Infotel Magazine | Edition 5 | 2016

INTERVIEW
What made you want to be a chef and how
long have you been doing it?
I started my catering career by working part
time in a gastro pub while studying at college.
This sparked my interest in food and I’ve
never looked back. I have now been cooking
for 23 years.
Which famous person, dead or alive, would
you love to cook for and what would you
serve them?
Right now, I would love to cook for Donald
Trump to see if he’s serious about some of his
ideas! I would give him a traditional English
meal of roast beef with all the trimmings.
What do you look for when you create
a new dish or menu? What’s your main
considerations?
I am always inspired by the changing seasons
and so our menus reflect what’s in season and
available. I’m also driven by the quality of our
supplies and thankfully in Devon, we are
blessed with great suppliers.
When you go home, who does the cooking?
Are you territorial in the kitchen!?
I do the cooking at home but I like to get my
children involved as much as possible so they
know what’s going on.
The #shelfie - a chef’s five must have herbs
and spices always available on the shelf!
What are yours and why?
All fresh herbs are a must and I keep mine in
the fridge all the time.
Do any celebrity chefs inspire you? And if
you had to compare yourself to one, who
would you say you most resemble in terms
of cooking style and/or temperament?
Tom Kerridge from the Hand and Flowers at
Marlow is amazing and a great chef. My cooking
style is like Phil Vickery and my temperament
is the same - when we are busy, there’s no
shouting, just head down and get on with
working.
What’s your favourite cuisine and why?
My style is modern British with a hint of French.
I enjoy cooking modern British food with our
local produce and adding some traditional
French techniques and ideas to the dish.
Dine and stay at
The Arundell Arms >>
What’s proving to be the most popular
dish on your menu this month and why
do you think that is?
This month it’s the casserole of Cornish
Lobster, Monkfish, Red Mullet and Turbot with
saffron potatoes, leeks and chives. It’s as fresh
as can be and is a perfect spring dish.
If you were stranded on a desert island and
allowed one item or ingredient from your
kitchen, what would it be and why?
I would chose to take beef from our local
butcher, Philip Warren. It is truly world class
and consistently good.
You’re sharing a recipe with our readers
today, why did you choose this one?
It’s right in season and our best
seller at the moment. Enjoy!
Turn to page 26 >> for Steven’s recipe of Casserole of Sea Fishes
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