What was your first industry job?
One of the best seafood restaurants in Jamaica, called La Roose. I was 15.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
Interior design.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Raymond Blanc – he didn’t go to school for cooking, just like me. He trained himself, he stays true to his roots, no gimmicks.
What's your pet hate in the kitchen?
No blue roll.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
“You don’t cook like my parents.”
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
I stay true to my indigenous roots.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
I used to fight with a lot of customers, so there have been many. When I opened my restaurants in the UK, there weren’t any other fine dining Caribbean restaurants here, so people had a lot of opinions.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Master your craft.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
Cooker!
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Slow-cooked belly of pork, mashed potato and bone gravy, crispy crackling on top, bring it on!
What's your preference - à la carte or tasting menu?
Tasting.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
It was in Tuscany – a simple sausage pasta. I had two portions. The chef offered to show me how to make it, but I didn’t want to spoil it!
What do you prefer: MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Great British Menu.
What’s your earliest food memory?
My grandmother going out into her garden and boiling a pot of water. She gathered all the produce from what she grew herself and made the most amazing bean stew with coconut milk, fresh garlic, thyme and scotch bonnet.
Tipple of choice?
Rum.
What do you consider your signature dish?
Steam-roasted chicken with coconut run down and Dom Perignon…