Good? Bad?
Oh, brilliant. Fantastic.
Are you a good guest? Or are you critical?
Oh, no I think you go out to eat; to enjoy it and you pick the places you want to go because that it what you would like to eat. And you respect the guy for his cooking. But then, if you go to a steakhouse you know what you are going to get – a well done steak how ever you ask for it to be cooked!! (Laughter)
What’s your view on Tasting Menus or Grazing Menus? The reason I ask this, not to name drop, but we recently came back from a demonstration by Marco and he was very much from an era of Gastronomy, where there was maybe 3 or 4 courses and now everything is 15 courses and you get a spoonful of everything – and it’s not his bag. He totally respects people and if that is what they want to do that’s fine. What is your view on that?
I think you need to have a good balance of A la Carte and Tasting.
OK, do you think from a chef’s point of view the Tasting Menu shows what you can do?
I don’t think it is anything different from an A la Carte. The Tasting Menu we have here is based on the A la Carte dishes because a Tasting Menu should be if a guest wants to taste a lot of dishes, then they can do so. That’s my personal view. Some people are going more towards Tasting Menus only but also good for controlling food costs because of the amount of stuff you have come in because you know that it’s going to go. So for a rotational point of view and a business prospective I am sure it is a very good thing. And it doesn’t detract from the guys or girls cooking ability. I think you just have to be careful because in a place like this I don’t think it would work because it is a Country House Hotel with a Fine Dining Restaurant. That is, maybe, something for us to develop for the future.
And where do you sit, with modern verses classics? Everybody at the moment are using jellies; foams…
Yes, we do it here, but everything stems from the classics.
What motivates you to get in here every morning at 7.30? Is it that star?
Yes, it’s about achieving or going as far as you can and making the restaurant successful.
And what happens in January when you hopefully get the star then?
You continue to push forward. You can’t just rest and say I’ve got one star and 4 rosettes – that’s it. You do this trade for recognition and a lot of chefs thrive on recognition. Some say they don’t, but I think they are lying.
Do you think there will come a day, you are still a young man, will there come a day when wife; children – your personal situation, your personal ambition may change and maybe if you get that star you will have different values in life.
You need a balance.
Can chefs manage to achieve that?
Not necessarily. And sometimes you do struggle. It’s a tough environment for somebody out of the industry to understand it and that is the biggest thing, because they say “Why are you at work until 12 O’clock”; “Why do you have to go in at 6 O’clock”. It is a harsh environment but I think to get a work life balance can be achieved.
Adam, thank you very much.
Pleasure.
