Ben Murphy 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.
Background:
At 16 left school, Ben went to Westminster Kingsway Catering College where he completed a 3 year Diploma Culinary Arts Course. He was lucky enough to get a job when he finished college working under legendary Chef Pierre Koffmann at The Berkley Hotel, Knightsbridge.
“This was a valuable and exciting experience for me as I stayed 3 years working under Chef Koffmann, from starting as a Commis Chef, peeling carrots every day to cooking the meat and fish and leaving as Sous Chef.
“I left with Pierre Koffmann's guidance, he guided me and helped me to get a job at 3 Michelin Star restaurant Michel Guérard in the South of France, where I completed a 10 month contract. I've always believed since learning the French cuisine/ techniques at college and enhancing them at Pierre Koffmann’s restaurant, the only other way was to go to France and get a full acknowledgment of
Michel Guérard’s restaurant I would class as being very classical but produced and cooked to perfection. The hardest thing for me was getting to grips with learning French, I studied Spanish at school! I guess I can say I self-trained myself to learn French because I had no choice but to learn the language to move up or progress.
“Once my contract was up I wanted to move to Paris, a place where there’s more life, more things to see, but also to step away from the classical and take the approach of pure modern techniques.
“With the help of Michel Guérard but also Head Chef Olivier Brulard, they managed to get me into a 3 Michelin star restaurant Epicure based in Le Bristol Hotel in Paris under Chef Eric Frechon. The service is very intense, we all are there to learn and work at the best possible level.
“I've currently been at Epicure for 9 months now but would like to complete a year or two, where I go next I’m not sure.
“Cooking for me is more of a hobby the bonus is I get paid for it.”
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