Elliott Lidstone, Head Chef of L'ortolan Restaurant, Berkshire

I think you have to be grounded enough to still be able to have a laugh and a joke with the boys, at the appropriate time but they know where the line is. That is the important part being a head chef, going from a sous chef or junior sous chef is letting the boys know where the line is without being too arrogant. You need a balance, I think. And how much importance do you in role as head chef, and the team at L'ortolan, place on training? A huge amount. That's the key thing, whether you do fifty covers or ten covers your team is critical and if you haven't trained the boys, and they don't know what they are doing. If there is a kink in the chain then it's vital to iron it out. So I do go through things again and again. I check, and check and check again. Do you have a structured training programme? It's very much on the job training, to be honest. For the more senior boys to go on things like food handlers courses, but day to day I will move the boys around each section in the morning. The night before I will check their mis-en-place list and if we have got a new menu change, for example, if there is any chef who is not sure about anything they come and see me. Everything is tasted before we serve. Again just always check, check and check again. What has been the biggest development in you? How have you changed in that five years? Skills-wise, I think my skills have been homed a little bit more and more refined. Butchery, we do all our own butchery. All our fish prep is done here, as well. So important key skills like that - I have homed those sorts of skills. From a non-kitchen perspective, or a management side of things I think, like I was saying before - I think it's speaking to guests interacting with the guest and having a public image has been a real development. Does Alan tell you off if your GP is out? Umm, yes we work to quite a tight budget - 30% food cost. That's quite low for a stared restaurant, isn't it? Yes, definitely. Very low but we never skimp if we have something on the menu that is a little bit more. We'll do our best to work around it. We'll try and save it in other areas. The most important thing is the food. But have you learnt the financial aspects? It's great to be doing food but it wouldn't be the first Michelin restaurant that hasn't made any money. Definitely. There is no point us being here and not making money because everyone has got to live, at the end of the day. All the invoices, at the end of the week, I check all of them; tot up all the food costs and that all gets sent to our finance guy. In terms of future development, where do you see yourself in five years time? Opening another restaurant within the group? Or do you see yourself staying here? Five years time? To be honest things are developing within the company and a great speed and they are very exciting. Not at a frightening speed but at a manageable speed. So five years time - I really don't know, to be honest. I'd like to be pushing for a star myself. I have spent ten/twelve years in Michelin starred restaurants. So when you say "A star for yourself" do you mean a star under Alan Murchison Restaurants, like Will? I think I like the idea within the ten and eight, I think the concept; the structure is just as interesting. Not just the restaurant but the whole...everything to do with it. I guess there is less risk attached to it too? Yes, absolutely. And you have support from Alan as well, almost like having a mentor as well. Yes, but you also have a formula to look at too. Definitely and it's interesting having been here from the start - seeing everything develop and the way it's expanding and how its working - it's all very interesting. What is the most rewarding thing working with Alan? He's a good guy, the most rewarding thing is his sense of humour and energy, you have got to move at the pace he moves at. And if you don't he wants to know why!