James Cochran is cool, calm and passionate about cooking in a way that honours his roots and allows his parents legacy to live on. Starting in the kitchen at just 12 years old, James enjoyed the long hours and graft that came with his job back in the day… Going on to wine the Great British Menu and open his own restaurant in London certainly made his old mentors very proud… His aim now is to get himself a cooking show that offers an alternative perspective, and maybe in ten years or so to open a small restaurant in his beloved home town of Whitstable.
John Rensten doesn’t describe himself as an expert in foraging, he’s not a chef, or even particularly academic in the way he works. But what John is, is something that is vital to those who work in food and hospitality: outstandingly passionate. Johns knowledge of foraging foods is amazing, and always growing, as he becomes more interested not just in the variations of what can be foraged – but how it grows. In this weeks episode, he names at least four ways you can use the common dandelion.
Hawksmoor has an awesome reputation for not only caring about the food they serve, but the way they source it and the staff they employ to serve it. Will Beckett is one of the awesome guys behind this amazing business, full of life, excited and scared as Hawksmoor plans to make it’s way into New York… He and Hugh started off as school buddies, and as Will explains himself – they’ve now created something pretty darn cool.
To call Harry Lomas’ career admirable would be an understatement. From peeling carrots REALLY well to working for many years high up in the military, to feeding lunch to the queen and much more… Feeding hundreds of thousands of people, without sacrificing quality, has become Harry’s most impressive skill. Truthful, a team player and a man with many stories to tell.
Jody Scheckter is truly a fountain of knowledge. From winning Formula One in 1979, to creating simulations for the police in USA, to getting degrees in micro biology and chemistry to find out about the soil and moving back to Hampshire to purchase herds of buffalo and create award winning cheese and ice cream… It’s safe to say life for Jody has been go go go. Now, he is taking some time to rest and teach us about all the amazing details he’s obsessed over to create a sustainable and inspiring business model at Laverstoke Park Farm.