Can you please share some insights into your culinary journey, from working at Le Champignon Sauvage to Northcote and The Stafford? How have these institutions shaped you?
All three have had a massive impact in the shaping of my career and they have all been different. Le Champignon Sauvage had a smaller team and incredible mentors and helped to teach me to bring nature to the plate. Northcote has been a massive backbone to my career learning and training under Nigel and Craig and then taking the reins myself has been a wonderful experience, and it has shaped who I am. Being a part of the Stafford Collection and having an insight into the hospitality industry in London, as well as working alongside Jozef and consulting has been a different role for me, which is right up my street because I love to learn and grow.
Who have some of your key mentors been and what lessons have you learned from them?
One of my major mentors is Robert Marshall Slater, one of my tutors at college who directed me on the right path and gave me encouragement as someone who is extremely passionate about the industry. Of course, Nigel Howarth, working alongside him at Northcote, working to build something special that I was proud to take over.
You’re known for championing Lancastrian cuisine — what is it about this way of cooking that you love so much?
The area itself is fantastic and has so many points of difference about it whether it’s a traditional dish or not, you can really taste where to food comes from. We are lucky to have a great countryside and that can come through in the dishes we produce.
What is a dish you cook that has a lot of personal meaning to you and why?
I always try and include some kind of nostalgic memory in my dishes, but the one that sticks in my mind is my Bramley Apple Pie. It’s a nod to something that was traditional with good depth of flavour and close to me because my dad hated apple pie, but when he would visit the restaurant and had it he’d love it!
You were Allianz Stadium East Wing’s first female chef - what does that title mean to you?
It was incredible, the stadium is fantastic and has a supportive team. It was a true honour to be asked to cook in a place with such historical reference, I felt extremely proud to not only be there, but to have been the first female chef to do so, was an honour that I can’t describe.
How did you choose the menu for Allianz Stadium and what was the experience like on the day?
For my menu, I wanted to keep things as close to what I know and love as possible, so I chose seasonal, flavoursome dishes. The experience on the day was incredible, the team was amazing and so supportive, the restaurant itself is second to none with it’s pitch side views and the feeling of being in a room of supporters and being able to cook for them, and to give them memories in a place that is special to them was such a pleasure to see. Fingers crossed I’ll be invited to return!
The hospitality industry has historically been male-dominated. What steps do you believe can be taken to promote gender equality and create more opportunities for women in leadership roles within the culinary field?
The industry is changing all the time, so I feel like people are now making packages more attractive which I think will entice more female chefs. I am proud to be a female in this industry and it is ultimately about what you want to achieve, rather than who you are. I think if people are advocating for gender equality and making positive changes for the better within the hospitality industry, we can create a more equal playing field. Work hard, evolve and you can achieve what you want to achieve.
Charity is important to you as seen in your work with Hospitality Action and Northcote's Obsession festival; why is giving back so meaningful to you?
Giving back is so important, there are people struggling who need help and wherever you can I believe it’s important to do that. Whether it’s raising money, giving your time, lending a hand, all these things, although sometimes small, can make a huge difference. I enjoy working with charities close to my heart. To be able to give back in a small way is the least I can do to have a positive effect. Hospitality Action is incredible and it’s giving back to people in the industry that I love, so it makes sense for me to help where I can, whilst I’m able to do so.
What have been some of your proudest professional achievements to date?
Some of my proudest professional achievements to date are winning Chef of The Year at the Cateys, being involved with Great British Menu during the pandemic to help the NHS is an experience that I’ll never forget, continuing to carry the Michelin Star on at Northcote since 1996 is a huge one for me, cooking at Allianz as the first female chef to do so, and lastly, becoming a Northern Chair and being awarded the prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
Team dynamics are crucial in a kitchen. How do you foster a collaborative and supportive environment among your staff?
At the end of the day, it’s about training and setting good house discipline and having the realisation that we are all working on the same team. We need to support each other to be able to produce and its about coming together to create something we can all be proud of.
Can you share some advice for aspiring chefs, particularly on how to navigate and succeed in the highly competitive and dynamic culinary world?
Firstly, you’ve got to believe in yourself and put in the hard work. I always tell anybody looking for advice, especially younger chefs, to be a sponge and absorb all the information and knowledge that you can. And ultimately, you have to enjoy it.
The 2025 fixtures for the Guinness Men's Six Nations are scheduled to begin on 31 January 2025, with the tournament running until 15 March 2025. View the available hospitality packages here.
