Nick Beardshaw, The Coach

The Staff Canteen
Nick Beardshaw

Nick Beardshaw discusses his role as Head Chef at The Coach at Marlow and his own inspirations with regards to pursuing a career as a Chef.

Name: Nick Beardshaw

Place of work: The Coach at Marlow

Role: Head Chef

Chef Skills

Nick Beardshaw 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 this role?

3 months.

What made you want to be the Head Chef of a pub?

I came from the Hand and Flowers, where I worked for four years, and I liked the informality of it, so I wanted to carry that on. The pub environment is very social and very comfortable.

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

To be honest we have some very young boys in our kitchen if you have the right attitude and you are willing to learn then you could make it to the top from a very young age. I mean with more time comes more experience but as long as you have a good attitude and temperament then you can go from as soon as you finish college.

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

  • You need to make a lot of sacrifices
  • Have determination, it is an all-consuming lifestyle choice
  • You have to absolutely love it otherwise, you can’t survive in that environment
  • Work in some high-level places, and diversify
  • You have to be thick-skinned and able to take criticism
Nick Beardshaw

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

 I’d say certainly Tom Kerridge, he is the main one that everyone looks at and he has the only two-star pub in the world. Also Dom Chapman, who had a Michelin star at the Royal Oak, and Andrew Pern from the Star Inn,  which was one of the first pubs to get a star.

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

 CVs can be a bit misleading, we generally take people on for a trial and you look for someone who works quickly, tidily and has a good attitude.

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 16th March 2017

Nick Beardshaw, The Coach