Food

Where do you currently cook? Legs

Describe your cooking style: Winging it. Bastardised European food.

What kind of chef are you in the kitchen? A very casual one. I don’t see the need to stress out or run a kitchen like a tight ship. My team is in it because we want to cook nice food, have fun, and enjoy the lifestyle. It’s important everyone enjoys work, that’s when the best product is produced.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? I really didn’t know. I did know I wanted a creative output. At the moment that’s somewhat in cooking.

How did you get to where you are today? A lot of hard work and some big risks, it sounds obvious, but it’s the only thing that’s got me here. I’ve never been trained, haven’t had the money to travel and do stages, so I just had to learn on the job. When I as younger I’d get to work 2 hours early to follow the older chefs around and figure out how to do it.

Was there a place or meal that changed everything for you? Not really – in fact, the opposite. I moved to London in 2008 and was shocked at how shit the food was. There were 2 or 3 restaurants people went nuts for, but I didn’t really get it. Fresh food was lacking so I was interested in how to get that on menus – turns out I had to cook it myself. Things have got a whole lot better over the last decade.

What would you consider a trend in the food industry for 2019? Something, but it shouldn’t matter. The trend driven food scene is stupid. People should be getting behind quality food in general, learning about what makes their food special, what makes the industry special etc. I would urge people interested in food to ignore trends and the people jumping on those trends. The best food is value driven. Not trend driven. 

Is there an area of the food industry that needs disrupting? The media. Food media is growing progressively more middle class and safe in my opinion.  It’s been years since I’ve seen an underdog reviewed, or even someone who hasn’t paid for PR. The “writers” are all just re-working press releases. And the true critics aren’t far behind.

The same things are written about, the same free meals are pushed through Instagram. All washed down with the same small batch gin for the bored mothers to feel good about drinking on the sly while their partners drink a £8 craft beer that tastes like the apprentice made it. (No offence to anyone). I don’t know how it would be disrupted as it’s such a big part of competing in a city like London. But it needs to be, before we all start writing the same menus to fit in.

Signature dish? Uhhhhhhh. Fried potato thing we do at legs.

Last supper? Staff meal

Favourite place to cook? Outside

Who would you like to cook for? Donald Trump.

Who would you like to cook for you? Mum

Food hero growing up? Mum

Most memorable meal you’ve ever had? The best meals haven’t been about the food, always about the people. All memorable in their own ways.

Best wine? Recently, Stol’n 2013 Ton Rimbau

Favourite wine? Don’t have one.

Where would you hold your 100^th birthday party? HELL

What’s your go-to dinner for one? Black Axe Mangal

What makes you angry about your industry?  Nothing about food is worth getting angry about.

What do you love about your industry? The people, all the good, weird, creative, generous people.

Read more on our disrupter chef series.

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