1.What are the highlights of your career so far?
During my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work in some incredible places. These have included:
•Working at the London Olympics – 2012 was a great experience;
•Working many receptions at the Royal Geographical Society London, with one being attended by Queen Elizabeth II;
•Working with the catering department at Abbey Road studios in London;
•Being able to do a ski season as a chef, and learning to ski;
•Writing this book, realising how much knowledge I have gained and being able to educate others through my experience.
2.How do you deal with customers who are difficult or who complain?
Complaints can help you improve your business, so initially I will listen to the complaint and rectify any mistake to help resolve the complaint. Later I will see if the complaint is justified and improve upon this if needed.
3.What is the fastest route for me to become a qualified chef?
Gain a job in a restaurant/hotel using this book as a guide, and take an NVQ Level 2 in professional cookery apprenticeship whilst at work.
4.I want to be a celebrity chef. How do I achieve this?
To become a celebrity chef you need to be very lucky, but it is possible.
Tips to achieve this include:
•Become the youngest to achieve the highest level;
•Write a bestselling, unique book;
•Promote yourself on social media;
•Enter castings auditions for media chef work.
5.How much does the basic clothing and equipment cost?
Clothing / equipment:
• | Shoes | £40 + |
• | Trousers | £20 + |
• | Jackets | £15 + |
• | Aprons | £5 + |
• | Hats | £5 + |
• | Knives and utensils | £100 + |
Total outlay for basic clothing and equipment = £ 200 +
Remember – you will need extra clothing if using your own.
6.How much can a chef earn per hour/month and year?
An average yearly salary for an experienced chef will be: £18000 - £30000
An average relief/agency chef hourly wage: per hour £10 - £15
Having your own restaurant/catering business: £ 25000+
7.What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt in your career to date?
The most valuable lesson I have learnt is to find a passionate mentor. You need someone who will guide you along the right path, with the right contacts to help move your career forward.
8.Your secret weapon in the kitchen (person or tool)?
The robot coupe food processor and veg prep machine. It saves a lot of time and can be used to do many prep jobs in a professional kitchen.
9.Where do you buy your kitchen equipment?
There are several UK companies to buy kitchen equipment from. I’d recommend NISBETS next day catering. They are extremely reliable and (as the name suggests) offer a next day service.
10.How do you select a good supplier?
A good supplier will match or even exceed the needs of your business. It’s good to check reviews and see which suppliers companies use that are similar companies to your own. It’s very important to build a good relationship with your supplier, as this will benefit both sides.
11.Which recipes are you passionate about at the moment?
I love creating healthy and tasty recipes, using less butter, sugars and cream but still keeping a great flavour. A healthy lifestyle and healthy eating is very important to me.
12.How do you remember all of the customers’ orders during a busy service?
If you are working the pass you will have the tickets to check the orders. If working on a specific section, you will need to listen carefully and remember the orders. Good listening skills and a good memory are very important.
13.How do you time your food during a busy restaurant service?
When running the pass you will have to communicate effectively with your team. When working on a specific section, you will need to understand how long the components of each dish will take to cook.. After serving a dish several times, you will start to become more familiar with this. The most important aspect is to communicate with other members of the kitchen, in order to get all of the required components out at the correct times.
14.Which foods/ingredients do you keep in stock at all times?
•Pasta;
•Rice;
•Grains;
•Various stocks;
•Various salts;
•Selection of vinegars.
•Selection of oils;
•Selection of sugars;
•Mayonnaise;
•Canned tomatoes;
•A wide range of spices;
•Fish sauce;
•Soy sauce;
•Tomato paste;
•Anchovies;
•Peanut butter;
•Nuts and seeds;
15.What is the best part of working as a chef?
I find it fascinating how it is possible to keep learning about food, from new ingredients to the science involved in cooking. The buzz when a customer raves about a dish is really satisfying.
16.What is the most difficult part of being a chef?
Choosing the best head chef / mentor to work for, that will suit your career development. Get this right and you can go all the way, get it wrong and you will not fulfil your full potential
17.What advice would you give someone wanting to be a chef?
There are several key elements to becoming a successful chef, including:
-Passion / Enthusiasm
Your passion will make all of the long hours and low starting salaries worth it. You need a goal to work towards, that you are passionate/enthusiastic about.
-Humble
Be humble. It doesn’t matter how good you are, you are can never be too good to learn new things, peel vegetables or clean floors.
-Knowledge
To be a professional chef, you need to be willing to learn about food, cooking techniques and the ins and outs of running a successful working kitchen. If necessary, work unpaid in order to gain the best experience possible. It will pay off in the end.
18.How do you decide which type of establishment to work in?
This is a tough decision to make. My advice is: if you are strongly passionate in a certain area, for example “fine dining”, then get into the best restaurant you can. Even if you have no clear direction, still aim for the best and see where your passion leads you. It is a lot easier to drop down a level later on in your career, than moving up. Moving up from a bistro style restaurant to working in a fine dining environment is a lot harder to do, as you will have no relevant training to fall back on.
19.In your opinion, what are the top 10 qualities needed to be a successful professional chef?
•Passion/Enthusiasm;
•Communication;
•Organisation;
•Teamwork;
•Taste;
•Having a good memory;
•Keep recipes you use at work in a book for your future reference;
•Knife skills;
•Believe in yourself;
•Be prepared;
•Be self-motivated.
20.Do you have any extra advice for aspiring chefs?
Yes - Learn to write a concise well presented - CV and a cover letter, practice your interview techniques with role-plays.
This area is of great importance for a successful career.