CHILDHOOD DREAM
I’ve dreamt of being a chef since I was 8 years old, and I believe we find our vocation somehow signaled to us in our earliest dreams.
Every Wednesday I used to run a restaurant for my brothers where I cooked, hosted and served them. I loved hospitality and reaching out to others while holding concern for their health and well being in my mind and heart. My outlook on cooking remains as constant in its spirit today as it did then.
Your health is as important to me as mine. I believe in natural but real food that is tasteful cared for and prepared with good intentions.
THE VALUE OF FOOD
My childhood experience was full of rations, hardship and never having enough food on the table. Money was always short and my brothers would go foraging, harvesting on fallen fruits they would at times steal from nearby farms.
I decided from an early age that I would run away and find my own path. As early as 12 years old I earned my own pocket money and it all went into huge fruit baskets and fresh vegetables. I would go into health food shops to learn about sensible and effective eating.
I wasn’t the kind of teenager that took to smoking and alcohol.
At the age of 14, I went to study at a hotel and catering school. So since I ran away I have worked ever since in every sector of the business.
FRENCH TRAINING
I became trained in French Silver Service which in France is an important qualification if you want to progress in the industry.
I then worked in many gastro restaurants, doing seasonal work...too many to be enumerated here.
I became adept at selling wine and doing flambé and preparation of all kinds of sauces in front of guests. I became very knowledgable about cheeses and there are many hundreds to learn about.
I became skilled in preparing steak tartare, sauce au poivre vert, vinaigrette, fruit decoupage, fish cutting, meat preparing while regularly demonstrating my skills to visitors.
I worked as an apprentice, to begin with and did summer placements away from home. I worked at every opportunity I could, to learn and gained my knowledge through the direct experience of cooking in many places.
INTEREST IN HEALTH
After I moved to the UK the food I made came more and more from my passion for a balanced diet and I found the community I lived in appreciated and supported the way I loved to cook.
I had an outside catering business, worked privately for wealthy families and travelled abroad to work in Australia and other countries.
I created a mobile cafe I took to festivals and worked for many outstanding small and large enterprises. I also helped open a business with the charitable intent to transition young vulnerable adults into the industry.
ASHBURTON SCHOOL OF CATERING
I joined the Ashburton catering school in Ashburton for a period of two years holding the French classic training and middle eastern course and was also a chef at the renowned Riverford Farm Field Kitchen.
At the age of 42 I had a midlife crises and went away to follow my passion for sailing and soon found myself aboard beautiful sailing yachts cooking for wealthy clients in their galleys and seeing places few can imagine. Remote, wild, and life-changing.
I am now regularly booked to do large events and I am now experienced in organising and overseeing every aspect of their delivery.
I am presently the kitchen manager at Rill Farm.
These days I care about a job well done as passionately as ever, whether working with a team of experts who support me in delivering for larger events or working alone for the smaller engagements I also enjoy to cook for.
