredible industry to work in.
What does being a Top 50 Gastropub mean to you?
It's just a confirmation of that standard you're trying to hit. Being part of the of the Top 50 is cool, isn't it? It's pretty special to be able to say you're in an elite section of gastronomy, which has been picked as a stand-out above the rest, that's quite a special thing.
Where’s your favourite place to enjoy an Estrella Damm?
Other than the Coach, I quite often eat at the Butcher's Tap & Grill on my days off where they also serve Estrella Damm, so probably there.
What’s so special about dining at the Coach?
Definitely the open kitchen, it's really cool that you get to interact with the chefs and get to watch how service goes. Like I've said before, the small plates concept is the dream because you get to try a bit more of the menu than you would do if it were an à la carte. We also offer the set lunch, which makes it a little bit more accessible to a wider variety of people. You get to mix and match. If you want to come in for the set lunch and you don't want to spend a lot of money then that’s fine, we actively encourage that because there's nothing worse than an empty dining room. If you said, ‘I've seen that choux bun on Instagram, I think I'm going to go for that instead of the set pudding’, again, we actively encourage that. Add on a portion of chips, add on a cheeky chicken Kiev, the Coach is quite special in that way.
What’s your biggest achievement?
Winning young Michelin Chef of the Year 2023. I still can't quite get over that to be honest with you. That was a very big moment for me because it was my first ever Michelin award ceremony and the last thing I expected was to be on that stage.
Who’s your biggest influence?
Normally I would say my dad because growing up with someone who loves food as much as he does will influence you.
Obviously, Tom Kerridge has had a massive influence on my career because he saw something in me the minute I walked into the Hand & Flowers that I'm not even sure I knew existed. He has championed me throughout my career and he's given me opportunity after opportunity to grow and develop, not only as a chef, but as a person and a manager. He's got a massive influence over my style of cooking; I don't think you can work for someone for that long and not be influenced by them.
What does being an Estrella Damm ambassador mean to you?
It’s very cool to be able to say that you're an Estrella Damm ambassador especially when we're in the Top 50. It's quite an elite group of people to be associated with. Dave [Wall] is an incredibly talented chef, so is Andrew [Pern] and Adam [Handling] and obviously Tommo [De Keyser], in addition to all of the other chef ambassadors Estrella Damm work with, to be in that small circle is pretty exceptional.
It’s an honour for Estrella Damm to want you to represent the brand as they are also so passionate about premium gastronomy, and we trust them to represent us in a way that we want to be showcased too. It's a great circle of people to be associated with.
What advice would you give to an aspiring chef?
I would say keep your head down, work hard and absorb as much information as humanly possible and ask lots of questions. Take lots of notes and don't be scared to get stuck in because that's how you learn; you learn by making mistakes and it's those mistakes that will shape you into being an incredible chef. You've got to pick yourself up and just take in as much as information as you can from your surroundings. Try to find a kitchen that works for you. Just because one kitchen doesn't necessarily work for you doesn't mean that you're not cut out for it, it just means you haven't found the right kitchen yet.
What do you think the future holds for Gastropubs?
Gastropubs are on the rise – it's the type of dining people want. They want to be able to sit down in a chilled environment and enjoy good food. Gastropubs appeal to a lot of people. They hit a wider range of people and it's a bit more price-friendly compared to the higher-end restaurants.
