Ross Sneddon, Claridge's Hotel, London

The Staff Canteen
Ross Sneddon

Ross Sneddon discusses his role as Head pastry Chef at Claridge's, London and his own inspirations with regards to pursuing a career as a Chef.

Name: Ross Sneddon

Place of work: Claridge's, London

Role: Head pastry Chef

Bio: Having worked in various hotels throughout his career and for Thorntons, as a development Chef Ross Sneddon is now settled as head pastry Chef for luxury 5-star hotel Claridge’s in London. Running a pastry kitchen that works throughout the night.

Follow him on Twitter here: @ChefRossSneddon

Chef Skills

Ross Sneddon takes us through his personal experiences whilst being in the Culinary Industry. These key skills that young Chefs and industry professionals learn as part of their basic training.

How long have you been in your current position?

Over a year.

What experience and how many years would someone need in order to progress to the top level of the industry?

To get to the top level in pastry you need about 15-20 years’ experience, working in different environments at the top level and working with people who can continually teach you. I think you need to focus on continuing and improving what you do, you need to keep a humble attitude and realise that this is a massive field that you need to learn. It’s about working those hours and the practice that you have as a lot of things develop naturally for people.

What are your ultimate top five tips for someone looking to start a career in the hospitality sector?

Ginger cake Ross Sneddon

1. Be prepared to work long hours

 2. Have a good attitude

 3. Be humble

 4. Do stages

 5. Be genuinely interested in your subject

Who are the key Chefs and restaurants that someone should be speaking to and trying to gain experience with?

 For pastry shops, I would say William Curley and Pierre Hermes. I would also recommend getting experience at a grand international hotel ideally with five stars and at a Michelin restaurant.

What are you looking out for on a CV or in an interview if someone was applying to work with you?

Good previous experience, humility, and to be bright and enthusiastic.

View Feature posts about Ross Sneddon

Find a Chef Job

Whether you're an aspiring Chef soon to be leaving education, or you are an established Chef looking for a new culinary challenge, we have a variety of Chef roles to suit you;
- Head Chef Jobs
- Executive Chef Jobs
- Sous Chef Jobs
- Commis Chef Jobs
- Chef de Parties Jobs
- Pastry Chef Jobs

In these challenging times…

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.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 18th May 2017

Ross Sneddon, Claridge's Hotel, London