travelling the world for several years and eventually moving into cheffing. He started off as a humble kitchen porter and has worked his way up the ranks without any formal training except what he has learned under the great chefs he has worked for like Billy Drabble, Jean-Christophe Novelli, 
I met a friend of Alyn’s and he put us in touch with each other. We met very informally in a local pub in Fulham because coincidentally we were living very close to each other. He was still working for Marcus Wareing at the time. He talked me through the project and we took it from there. I started with Alyn in February 2011 and we opened in October during which time we worked on the dishes, sourcing suppliers and trying new ingredients - all the foundation work for opening the restaurant.
Is this the position of biggest responsibility in your career so far?
I was sous chef at 
because of the size of the brigade, and because Alyn has allowed me the opportunity to develop myself.
How would you explain the food philosophy and the ethos here?
The ingredient is paramount to everything. We are meticulous about who we use, what comes into the kitchen and how it’s cooked. Because our ingredients are so good we treat them very simply to get out their best. We have a very close relationship with our farmers and growers that enables us to showcase their ingredients.
You have something called the ‘wine room’ which seems like a pretty unique concept; can you explain it?
It’s almost like a chef’s table combined with a wine cellar. It fits a maximum of ten people. Alyn liaises with the sommelier about what wines he’s going to serve and we then pair the food around the wine as opposed to the wine being paired around the food, which is good for us as chefs because we learn more about wine. We taste the wines and try to think what ingredients would go well with them. it’s a completely bespoke menu every time.
You also have CHEFstock running this month where you get in guest chefs to cook alongside Alyn; how is that going?
Yes, each Tuesday this month we have a different chef in the kitchen. We’ve already had 
de and we all mucked in to create an eight course tasting menu with four dishes each from Sat and Alyn which complimented each other. It was the first time I’d met Sat; he’s a great character and his food’s lovely too. I’m really looking forward to working with Simon Rogan in two weeks’ time but I’m also very interested in working with the two international chefs, Iggy Chan and Bart de Pooter, because I’ve never tried their food before and it will be really interesting to see how they work.
Last year you won a Michelin star, three AA rosettes, Alyn won the National Chef of the Year competition and you came 15th in the National Restaurant of the Year in a relatively short space of time; what was it like to be here during that period?
All four of those achievements were great. I think personally for Alyn the National Chef of the Year award was an amazing accomplishment but also of course getting the star. After leaving Marcus Wareing and setting out on his own for him to get the star that quickly was a huge success.
What is Alyn like to work for?
Great, the expectation is there that everyone is expected to work really hard but it’s more about building a good team around him rather than just working people like dogs so they’re nervous wrecks. You want people to leave your brigade stronger as cooks and stronger in character, not as weak, meek, nervous kids who are frightened to touch a carrot because they might get barked at; that’s ridiculous.
How has Alyn influenced you as a chef since you’ve been here?
Everyone I’ve worked with has given me something. I’ve been very lucky to work with so many great chefs and they’ve all contributed in their own way. Personally I think Alyn will be the last person I work under. He’s kind of polished me up a little bit and 
made me realise that I’m ready to do it on my own. I think what will stay with me from what Alyn has shown me is how he wants his kitchen run, how he treats the ingredients and how he deals with his suppliers – that personal bond that you have with growers and breeders which enables you to do what you want and is kind of priceless really.
You say that Alyn will be the last person you work under; does that mean you’ll be opening your own place soon?
I’d obviously like to run my own place one day but I don’t know when. It’s all about opportunity. Who knows, maybe Alyn will help me, you never know!
View the recipe’s here:-
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
