HISPI in Manchester recently participated in the TMRW project’s Chefs of Tomorrow initiative. Richard Sharples, Head Chef of HISPI, talks about how important it is to help develop the next generation of chefs and to build a community in the industry.
TMRW: What was the feeling in the restaurant and the kitchen at HISPI for CoT?
RS: There was a really lovely vibe and the chefs got along really well, that made for a brilliant atmosphere in the kitchen. It was good to see fellow chefs from other restaurants turning out to support too. A sense of community amongst restaurants and chefs is a brilliant thing to be part of; it helps spread ideas and talent, creating a better and more diverse food scene around Manchester. We should push to try and make this community bigger and more engaged. Events like Chefs of Tomorrow really help.
TMRW: Where there any particular worries from the young chefs?
RS: There were only minor concerns of the cooking and seasoning of a few things, but all the chefs had arrived really well prepared and practically ready to start service. We spoke about timings and when service would begin, the organisation of crockery and the way in which to set up cooking stations for each dish. After that, myself and Chris (sous chef) took a very ‘hands off’ approach and left the chefs to take control of service.
TMRW: What was the atmosphere in the kitchen when the chefs all arrived and how did that develop over the evening?
RS: There was a little nervous energy on arrival, but once the chefs had had their pictures taken and been interviews it gave them common ground. They then started to speak about their dishes and a little about themselves. AS the evening progressed and service started everybody banded together to help each other out. It was a really nice service to a part of.
TMRW: How do you think this experience was good for them, and key things they would have learnt?
RS: I think it was a great vehicle to showcase their talents and to feel that a he sense of the satisfaction and pride you get when you dish is served to guests. On a practical note, having to stick to a budget will have helped them understand the value in a dish. Being I control of sending their own course will have helped with speed and organisation during service. Being interviewed by the TMRW project and interactions with myself, Chris, the other young chefs will have helped develop their communications skills further. There was absolutely nothing about the evening that wasn’t good for their development as cooks. I hope now they have reflected on how they may have done some things differently. It’s really healthy to think that way. When you first start our creating dishes you can have an idea in the back of your mind for weeks, trailing it in the kitchen and sitting down to eat it yourself, you can be 100% happy with it, but the first time you service it to a guest is when you truly appreciate the things could be tweaked slightly and prepared differently.
TMRW: What was Kieran's (HISPI’s CoT participant) preparation leading up to the event? How did he develop his dish, was it with you, others in kitchen?
RS: Kieran is a very talented and engaging young chef. He had spent time over the last few weeks practicing and perfecting each component of his dish, giving them to myself and Gary to try as a whole or individually. Only a few suggestions were made in which the dish could be improved, but nothing that took him away from his initial idea and techniques.
Interviewed by Co-Founder of The TMRW Project, Anna Sulan Masing
The next Chefs of Tomorrow event will take place at Le Cochon Aveugle on Monday 17 July. Get your tickets here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chefs-of-tomorrow-le-cochon-aveugle-york-tickets-34968301130
