Based on his extensive experience working within the Culinary Industry, Head Chef, Matt Edmonds offers his advice to aspiring Chefs in an attempt to help them on their journey up the career ladder:
Hi, I'm Matt Edmonds, I'm Head Chef for Searcy's at the gherkin.
A young Chef going into our industry today can expect a good knowledge of the modern techniques, using water baths, liquid nitrogen ETC the varied array of products now that's available especially the British Larders come a long way in 14 years of me being in the trade. They just learn new ways of doing everything the techniques in it so it's a good vast experience.
Now the best bit of careers advice that I've been given was get your head down, be dedicated to it, on your days off before you have a wife and kids you go out, go do stages at these restaurants that's what I did you look in the guides, look in the Michelin guide look in the AA guide whatever is closer to where your living at the time, just go there once a month give up one evening at the end of the day and it's a great experience. It's the best bit of advice I can give and just
When a candidate applies to me it's not so much on the experience it's more when you meet them face to face it's that hunger and desire of them actually wanting to learn, because you can bring anybody in but it takes a lot for somebody to want to learn what you're teaching them. I think that's the main thing to see it in their eyes the desire for them to push on.
A Chef coming into my kitchen for a career with me they can expect a lot of varied food because we offer quite a bit at the gherkin from fine dining to doing 400 people for canopies and bowl foods, they will learn the positional skills that they need for what we do and to deliver a product that people are paying a lot of money to come for as it's an exclusive venue everything has to be right so there learning how to be quick, tidy efficient.
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