This interview looks at the role of head chef within a brasserie setting. Traditionally, head chefs’ responsibilities may include menu planning, recipe development, food inventory, stock checks and managing a team of chefs of all levels. However, it can be so much more than this – it's also about running the show.

Head chefs should possess a range of transferable skills including attention to detail, excellent knowledge of products and kitchen sections, team management skills, multi-tasking and problem-solving.

If you are a young aspiring chef who would excel in a busy atmosphere and could handle the pressure of a thriving kitchen then a head chef job may be the perfect career path for you. Here is head chef Connor Godfrey’s story.

Job title and description: Head Chef at Yumn Brasserie

Full name: Connor Godfrey

Key job attributes:

· Determination

· Patience

· Enthusiasm

· Care about people

· Love for the job

Q: Connor, you achieved the challenging Graduate Awards. Why did you decide to enter the competition, and how did it help your career?

Connor: Since I was 16, I competed in many regional and national competitions, including Young National Chef of the Year and Wessex Salon Culinaire. I was inspired by my dad, a prominent figure in the competition scene, and I wanted to emulate him and push my boundaries.

Having achieved the 85% pass mark was incredible both personally and professionally. It culminated with me working as a sous chef at the Royal Garden Hotel with Steve Munkley. After that, I moved to The Westbury Mayfair, where I worked as an executive sous chef and then executive chef. I believe I was the youngest executive ever to have been appointed there. Without a doubt, the Graduate Awards helped me tremendously in this journey.

Q: Did you always envision becoming a chef?

Connor: I knew I wanted to become a chef since I was 10-11 years old. I was very decisive from the start, and my approach was to set career goals and work hard. I visualised every step of my career path, and I am happy to say that I managed to accomplish everything I dreamed of even sooner. As an example, my goal was to become chef de partie at 21, but I achieved that at 20. Now I am 28, and I am an executive head chef with ambitions to modernise the culinary scene.

Q: From the competition scene to becoming the executive head chef of the award-winning Yumn Brasserie – tell us more about running a brasserie and your management style.

Connor: Although it has the brasserie name, the style of the service and the food is not befitting a brasserie. We operate it as a relaxed fine-dining restaurant. Unlike more traditional restaurants, I have full control over the menu, so it still has dishes I would have put on the menu at somewhere like The Westbury, for instance. We change the menu seasonally and we aim to source our ingredients as local as we can. Naturally, sometimes it’s more cost-efficient to get them from around the world which matters in a family-owned restaurant.

The atmosphere is a lot more relaxed and less corporate, which matches my management style. My team is very diverse and relatively small, with around seven team members, but I love it as every day is a new learning day for me. I believe this helped me to facilitate an informal and friendly working atmosphere. However, when it’s ‘go time’, we are creating amazing experiences for our guests.

Before Covid-19 we served approximately 100 covers per day, and I never thought about my days being too strenuous. Work smarter, not harder – this is my motto.

Q: How does a typical day at work looks like?

Connor: The first thing I do is check all the produce that’s come in and make sure it’s all of good quality. I then check the covers for the evening, go through the fridges to check quality of mise en place, then I get myself a jobs list and start cooking. I’m a very hands-on chef.

Q: What’s the secret to developing a good relationship with your team as an executive head chef?

Connor: I don’t think there’s a secret. It is more about finding a balance and be respectful of your team. I value performance over micro-management, and I want them to own their decisions. Since I started my professional career, I wanted to be involved in every aspect of the business and be myself. For instance, if I need to clean the kitchen, I do so; I don’t wait for others to do it.

Q: What needs to be changed behind the culinary scenes?

Connor: The old-school mentality. Chefs have to understand that hospitality doesn’t necessarily mean stress, fatigue and severity. Everyone needs to enjoy what they are doing. It’s ok to laugh with your staff, to share a joke and to enquire about their mental health and career progress. Team members aren’t just numbers.

Sometimes chef’s egos are overpowering the atmosphere in the kitchen and it’s a shame as it adds extra pressure on the team. I was lucky to have a mentor like Steve Munkley, who inspired me to work towards striking a work-life balance.

Q: What cuisines inspire you?

Connor: I believe food is a worldwide concept, and we need to embrace every aspect of it. Every cuisine is fascinating, and I couldn’t pick just one. Every dish I make is multicultural and it’s all about diversity. I even like to plate differently every time. My plates are not rigid – it’s all about taste, feelings and creativity.

Q: How would you advise young aspiring chefs to start their career?

Connor: Be bold and step out of your comfort zone. Get to know as many people as you can and submerge yourself in the industry. Networking is vital. Being socially aware is a good factor. Also, what helped me was going out to eat a lot. I used to go on ‘exploratory trips’ with my team every month to a different Michelin star restaurant and experience new styles and cuisines. We would analyse everything from crockery, service and plating style to the flavours of the dish.