Kitchen Porter of the Month: Fred James, Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms
We feature some of the best chef’s in the world on The Staff Canteen but where would they be without their kitchen porter?
We thought it was time to celebrate the unsung heroes of the kitchen in a new monthly feature, KP of the Month, and this month it is Fred James who currently works at Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms which holds one star in the Michelin Guide UK and four Rosettes from the AA Restaurant Guide.
Fred was nominated by general managerAmelia Eiriksson who said: "We nominated Fred for loads of reasons. He comes in whatever time we need, he's a member of the kitchen team when required, foraging, going along to guest chef nights, he serves in the restaurant with the chef team and is still on top of all of the pots and pans always! Nicknamed Freddy the Legend by the head chef, and always there to finish off the leftovers from dinner."
How long have you worked at Ynyshir for?
Eight months, time has flown by!
Why did you want to be a KP?
I wanted to work at Ynyshir and being the KP was a good starting point for me.
Are you interested in cooking or happy to stay as a KP?
Yes, I am definitely interested in cooking.
What is it like to work at Ynyshir, and what is Gareth like as a boss?
I’ve worked at many places and Ynyshir is by far the best place that I’ve ever worked. Gareth is an incredible boss and I see him like a father figure. He’s very patient and is an excellent teacher to me.
As a KP, what’s the most annoying thing chefs do in the kitchen?
The team I work with are stellar. I can’t think of anything that they do that annoys me except for the excessive tea orders.
Is there anything chefs could do to make your life easier?
Scrape the cream-filled pans before dumping them on me.
And do you get to try the food? That must be a perk!
I do get to try the food if I show an interest - I’ve tried nearly every dish.
Do you have a favourite dish you have tried at the restaurant?
It changes every so often but now it’s probably the lamb dish with wild garlic mayonnaise.
Would you encourage other chefs to nominate and celebrate their KPs?
Absolutely, it’s a demanding job - if a person can commit to the hard graft they should be celebrated.
{{user.name}}