Scott Hallsworth discusses his role as Head Chef and owner of Kurobuta London and his own inspirations with regards to pursuing a career as a Chef.
Name: Scott Hallsworth
Place of work: Kurobuta London
Role: Head Chef and owner
Bio: The Australian Chef is the co-founder of Kurobuta in London. Scott joined Nobu London in 2001 as a Chef de partie, he went on to spend 6 years at the Michelin-starred Park Lane address where he was promoted to head Chef. After seven years with the Nobu company, Hallsworth moved to Dubai to help open Mirai restaurant. His current restaurants are Kurobuta Kings Road, Chelsea and Joe's Oriental Diner.
Scott Hallsworth 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 your current position?
I've been working on Kurobuta for a while but opened our doors for the first time last October, so officially since then which is almost nine months now.
What experience and how many years would someone need in order to progress to the top level of the industry?
It all depends on which sector of the industry, if it's independent restaurants which is where I position myself, then it's about gaining as much all round restaurant and business experience as you possibly can. It's not all about working in the kitchen all day every day, that is important to do as well, but if you want to climb to the top you need to see the bigger picture.
What are your ultimate top five tips for someone looking to start a career in the hospitality sector?
It helps if you have a passion for hospitality, or if you happen to develop one. It’s good to bear this in mind, the most successful guys are all very passionate and that's why they do what they do.
Otherwise, I'd say:
Be patient and don't be in a hurry to climb the tree too quickly
Learn from everyone, from the kitchen porter to the boss
Work hard and don't give up
Don't take the pressures of the industry too personally, you need to be reasonably tough
Even in the best establishments, there are big challenges, don't be in a hurry to jump ship when times get tough, the grass isn't always greener. Employers like to see that you can stick it out when you eventually do submit your CV somewhere else.
Who are the key Chefs and restaurants that someone should be speaking to and trying to gain experience with?
There are so many brilliant Chefs out there, align yourself with the ones relevant to where you want to go. But in general, I'd say it's important to see a good cross-section of the industry. Do some stages at places like Le Manoir or Le Gavroche, learn about Japanese (we always welcome stages at Kurobuta), get an understanding of modern techniques with a place like the Fat Duck then go and cook in Spain, New York, wherever, get out if your comfort zone and appreciate other perspectives.
What are you looking out for on a CV or in an interview if someone was applying to work with you?
For Chefs I like to see longevity and a bit of growth, it doesn't matter if the person hasn't worked in the most famous kitchens, they need to be a solid character.
For front of house it's all about personality, some of our guys haven't even been waiters before but they do a first class job and guests love them. We can train them to be a waiter but we can't train somebody's personality.
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