Andreas Antona, chef and now restaurateur, is well-known for his work at the Michelin-starred restaurants Simpsons near Birmingham, and The Cross at Kenilworth. With the opening of his second Purecraft site, in collaboration with Purity beers, and operations and drinks managers Martin Hilton and Paul Hawsley, he has had to create two new teams from scratch, and counting.
In this video, he explains what he's learned over his 25-year career when it comes to nurturing talent - having also been instrumental in chef Adam Bennett's success at the prestigious Bocuse d'Or contest in 2013 and 2015 - choosing great chefs, finding a balance between creating a brand and letting chefs express their creative freedom, and how to ensure collaborations are fruitful rather than fraught.
Read more about Purecraft and Antona's successful restaurant philosophy in our Small Talk interview here!