Bio:Tom’s love of food started at a young age, cooking for himself when his parents were at work. Tom has worked in restaurants such as the Lanesborough Hotel and Restaurant 24, working for the Roux brothers. At 18 he moved to America to work in a Disney restaurant, leaving to work on cruise ships in the Caribbean and at Quay restaurant in Sydney, before returning to the UK to work at The Brewery.
Chef Skills
Tom Gore takes us through his personal experiences whilst being in the Culinary Industry. These key skills that young Chefs and industry professionals learn as part of their basic training.
How long have you been in this role?
Almost three years.
What experience and how many years would someone need in order to progress to the top level of the industry?
That’s a really tricky question, it all depends on the type of person you are.
When I was 25, I was offered the position of Executive Chef at one of the best event caterers in London, it was a great opportunity for me and a pinnacle moment in my career. I had worked extremely hard for 10 years, having started in a 2 rosette restaurant in Essex and then working at the Lanesborough Hotel, to then spending many years abroad in the US and Australia. If you have the right determination, work ethic and people who believe in you, you can achieve your goals.
In our game, nothing is given to you without working hard - food becomes your life.
What are your ultimate top five tips for someone looking to start a career in the hospitality sector?
When I’m interviewing someone, the key things I tell them are:
To have fun
Be confident (you learn from your mistakes)
Always be on time
Taste everything and always ask questions, and make sure you have a notebook to write information
Head up….concentrate on what you are doing but always watch how other Chefs in the kitchen work to help your development.
Who are the key Chefs and restaurants that someone should be speaking to and trying to gain experience with?
There are many fantastic Chefs out there. If I was starting out again, I would want to work with Simon Rogan; his new restaurant Fera is superb. I was lucky enough to have a show around the kitchen and it was very inspirational and made me want to work there.
Jason Atherton has some incredible restaurants too. The one thing I would recommend is to work within a 5-star hotel, you will learn everything from breakfast to banqueting and pastry; plus, then you could have the opportunity to go abroad with the company.
What are you looking out for on a CV or in an interview if someone was applying to work with you?
I want to see excitement…a little smile creeping on to the Chef’s face when they walk through the kitchen. Generally, it isn’t about how good their CV is, if I feel the right attitude and basic knowledge is there, our team can help nurture and grow the skills. Craft and technique can be taught, natural ability cannot.
We look for enthusiasm and dedication to the job in hand, a natural talent and willingness to learn.
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