What image do you currently have on your phone’s wallpaper?
A picture of me and my little boy.
What was your first job?
I was an electrician! I used to work on the building sites with my uncle.
Gordon or Marco?
Gordon.
What was the last film you saw in the cinema?
The Jungle Book… with my kids!
What is your guiltiest food pleasure?
Galaxy Chocolate, the original one.
Where are you going on your next holiday?
Thailand for four weeks.
What industry figure do you most admire (and why)?
Thomas Keller; amazing chef and businessman.
If you weren’t in restaurants, what would you do?
A gardener. I really enjoy it; I’m always foraging for fresh produce for the restaurant.
Biggest regret
Not working in more top restaurants when I was younger, as that way it wouldn’t have taken me so long to get where I am.
Pet hate?
Laziness!
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
Many things! Most recently a customer asked for poached egg yolks on toast because they were on a high protein diet…
Marmite: love it or hate it?
I hate it, but love it mixed in with butter.
Describe your cooking style in three words
Personable, cool and nostalgic.
What country do you next want to visit?
Indonesia.
Most overrated food?
Italian.
Restaurant czar for a day – what would you implement?
No TripAdvisor customers allowed!
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
A letter telling me to ‘F off’!
What made you want to become a chef?
I used to love going out at the weekends and I fell into a bad crowd, so my dad got me a job at our local pub as a commis chef to stop me going out at the weekend. I then realised I loved cooking. I used to make a lot of nice food at home, but never thought about it as a career.
What do you cook at home on your days off?
The other day it was a Pot Noodle (chicken and mushroom) complete with a slice of bread to mop it all up!
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Don’t be a lazy bastard and expect to climb the ladder too quick, get as much experience as you can with really good chefs.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
A spoon; you can’t taste anything without one!
iPhone or Android?
iPhone!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
It was from my grandad; stay grounded and work hard.
What’s your earliest memory?
Eating a mint choc chip cone whilst sitting on the wall with my brother; we used to look forward to that every weekend.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
Playing football with my little lad.
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram.
Tipple of choice?
Guinness.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
My mum’s roast dinner; she makes an amazing Paxo stuffing (with butter) and roast potatoes. Plus, you can’t beat Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshires.
