surface but the possibilities excite me with what you can do with flavours, styles and techniques.
Is there anyone doing desserts that you look at and aspire to be like?
There’s a couple of people that I’ve always followed: Cherish Finden from The Langham and Hideko Kawa as well. I worked with Hideko and she was a big inspiration to me, she’s incredible at pastry so working with her was a big achievement.
Would you say there’s anything at the moment that could be called your signature?
I would say the chocolate brownie – I’ve been making it since I was 14 so it’s been developed and tweaked but it’s probably one of my favourite dishes and the tarte tatins as well. I won London’s top ten desserts last year for a tarte tatin that I made.
Talking about the brownie then, it won Callebaut’s For The Love of Chocolate competition but how easy was it deciding upon what to create for this competition?
I really enjoy nostalgic desserts that take you back to being a child, eating brownies when I was little made by my mum, brought all those memories back. When I read the brief it brought back a lot of childhood desserts that family had made so it was quite a quick decision it was just how I was going to present it.
Have you had the trip to Ghana already and if so how was it?
Yeah it was back in April. It was incredible, if anyone gets the chance then they should do it. it was the most amazing experience I’ve had, it was such an eye-opener to see a completely different world.
So you’ve got a few following on Twitter so do you think that social media is important to get your name and work seen?
Yeah absolutely. I’ve had Twitter since 2010 and it’s taken off the last few years, it’s helped me connect with people all over the world though. They’ve seen the work that I’ve done and it’s been shared between their friends and followers – so yeah social media has a massive influence on spreading out what you do and who you are.
You’re part of the P & D Culinary team – what is that and what does it involve?
It’s the pastry development culinary team and I’m also part of the London Committee for the Chef’s Forum and I’m a chef ambassador for three companies. As an ambassador you use the products from that particular company and go on trips with them and work in their development kitchen and attend events, festivals, showcases; you help promote what they do through the company.
For the P &D Culinary team - when shows like ScotHot and Hospitality Show have the sit down meals we cater for those that have tickets for those events. We also do private catering parties so it’s events, launches, shows, festivals and we’re there to showcase but also promote as well.
Talking about competitions then are they something that you like to partake in regularly?
The last one was for the For The Love of Chocolate but other than that not in the last couple of years but when I was training to be a chef and when I first moved to London I was doing a lot.
Is it something that you would want to do more of in the future?
I would maybe like to do Pastry Chef of the Year through the Association of Pastry Chefs next year but I judge a lot now rather than take part. I enjoy judging though as you can see a lot of different styles and take influence from a lot of their work. I’d like to find a balance to do both judging and taking part.
Some of the chefs that come up through colleges in these competitions are brilliant and they wouldn’t normally if they hadn’t have entered a competition been noticed and recognised.
So personally what are you favourite desserts to both create but eat yourself?
I like simple desserts that are executed to a top level. I don’t need a 25-element desert to make it wow so it can be as simple as an ice cream really.
Where would you say your inspiration comes from?
I could start a library with all the cookbooks I’ve got but I read through those, I look at different chefs and read where their inspirations come from to see if that can help me.
What are your future plans for both yourself and the company?
We’re looking to launch a new development kitchen that we can do workshops and demos out of by March 2016, but we just want to expand the company and make it go further than where it currently is.
I would like to open my own pastry shop or bake house, a few spread around. Maybe one in the Caribbean, where most of my family are, one in England and one in Europe. It would be simple but nicely executed little desserts and pastries.
