Tell us about your culinary career so far.

I started my culinary journey when I was 15 years old when I left school to go to college to complete a professional cookery course. I did two years there whilst working at a small local chip shop. My college chef really made me realise my passion for cooking and got me my first restaurant job at a hotel in Inverness where I started to learn my craft. 

Why did you decide to enter the Graduate Awards?

The Graduate Awards were on my radar for a year before applications opened. My executive sous chef, Connor Godfrey, was a past Graduate Achiever and really pushed me to apply. He set me up with stagès with people involved in the event where I got to learn a bit more about it.

What would achieving the Graduate Award mean to you?

Achieving the Graduate Awards would mean so much to me. To be recognised by such an established organisation as the Craft Guild of Chefs and the chefs within it is an opportunity that does not come along very often.

What would you most like to achieve as a chef and why?

As a chef, I never want to stop learning and continue to push myself. I also want to be able to share and teach the knowledge I learn with other chefs I meet along my culinary journey.

How did you find the semi-finals experience?

The semi-finals were the first time I’ve experienced this side of the industry, and I really enjoyed it. To be in a different kind of high-pressure environment and still able to perform was very informative and validating for me.

What advice would you give to a young chef who is considering entering the Graduate Awards?

My advice would be to just go for it! Don’t be nervous, go there enjoy yourself and cook some great food. Whether you pass or not, the experience is like no other. 

What do you love most about being a chef and why?

The thing I most love about being a chef is the endless combinations which makes the job so varied. Whether that is the combination of flavours or styles of plating and even the variety of people in the kitchen, there’s always a different way to create and it’s so fun to explore that. 

What’s your favourite type of food to cook?

For me, I love working on the sauce section. Butchery and fish are so interesting and it’s an amazing skill to have. There’s an art to cooking meat and fish which I find so fascinating and love to continue to learn.

Tell us about the best meal you’ve ever eaten.

The best meal I’ve ever had was my first Michelin experience at Casa Fofò. To get to experience that level of food for the first time is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I found it truly inspiring.

Which chefs do you look up to in the hospitality industry and why?

The chef I most look up to has to be John Serhal, my current executive chef who was the first person to give me a chance in London and for that I’m truly thankful. Also, my current executive sous chef, Connor Godfrey who has given me opportunities that I could never have done alone and was definitely one of the main catalysts to my career progression.

I also admire chefs like Dominic Teague at One Aldwych, whose whole a la carte menu is dairy and gluten free but packed with flavour and innovation. Dominic also uses a lot of foraged items which I find incredibly intriguing.