Man Behind the Chef: Galton Blackiston

The Staff Canteen

In association with

HEADLINE SPONSOR westlands

In the build up to The Staff Canteen Live 2017 - supported by Westlands, at the International Food and Drink Event (IFE) 2017, we are taking a closer look at the chefs who will be joining us on stage.

We dig a little deeper to find out what they are hiding under those chef whites – next up is Galton Blackiston, chef patron of Morston Hall which has star in the Michelin Guide UK and three rosettes from the AA Restaurant Guide.

Galton Blackiston never trained formally as a chef, instead gaining experience on the job. He realised cooking was in his future at 17, after selling his own range of cakes, biscuits and preserves on a stall in Rye Market. The stall was so successful that Galton abandoned plans of being a professional cricketer to become a chef.

His work experience has taken him around the world to New York, Canada, South Africa and London.

Galton is now the chef owner of Morston Hall in North Norfolk which has gone on to achieve one Michelin star and three Rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide.

Galton Blackiston
Galton Blackiston

What item of food do you hate cooking?

Kidneys I suppose.

What food, if any, are you allergic to?

No, nothing that I’m aware of.

What’s your favourite ingredient to work with?

Coming from an area of fish it’ll mostly be things like crab, lobsters, shellfish, etc.

What’s your guilty pleasure food?

McFlurry.

What three ingredients would you take with you to a desert island and why?

I would probably take ice-cream because it will probably be hot on a desert island. I would take potatoes because they’re the basis for everything and cheese. If you weren’t a chef what would you be? I left school to play cricket so it would probably be something to do with sport.

>>> Read more in The Behind The Chef series here

What radio station do you listen to in the kitchen?

No radio, juts chef’s banter.

What other kitchen would you most like to work in?

I would be interested in working somewhere like the Waterside at Bray.

Traditional cooking methods or modern techniques?

I think we marry the two. There are some classics there for a reason but we also do very modernistic twists on things.

Why did you choose to get involved with TSC Live?

Because I’ve heard they have a good reputation. I’ve had the chance to see some of them and I’ve also heard they do a great show.

>>> IFE takes place on March 19-22, 2017 and you can register now here 

>>> Read more about The Staff Canteen Live here

>>> Read more about The Staff Canteen Live 2017 at IFE

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 20th February 2017

Man Behind the Chef: Galton Blackiston