What was your first industry job?
Weekend kitchen porter in a hotel in my home town of Middleton at 16 years old.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
I would likely work as an accountant or in the Navy!
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
When I was younger and starting out it in the industry it would have been Anton Mossiman and Pierre Koffmann. Nowadays there are so many up and coming chefs there are shaping the industry.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
Whistling!
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
Someone once told me they couldn’t have dairy, but béarnaise was fine…
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
I would have to say great ingredients done simply and classically.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
AA Gill once had the dressed crab dish and said that it looked like an otter had eaten it and spat it out again…
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Use common sense and listen.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
A tomato knife.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Tournedos Rossini with dauphinoise potatoes, bordelaise sauce, and a bottle of La Tâche.
À la carte or tasting menu?
À la carte.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
Dinner by Heston, which I have eaten at twice; and a small family run restaurant in Avignon in France where the food was amazing.
What’s your favourite fast-food joint?
Five Guys.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
Macaroni cheese.
What’s the most overrated food?
Avocado.
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Persons with pretend allergens.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
Norman Whiteside, Escoffier, and Ozzy Osborne.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Liver and onions every Wednesday… I still have nightmares.
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
I had a car crash at 19.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
I love to play golf.
What’s your tipple of choice?
Whiskey.
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing?
A corned beef and cheese sandwich with lots of mayonnaise and a bag of Monster Munch, and a Guinness.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
Dover sole meuniere, always served on the bone using the best ingredients.
