The Chef JKP Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

Craig Best is the Head Chef of the famed Hell's Kitchen restaurant, housed in Caesar's  Palace, Dubai.
https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/gordon-ramsay-hells-kitchen-dubai

At the tender age of 16 straight from high school, he went to work as a chef in a small pub in his local town located in England, making sandwiches.
None of the fine dining food was on the horizon , but it was his wife who actually sent the cv to various places in order to push him to become better.

His first fine dining job was for the one and only Gordon Ramsay! He worked with the company  for sometime, then moved on to the Trompette in Chiswick London, this would be a pivotal role in pushing Craig forward.
http://www.latrompette.co.uk

From there, he went to work for another giant - Marcus Wareing, this chef is just another level of scary, this time the position was for Senior sous.
https://www.tredwells.com

The environment pushes you to fight in a very tough place, after two years in was time to move on, to the Head chef's role with the reputable Jason Atherton.
https://www.jasonatherton.co.uk

Craig worked for Jason in Dubai for a further two years, however the operations director of the Gordon Ramsay restaurant group had different ideas.

An apparent casual drink, turned into a full on interview with 5 executives, they explained the concept of Hell's Kitchen - there was no way he could refuse.

The Restaurant series is watched all around the globe, people flock to Vegas and to Dubai just to catch a glimpse of how the kitchens run, as well as being able to enjoy the world class food.
Gordon of-course makes an appearance from time to time, however Craig is there to ensure the operation runs like a well oiled machine.

The Chef describes the service as electric!

The restaurant is now well and truly cemented in the local dining scene , and has become a place not just to be seen but a place to enjoy an incredible experience, one of the reasons for this success is down to Craig and his ability to push his passion to the the team.

If you want to see what Craig is doing, you can follow him on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/craig.best

Make sure you give him a follow, and a cheeky hello!

Craig is one of those chef's who leaves an impression when you meet him!
A true gatekeeper of his art and a truly great chef!

 

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

Joe Bartlett knew that he wanted to become a chef at a young age.

Fast forward a few years, his dream became a reality, however the road was not going to be  easy.
He started working in a local hotel on  the weekends getting his backside kicked, in the weekdays he was studying at catering college. This was in his local town, located in the South West of England.
2 years later after graduating, he then went to work at some other restaurants, however 5 years after his original stint at the place where he trained, he asked back as a sous, to then getting promoted to his first ever Head Chef position at the age of only 21 !
https://www.holne-chase.co.uk

A huge responsibility for someone so young, during his 2 years as the Head of the kitchen , he accomplished 2 AA Rosettes, as well as various accolades, but something was pushing him in the search of gaining knowledge, opportunity knocked on his door once again.

It was a simple invitation that led Joe to work at the award winning Ashburton Cookery School.
This is where he understood how to manage the general public, at the same time he gained a national teaching accreditation, and of-course pushed his knowledge base to a whole other level. Joe worked at the school for 8 years, quite a commitment.
https://www.ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk

But still, he wanted to push himself to work at the very top of gastronomy, there was only one place that could fit the bill for such a job, so he got a job at the legendary double Michelin starred Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons!
https://www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/uk/oxfordshire/belmond-le-manoir-aux-quat-saisons/
This solidified the hunger to work for the best of the best!

Joe now works for a beautiful country house hotel in Wales, to this day, he is teaching his chefs all about foraging incredible produce from the land, you can often tune into Joe's Insta stories, tasting weird and wonderful herbs or berries.
https://www.lakecountryhouse.co.uk

The journey that Joe has gone through has not been easy, considering he went from a Head Chef's position, to then having to almost start again at a lower position, however cooking at the Mecca of British gastronomy was well worth the risk.

So if you need some extensive knowledge on how to get into foraging, Joe is the chef to call!

Give him a follow on his page - https://www.instagram.com/chefjoebartlett

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

Sunjeh Rana is the CEO of the award winning International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA), based in Dubai, UAE.
He describes himself, as always being an entrepreneur, however destiny had chosen him to go down the route of how to bring culinary education to the next generation.

It was a holiday to Dubai, that led him to be within the business.

The ICCA is now in its 15th year and still going strong, with a number of local and global accolades under its belt,  however the journey was not always plain sailing.
https://iccadubai.ae

With any new business, the risks are huge, especially when you are the very first in the region, licensing issues, what type of business are you categorized under, they types of chef tutors required, the list in endless.
Sunjeh pushed on , as he saw the opportunity to be a leading pioneer within the region, allowing to change the lives of students, one lesson at a time.

There are now courses for professionals, enterprises, and home cooks, you name it they do it, as well having world class chef's into the classroom, to bring opportunities for the students to spend time with some of the best in the industry.

The ICCA has trained and graduated over 6,000 students, who have gone on to work all over the world.
The vocational training the students receive, without doubt is some of the most advanced, as well as hands on when it comes to the development of young chefs.

But, one of the biggest challenges that the industry faces, are the long hours, the sacrifices and dedication, plus of-course television glamorization of being a chef, so how does the ICCA combat this?

Sunjeh personally talks to every single student, to let them know the real truth of what type of industry they are about to enter.
The job of the ICCA is to ensure that the students are 16 hour proof, by the time the have graduated, this is done by on the job work experience, as well the regular lessons.
This allows to students, to see and to feel the truth and the realities of the job, that is the reason why so many graduates have been so successful.

The other remarkable project which has been hugely successful, is that the ICCA is giving back to the community, by offering a lucky candidate the opportunity of a lifetime, by giving them a chance to get a scholarship.

Sunjeh's passion can be heard from miles away, this is one of the reasons the center is at the very heartbeat of culinary education.
An incredibly inspiring tale, that resonates throughout the hospitality landscape.

To see what the fuss is all about head over to their website - https://iccadubai.ae
 

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

Chef Giovanni said, that as soon as he born, he was in the kitchen.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, USA, his parents had a restaurant, one of his earliest memories was seeing the cooks, the flames, the shouting, he knew this was his calling.

His very first job was in the infamous Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas
https://www.caesars.com/caesars-palace

Working with 2 big names, Chef Sean Griffin, and another one of the biggest names  in  television cooking - Bobby Flay.
http://www.bobbyflay.com

Another opportunity which popped up, was to work over at the Bahamas, however it was one of his friends who was working for Akira Back, Giovanni wanted to learn all things to do with sushi, so he got a job in restaurant - Yellowtail, started from the bottom, 11 years later, he is still working for Akira Back, quite a commitment.
https://www.akiraback.com

He is now the Executive Chef for the Akira Back restaurant in Dubai, the day to day, is all about running the business, consistency. understanding produce, as well as dealing with the customers themselves.
He also explains, that it is harder to be a chef in Dubai, rather than anywhere else in the world, due to incredible produce which is readily available from the terroir.
Giovanni interestingly enough is also plant based, but listen out for his favorite food memory.

Since Akira Back has opened in Dubai, it has had National acclaim, there is no doubt that this success is down to Giovanni ensuring that the ship is being navigated on the right path.

Go and check out what the fuss is about - https://www.akirabackdubai.com

To see what Giovanni is doing , give him a follow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/giovanniledon

An amazing journey, from Vegas to Dubai!

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

You could say that being a chef runs in the family, however Luke Garnsworthy has changed the game and is now the CEO of his very own restaurant group.

How did this happen? 
It all started by him growing up in his dads restaurant, in the city of Exeter located in the South West of England, the name of the eatery was known as Crockers, which subsequently is the name he uses for his new projects.

Holding a few dead end jobs, eventually the calling of the kitchens beckoned him back, this led to Luke's first serious job in the award winning Ashburton cookery school. This was the place that allowed him to learn hands on about produce, techniques, and also exposed him to dealing with the general public, a skill that would prove valuable in years to come.
https://www.ashburtoncookeryschool.co.uk/

After some time, Luke wanted to make the move to London, this would prove to be a pivotal step in forming his work ethic, as he joined one of the biggest names in the culinary world - Marcus Wareing at the Gilbert Scott.
He describes this experience as being "brutal", due to the hours and the pressure from Marcus himself.
https://www.thegilbertscott.com

This was swiftly followed, by a job at the double Michelin starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in the Mandarin Oriental, Knightsbridge, London.
The group executive chef at the time, was none other than Ashley Palmer Watts, one of the most inspirational people Luke has ever had the pleasure of meeting, and the education in that particular kitchen, was second to none.
https://www.dinnerbyheston.com

The decision was then made by Luke, to stop cooking all together, as the he wanted to have a life.
He re-trained as a personal trainer, didn't really make money, however he decided to put food and nutrition together, doing tailored meals, but the real spark happened when himself and his wife were catering for private dinner parties every weekend, from these small and intimate functions, Luke knew that there was some serious cash to be made, and boom - Crockers was re-born.

A double door garage space, was then converted to a chef's table of 10 seats.
The concept was about watching the chef, having inter-cation with great food and wine.
After constantly being sold out, the concept had to be re-designed, so an actual restaurant and bar space became available.

A couple of years down the line, another branch of Crockers has just opened up. Remarkable to think, all of this came from a concept that was home grown in a garage!

The company is now called Unique dining - https://uniquedining.co.uk
With a full board of directors involved, the company has truly taken off.

The future is bright for the unique dining group, as the success is all in the hands of the people who make it happen.
The sacrifices have been worth the graft.

Luke and his wife Fiona have also welcomed a baby boy in the world, am sure he will also be following in the family footsteps.
The remarkable story from Chef to CEO!

To see what Luke is up to, you can contact him via Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/luke_garnsworthy



 


 


 

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

Chef Troy Payne has been in kitchens since the start of his teenage years, so you could say he's been around the kitchen block!

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, who some people call the culinary capital down under, this was the place that would light up and inspire this chef.

As soon as he saw the flames, the heat, the tempers, he knew that the kitchen was the place to be, and so his journey began.

He made his way into some of the best kitchens, by simply going to the backdoor, speaking directly to the chef himself and just asking for work, this was all about determination and passion to be at the very heartbeat of the ever expanding aussie culinary scene.
After working for some big names, Troy landed in the famous kitchens of the legendary Greg Malouf.
http://gregmalouf.com

Working for one of Australia's all time most influential chefs was never going to be easy, however, as any chef with a pure lions heart for learning and wanting to become the best, what do you do? You put in the blood, sweat, and tears to be able to have the invisible badge of honour that so many cooks have today.

Troy worked for Greg for quite some time, to the point that he now calls him, his kitchen dad, they were re-united in Dubai, when they opened acclaimed restaurant Zahira.

A few years down the line, Chef Troy is about to embark on his latest venture - The Pangolin.
http://thepangolindubai.com

This is a project that has been in developed over 3 years, everything has been has been carefully sourced from the decor, to the local produce, the devil is in the details.
It is literally about to open, the excitement is the air, the team are fully engaged, food is being cooked, but let's not forget, all of this was happening during a pandemic.

Troy has a lot to teach, not just his team, but his peers, the knowledge, the recipes,the technical aspects of being a chef, there are so many intricacies, he is not the type of person to keep information to himself, he empowers you by sharing all of the amazing knowledge that he has accumulated over the years.

He is also involved with the Research and Development for the Dubai Chefs Collective, in order to share ideas, recipes, and to form a database of old and new trends.
https://www.dubaichefscollective.com

There is a huge amount to learn from Troy, who is without a doubt a true rock 'n rolla!

To see the type of dishes and all of his experiments, give him a follow, and if you're very lucky, you may see him dancing on his Instastories from time to time!
https://www.instagram.com/trotskie

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

Carl Greenslade is not just a professional personal trainer, but is also one of the best nutrition coaches on the planet!

His journey to the top didn't start out this way. 
Carl knew from a young age that an academic education wasn't his cup of tea, however his love of food and sports began by simply being in the playground at his high school, plus by talking to a guy who made a cake in his home economics, which subsequently was the reason he joined the same class!

Sometime after high school, he then got a job working as trainer in a local gym, but it was only after move from Exeter to Manchester that his career began to accelerate.
He calls it "working in the trenches", really allowed him to focus and understand his trade.

After a few years and doing the same thing day in day out, he wanted to push himself to get out of the comfort zone, so 3 years ago he decided to take a big gamble, to coach online and to move internationally to Montenegro.
A huge risk, but one that has truly paid off.

Not only is he coaching private clients, he also coaches professional athletes, all from word of mouth recommendations, quite a feat considering he doesn't advertise or have a website.

Nowadays you can find Coach Carl (which is how he is known by his peers) frequenting the pages of Instagram, discussing his clients, tips on training, and more importantly the nutrition required to get in shape - I suggest you have a look for yourselves - https://www.instagram.com/coachcarluk

The thing I like about Carl's approach, is his almost chef like way of no non-sense straight forward way of communicating to his audience, which is a rare trait to have in this day and age.
In terms of his food memories, you will have to take a listen to his story regarding spices, not for the faint hearted.

What does the future hold for Carl? Well, of-course more and more clients, more coaching, and of course straight talking posts on Instagram.
A website is on the way, so make sure to look out for that.

The interview was super light hearted, full of laughs and a lot of information to digest, so well worth listening to a few times over.

So the next time you are thinking about getting a personal trainer or need some nutrition advise - you know the guy to talk to - Coach Carl!
https://www.instagram.com/coachcarluk

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

Chef Robert Stevens, was only a couple of months old when he first arrived in Dubai, born in Finland, there was always going to be a draw towards fermentation, produce and incredible flavours.

Robert was 22 years old when he decided to become a chef, this was the time he took to go back to Scandinavia to learn the trade, once graduating from culinary school, he then decided to go back to the heat of the desert.

Once in Dubai, a few opportunities beckoned, however the job of a lifetime came up in the way of working with the legendary 3 star Michelin legend - Heinz Beck!
https://heinzbeck.com

This was the place where he truly discovered what it takes to be a professional, the other challenge which he faced, was the fact that he was the only English speaker in the entire brigade, no an easy situation to be in.
18 months later, Robert was an entirely different chef!

He now heads up the kitchen in the coveted Intersct by Lexus, located in the trendy financial district of Dubai.
https://www.intersectbylexus.ae/home
The food is about the local produce, maximising the flavours, at the same time his roots of fermentation, pickling, and smoking are of-course being showcased in the menu.
Vegan specials regularly take centre stage, especially on the A La Carte, even more interestingly  there are beautiful Arabic touches to the food, another nod to the local culture.

One particularly great skill that Robert has developed, is making cheese from scratch, again, the produce takes precedence, by getting fresh milk directly from the farms in the United Arab Emirates.
It is fair to see influences from his culinary heroes Rene Redzepi, Alan Passard, and of course Heinz Beck.
He is also part of the educational recipe development team for the Dubai Chef's Collective.
https://www.dubaichefscollective.com

Overall what Robert is ultimately doing, is going back to his origins, purely focusing on the provenance, techniques and incredible flavours.
His food is not only delicious, but also delightfully intelligent.

A true Viking in the Desert.

To see all of the work that Robert is doing, follow him on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chefroblar/

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

Coming from a career in the oil and gas sector, to then change direction and start a business within hospitality from scratch is not an easy task, however Hattem Mattar, has done this and succeeded!

From humble origins in Egypt, it was his family who showed him the love of food, and how to grill from a young age, but it wasn't until he took a work trip to Texas that the passion for all things barbecue truly ignited his spark. 

Texas is the birthplace of barbecue, so there was no better place for Hattem to learn and master the art of controlling fire other than the legendary Brian Bracewell of Southside market.
https://www.southsidemarket.com

18 hours of managing various pits, and understanding fire, understanding different types of meats, gave Hattem an insight into how he could turn his passion into a full time job.

Back from the apprenticeship, then going to his now home in Dubai, this was the place where he could try out all of the techniques, on his friends and family. The Mattar farm originally was the place where his crew would come over to chill and enjoy the weekend, however the food began to gain a serious reputation, so much so , that strangers began to arrive in his house, this was the spark that pushed Hattem into turning a passion into a serious career.

5 years down the line the Mattar farm is now a fully fledged smokehouse, nothing is off the menu, camel, ostrich you name it, they can smoke it.

Hattem also now happens to be the face for Webber in the Middle East and Africa region, where he shows exactly what you can do to make incredible barbecues, he is also a regular on radio and television within the region.
https://www.weber.com/AE/en/home/

One of the things which we discussed, is the time that Hattem cooked in Brazil and represented the United Arab Emirates for the biggest barbecue festival on the planet. A gruelling 72 hour meatfest. it was a proud moment for the guy who just a few years previously was using the grill just to feed the gang.
https://en.churrascadafestival.com

The business is now going from strength to strength, with varied arms in hospitality, along with a couple of wolf cubs - his daughters, always by his side in order to pass the knowledge on.
http://themattarfarm.com

All in all, there is no arguing in saying that Hattem is not only on fire, but is truly an incredibly talented Pitmaster!

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us Fan Mail

A warm welcome back to the second season of the Chef JKP podcast, I know right second season!

So what is in store? A lot of inspirational guest's celebrating all things food and hospitality, serious discussions, as well as funny things that happen in the day to day life in the world of top professionals from around the globe.

Since I started the podcast, we have had some wonderful guests, that really opened our eyes to how the overcame obstacles to become the very best in their chosen field, since it was me who kicked off proceedings in Season 1 episode 1, I thought it only fair to do the same in the very first episode of season 2.

This time, I wanted to discuss the people and the chef's who have made an impact in my proffesional career as I was progressing through the various stages of my kitchen life.

Some of the stories, are funny, some thought provoking, and hopefully inspirational too.

From pubs to Michelin starred kitchens, the idea is to put into context what type of career you could have as a chef and just to show how diverse it can be.

The people who are around you really make all of the difference, I know that this was certainly the case for me, wether it was friends or mentors, they all had a part to play in my career, and I wouldn't change for the world.

Kitchen life isn't for everyone, you need to be mentally and physically tough, as there are a lot of people who also want to see you fail, so it is not all plain sailing, never the less the journey doesn't stop, you keep finding new and adventurous ways of becoming better and better day by day.

A feast for the ears, you are all in for a treat, so strap in, brace yourselves and welcome to my kitchen life!

Support the show

Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE