This year's Roux Scholarship 2016 final takes place on Monday, at Westminster Kingsway College, London and there are six chefs hoping to win the prestigious title - Martin Carabott
The Staff Canteen spoke to each finalist to find out more about them, their cooking style and why they entered the competition.
Name: Martin Carabott
Region: London
Age: 26
Works at: Royal Automobile Club
Job role: Sous chef
Cooking background: I started cooking professionally in 2006 in my home country of Malta at a four star hotel, while studying at the Institute of Tourism Studies. From here, I graduated with a Diploma MQF level 4 in Culinary Arts and a City and Guilds level 3 IVQ Advanced Diploma in Culinary Arts after a four year course. While living in Malta, I also worked at the Hilton Hotel which was a great eye opening experience under Chef Joe Vella. As part of my studies at I.T.S., I spent a year on an international work placement at the Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.
Having finished the course after a further year at the Institute, I returned to Gleneagles for a further 18 months, during this time, I completed brief stages at restaurant Andrew Fairlie and also represented the hotel at national competitions. In September 2011 I moved to London to work for Heinz Beck at the Michelin-starred Apsley’s restaurant in the Lanesborough Hotel (now re-opened as restaurant Celeste). One of the most important moves came right after Apsley’s, when, after a number of trials in restaurants around London, I joined the team at the Royal Automobile Club under Executive Chef Philip Corrick.
In the space of three years, I progressed from Chef de Partie to Senior Sous Chef, working in the fine dining restaurant, the Great Gallery. I was encouraged to take part in events such as last year’s National Chef of the Year where I managed to place third in the final and the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Award of Excellence which I achieved in 2014.
Who or what influences you most in cooking? I am mostly influenced by what I would like to eat as a customer. Having worked with a number of chefs throughout my career as well as being exposed to things I see in books or in media and experimenting, I learned a number of techniques which help me to produce more enjoyable food, these also include basics and classics. Having said that, it always starts with the ingredients.
How are you feeling about the Roux Scholarship? I highly value and respect projects like the Roux Scholarship as they give opportunities to chefs which are otherwise unheard of. Being judged on what they can really do and given the chance to achieve career goals which otherwise would be immensely hard for them to achieve and take their career further.
What are your ambitions in cooking? My aim is to be cooking my food in my own place, leading a small team. I entered the Roux Scholarship because if I am successful and found deserving of the title this year, I would have the support of the Roux family throughout my career, which in my case would greatly increase the odds of me achieving that.
