Behind the Pass
How did you end up wearing whites?
I left school not knowing what to do. I wanted to travel and I loved photography. A relative suggested becoming a chef to me so I went for it. At first I wasn’t really engaged but then I started reading about food and discovering other chefs. My appetite for cooking kept growing and became unstoppable. Now I make a living from being creative and doing something I love which I think is what I was really searching for when I left school.
Happiest in the kitchen when…..
I love it when it’s really busy, everyone is on the ball, it’s all going smoothly and there’s a real buzz.
Favourite ingredient of the moment…..
Hampshire beef is just unbeatable. I’m a big fan of feather blade and fillet which I serve with Flack Manor stout, Alresford watercress and charred onion.
What do you bring to the White Star kitchen?
I bring skills and knowledge but most of all I bring a love of serving the known in an unknown way. I like to take familiar flavours and dishes and play with them until they become a different eating experience which echo the familiar.
Tastiest recent meal out….
I visited my friend at The Driftwood in Cornwall, he served me an amazing meal which included an unforgettable dessert of saffron custard tart with ginger beer sorbet.
Kitchen trickery….
A kitchen prank which never fails is the raw egg hidden amongst the hard boiled eggs to be peeled.
Tunes of choice in the kitchen…
It’s got to be Guns n Roses or Queens of the Stone.
Which chef gets your admiration?
Daniel Humm, he’s head chef at Eleven Madison Park in New York. I have his book and always find myself dibbing into it. Also Heston for the way he’s changed our approach and ethos and Gordon and Marco for the way they have changed the reputation of British food.
Words of wisdom for the aspiring chefs?
You need to want it. Be prepared for twelve hours shifts and a lot of hard work and you need a real love of food.
So, what’s on the menu?
At moment we’ve got a delicious Honey Roast Duck Breast and Beef Fillet dishes. The menu is packed with flavour. Come and try!
Location:
The White Star Tavern,
28 Oxford Street,
Southampton,
Hampshire,
SO14 3DJ
Email: Reservations@WhiteStarTavern.co.uk
Telephone: 02380 821990