What was your first industry job?
Pinocchio’s in Harrogate, 1997. I was 15 and washing the pots!
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
A stay at home dad.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
There are loads actually. But someone who springs to mind at the minute is Adam Byatt. His food has just got more and more refined and confident as the years have gone on, and I love that Trinity’s first star was decades in the making. I also admire the work he does for the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten at one of his restaurants, so I’m well overdue a visit!
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
Mess.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
Customers say all sorts, don’t they? Most of it very complimentary, or at least constructive. I remember one couple of mature ladies making fun of our interior in a very snooty manner. I said to them that I wouldn’t go round to their houses and poke fun at their living room décor, so why should they do so here? That was the end of that, thankfully.
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Ingredient led, unfussy and soulful.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
Fay Maschler gave Salon [the now-closed Brixton restaurant Balfe previously owned with Matthew Bushnell and Mark Gurney] a terrible review back in 2012. It hurt so bad at the time, but ended up being the single most important moment in my career, teaching me so much about the nature of hospitality. We’ve chatted a couple of times since and I feel like we actually have quite a good rapport.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Seek out learning experiences at every step of the way. Stay humble, don’t get ahead of yourself and build connections in your community - it’s such a small industry.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
I love a sharp mandolin - great for pickles, preserves and lovely little vegetable garnishes.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Steak, chips and béarnaise sauce.
À la carte or tasting menu?
Tough one. Depends on the occasion, but a really good tasting menu is hard to beat.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
L’Enclume in Cartmel for my 40th birthday, shortly after they won their third star. Mind blowing.
What’s your favourite fast food joint?
Chick ‘N’ Sours holds a special place in my heart as we used to live nearby. If we’re talking proper chains, probably Five Guys.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
The River Cafe’s Chocolate Nemesis.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
GBM.
What’s the most overrated food?
I can take or leave sushi. But then again, I’ve never really eaten it anywhere decent.
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Snidey comments about the prices that restaurants charge. Diners generally have no idea about the economics of running a restaurant.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
Andi Oliver as she is full of light and holds a conversation brilliantly; Carlo Ravelli, a theoretical physicist, who makes incredibly complex, lofty scientific matters incredibly easy to digest; Louis Theroux as he has a knack for asking the most insightful questions; Beyonce as it would be incredible to get an insight into her world; and my wife Natali, of course.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Eating gooseberries from our garden in Dorset as a kid. They were so incredibly sharp, but occasionally you’d get one that was perfectly ripe and just so delicious.
Twitter or Instagram?
Insta.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
I fell into a canal when I was about five on a boating holiday. Luckily my dad plucked me straight out.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
I have a few friends who work in music, so to see one of them DJ.
What’s your tipple of choice?
Negroni please, although I haven’t drank since May.
What’s your favourite food and drink pairing?
Shellfish and orange wine.
What do you consider to be your signature dish?
Has to be the cheddar fries we serve at Holm.