Flash-grilled: Olly Oakley
What was your first industry job?
Commis chef and also a waiter at Ascot Racecourse.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
I would be in food and hospitality some way or another - either as a GM or as a product developer.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Joan Roca of El Celler de Can Roca in Spain. He’s an incredible chef and the way he has built his brand whilst developing all of their different offerings is amazing. He also goes to the same restaurant as me in Calella de Palafrugell and drinks Vermut.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
Chefs who mess up the cling film roll and leave it for the next person to sort out.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
When I was working at Frantzén in Stockholm a customer literally didn’t touch one of the dishes. When I cleared her plate (the chefs serve and clear too at Frantzen), she said: “Thanks, that was so good.” Not sure how that works, but it had me confused for a while!
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Relaxed, but focused on delivering flavour and heavily influenced by long days of barbecue and parilla in England and Spain.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Work hard but smart. Don’t be too much of a slave to the industry in your early years. Put pressure on those that put pressure on you by relentlessly asking questions and pushing them to divulge recipes, techniques, tips and tricks.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
Definitely a coal or wood fired grill.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Oysters, buffalo wings, a big steak, and cheese.
À la carte or tasting menu?
I do love tasting menus but I’m heading back towards à la carte. You also want to go back again and again to try new dishes. When have you ever returned to a restaurant for the same tasting menu within a few months?
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
The first time I ate at El Celler de Can Roca with my brother. It was absolutely mind blowing. We had a bottle of their reserve cava before we even sat down for lunch.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
McDonald’s. The best fries.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
Pioneering the Sunday roast would be a cool accolade.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Great British Menu.
What’s the most overrated food?
Sweet potato fries.
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Unfriendly customers.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, and José Andrés. It would absolutely boot off.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Paella and anchovies in L’Escala where my grandad had a house.
X or Instagram?
Instagram. I really don’t understand X!
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
Probably whilst riding a motorbike from Hanoi to the Mekong Delta all the way down Vietnam. There were multiple near death experiences, on and off the bike!
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
Chinatown with a couple of pints at a good pub before and after the meal.
What’s your tipple of choice?
A delicious red!
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing?
Josep Roca paired a smoked langoustine dish with a vintage from a vineyard that had experienced wildfires that year. The slight smokiness with the langoustine was something else.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
Catalan style rice dishes. The possibilities with them are endless and it’s all about proper cooking - you can’t cheat on any step, but the effort is so worth it in the end.
