Why Badar Islam is in the running for Winterhalter KP of the Year

On the busiest nights at The Coach in Marlow, Badar Islam is still there when others might be looking at the clock.

He does not leave until everything is finished, and in a small kitchen that does not go unnoticed.

Nominated by head chef Brad Cacela for Winterhalter KP of the Year, Badar’s work ethic and willingness to learn has seem to develop into more than solely washing the dishes.

He is a dependable part of the rhythm of the kitchen, someone who takes pride in the small things, wants to learn and quietly makes life easier for everyone around him.

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Why Brad nominated him

Brad joined Tom Kerridge’s Michelin-starred pub The Coach as head chef a year ago,

Having worked closely with Badar within that time, he describes him as someone who is always willing to work, always tries his best and never leaves jobs unfinished.

“I joined a year ago and obviously Badar and I have become closer over the year,” Brad said.

“He's just such a nice guy. He's always willing to work. He does his best every day. He doesn't leave until everything's done, which is good.

“Saturdays, sometimes you finish a little bit later than 11, but he doesn't leave until it's done.”

For a head chef, that sort of reliability is invaluable. Kitchens need people they can trust, especially in smaller teams where every person matters. Badar, Brad says, is one of those people.

But it is not only about graft. Brad also talks about the way Badar carries himself, making a positive impression on the whole team.

“He does everything with loads of respect and puts everything away nicely,” Brad explained.

“His English is not very good, but we've taught him how to write labels and stuff like that. So you can see he's willing to learn, he wants to be here.

“The kitchen team love him, he puts smiles on everyone's faces, front of house as well. We're quite a small team, so when he walks through the door, everyone's like, ‘oh, Badar’, which is cool.”

A trusted part of a small team

At The Coach, Badar has now been for one year and eight months. In that time, he has become one of the more senior KPs in the operation.

Brad explains that there are three KPs doing the bulk of the hours, with two youngsters helping on cover, but Badar takes control and helps keep things moving.

Asked what the kitchen misses when Badar is not working, Brad explained: “Sadly, Badar's dad passed away at the beginning of the year, so he had to go back to Pakistan for a couple of months.

“It was difficult. There are small things that he does that nobody realises, like he knows everyone's set-up.

“So when he washes up, he keeps it all separate and brings it all to you together. It saves the kitchen team time in the morning having to run around and find bottles and whisks and that sort of thing. He knows what everyone needs.

He generally knows where everything goes and helps out in the kitchen. You don't have to ask him to do things, he just does them, like brush the floor or take the bins out.

“When he's not here, it's more work for everyone else.”

above and beyond

What makes Badar such a strong fit for this series is that his role goes beyond the traditional view of a kitchen porter.

Brad says he has taught him a number of extra jobs in the kitchen, and Badar has taken them on happily.

That includes playing his part in the famous The Coach burger.

“He wants to learn other things too,” Brad said.

“I've taught him a few kitchen jobs, which he takes over now and does, and he's happy to do them.

“You know how we do the burgers here? So, I've taught him how to do the burgers and now he sees the burger mix come in and he knows how to roll it now and pack it, cook it, all that.

“He deals with some little bit of fish we do, cuts roasties, cuts chips.

“It's not us being like, “do this now, you have to do this, because we don't want to do it.” It's because he's coming to us.”

Badar himself added: “If I have time, I ask him (Brad), ‘give me another job, I’ll do it’.

“Because my colleagues are so nice, chef is so nice. I pass to my heart, I say, I’ll help too, if I can. If another chef is busy.”

Asked how different that approach is to other KPs he has worked with in the past, Brad said: “Definitely Badar's team effort. He doesn't just come in and is like, ‘oh, I'm a kitchen porter, and that's what I'm doing today, and then I'm going home’.

“If he sees we're busy, he asks if he can help, or he'll go to one of the boys and be like, ‘I'll do that for you’.

“So it is different. Most kitchen porters I've worked with, that's all they want to do. They see helping the chefs as extra work, if that makes sense to me.

“Whereas I think Badar sees it as team effort and he's just helping the team out. It's not doing extra work, if that makes sense.”

A career built across Europe

Badar also brings experience that goes well beyond his time in Marlow.

Before joining The Coach, he worked in Germany in a restaurant as a kitchen porter, then moved to Italy, where he spent five years in an Italian restaurant, working there as head KP full-time.

Asked what he likes about being a KP and coming to work every day, Badar said: “My team is very nice. It's teamwork.

“My chef is very nice, friendly. I enjoy the work. All the people are so nice and welcome me.

“I like this job. One year and eight months here, but every day I enjoy the job. It's all the team together, working.

“I try to do the best.”

Recognition for kitchen porters

One of the strongest messages in the interview is that kitchen porters deserve more recognition.

Badar talks about helping in the back kitchen, cleaning, packing, cutting and supporting the chefs once the washing up is done. He understands that the role is about more than one station. It is about making sure the kitchen works.

Brad sees exactly the same thing from the other side.

Asked how he would feel to win the Winterhalter KP of the Year award, Badar said: “Happy, because I try my best.

“We are together. It is teamwork. If I win, it's not only me that wins, it's all my team win it.”

To finish, Brad exclaimed: “Badar for the win!”