My kitchen journey started primarily with my love of eating. I was a greedy child, ravenous. I once ate a whole jar of what I thought were Smarties (candy) from the medicine cabinet and had to go to the hospital! But that didn’t stop me from experimenting and trying anything and everything. Quickly it became my dream to become a chef, where I could learn and eat many things.

I am from London Town. My first kitchen job was as a weekend helper in a pub, collecting glasses, serving desserts, and getting coin tips from dirty ashtrays. I’ve been in this industry for 20 years strong. Working in a kitchen has fed my curiosity, taught me focus and control, and gives me the drive and inspiration I need daily.

There was a point in my early career when I was working for a brasserie-type restaurant that caused a shift in my life. The food wasn’t that great, and the chef was a classic nutcase, but I learned about kitchen pressure and how to concentrate it and use it to drive me forward. I discovered the want and gratification of perfection in the things I created. It was a time that showed me I could go further if I tried. So I sent a letter to 10 of the top restaurants in my area asking for employment. I got an interview and a trial in a 2 AA Rosette restaurant. The chef knew I was an amateur but gave me a shot. From that point, I’ve never looked back. All my interest and focus was on anything, food and drink.

In the future, I hope kitchens get more modernized and become better environments for staff to operate in. There are plenty of downtrodden basements with no windows and dwellings where people are sweating it out producing top-quality foods. If their environments were improved, imagine what they could do!
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Interviewed & Shot by OFFICIAL HOTK REPORTER IN 🇬🇧 @darklingcaptures 📷