James Sommerin, James Sommerin Restaurant

The Staff Canteen

James Sommerin discusses his role as Chef Patron at James Sommerin Restaurant and his own inspirations with regards to pursuing a career as a Chef.

Name: James Sommerin

James Sommerin

Place of work: James Sommerin Restaurant

Role: Chef Patron

Bio: James Sommerin is Chef patron of James Sommerin Restaurant, situated on the Esplanade in Penarth. His culinary journey started at the age of 12 and has lead him to the next chapter in his life, James Sommerin Restaurant, which he opened with his wife Louise. His cooking inspirations spiral from his late grandmother who he cooked with and developed his passion and love for cooking.

Follow James Sommerin on Twitter here: @JSommerin

Chef Skills

James Sommerin takes us through her 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? 

Since I was 16 - so around 20 years!

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

It totally depends on the sort of establishment but around at least 10 years.

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

1. Be prepared to work hard

2. Accept the unsociable hours

3. Be open minded as there is no right or wrong in cooking

4. Be humble and accept that you are going to make mistakes

5. Most of all - really enjoy food and working with it, as that is what it is all about!

Mackeral Salad

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

 There are so many different types of cuisines that in my opinion,  there is no ‘one’ person. The industry and food itself is so varied these days, so you can’t just say Ramsay, Heston or Roux - it’s all about which area interests you and which Chefs you admire.

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

Top of my list is enthusiasm and an open mind. I took on a 16-year-old who was so eager I hired him! He had no experience but pure passion.

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  – 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 16 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 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, 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 27th October 2016

James Sommerin, James Sommerin Restaurant