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CHEF INTERVIEW: MARTIN B
WHATLEY MANOR’S MICHELIN STARR
1. You’ve kept company with some of the most
driven, talented and perfection-demanding chefs
around. How do you cope with the pressure of
working in such environments?
You cope with it because you want to do it. I personally
invest lots of time in training my team and
providing them with a structure that makes the
kitchen run efficiently. This lessens the pressure
directly on me and distributes it evenly throughout
the team. I’m a firm believer that you are only as
good as your team, and the structure we have helps
us to perform well together under pressure.
2. What was the toughest, most challenging time
in your professional career?
I worked for John Burton Race for six years, first at
L’Ortolan and then The Landmark Hotel, Marylebone,
London. I was so pleased when we retained
the Michelin Two Star rating at The Landmark as we
had taken a risk by essentially uprooting a country
house restaurant and moving it to the city. I was
Burton Race’s head chef, so had significant responsibility
in making sure the kitchen ran smoothly and
achieved what was expected. Then one day John
decided he was going to pull the plug on the business
and do his ‘French Leave’. My daughter was
only one day old and I found myself out of a job. But
then Alan Murchison (L’Ortolan), a former colleague
and friend of mine, spotted the Whatley Manor opportunity
and I went for it. It was challenging going
it alone, but luckily for me, 11 years later I’m still
very happy to be at Whatley Manor.
Throughout my career I’ve worked with some incredible
head chefs. Michael Croft gave me the solid
classical training that’s important when you first
start in a kitchen. David Moore and Richard Neat
from Pied à Terre introduced me to the Michelinstar
world, and how mentally and physically tough
you need to be to work in such a kitchen. Clive
Fretwell at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons taught
me how to work in a professional, structured and
disciplined kitchen. Raymond Blanc trained my
palate, teaching me how to maximise flavours from
ingredients. Finally, John Burton Race gave me the
freedom to express food on a plate and the empowerment
to run his kitchen for him.
4. What would you say are your key culinary
influences now?
I’m a seasons man, although autumn is tough because
by and large the game isn’t good enough and
again in February the same happens. I feel you wait
forever for spring to come and the vegetables to be
ready, although I’m not an absolute purist on the
seasonality of the menu as I feel it may get too repetitious.
I try not to get too influenced by trends. A
while ago I ate at Per Se and it was like an epiphany
for me. It showed me what great food should really
be about – keep the ingredients true to themselves,
beautifully done but not too complicated.
3. Who would you say your main mentors have
been, and how have you learnt from them?
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