This month’s Featured Chef…
Nathan Outlaw
Head Chef, Restaurant Nathan Outlaw at Marina Villa Hotel
The Staff Canteen is delighted to talk with Nathan Outlaw.
One of the UK’s most talented and raising culinary stars, Nathan has had extraordinary success having gained not one but three Michelin stars in three different operations.
Nathan currently Head Chef at Restaurant Nathan Outlaw at Marina Villa Hotel in picturesque Fowey, he was awarded a rising second in the 2008 Michelin Guide.
Developing his own style of using the “Less Fashionable” items, Nathan Outlaw really is a name to watch.
So Nathan, what made you decide you wanted to become a chef?
Well, I’ve always wanted to be a chef really. Since I was eight years old and watching my Dad cooking …
So, he was a chef?
Yeah, yeah – he was a chef.
Is he still a chef now?
Yes, he’s still a chef. He works for the Catering giant – Sodexho. So I’ve always really been in the kitchen. I think the first time I was ever in a kitchen I was about 4 weeks old and my mum got a bollocking for warming my bottle in a Bain Marie (Laughter) so she got an earfull from the chef that my Dad was working for at the time. So I have always been in and around the kitchen, so I didn’t even think of anything else as a career.
And how did you become a chef? Did you go to college? Did you do an apprenticeship? What route did you take?
Well, originally I did a lot of work experience with my father because he wanted to see whether I could with stand the hours and things like that before he sent me off to college. And then he said, I think it was about six weeks before I was enrolling in college he said if I can last working with him for six weeks then he would send me to college. I then went to college in Broadstairs, Kent and did a two year stint.
