In association with
     

In the build up to The Staff Canteen Live 2016 – Skillery in association with Westlands and supported by the Craft Guild of Chefs at Hotelympia 2016, we are taking a closer look at the who will be joining us on stage - next up Nick Beardshaw. He will be joined on stage by Tom Kerridge and head chef from Hand and Flowers, Aaron Mulliss.

Nick Beardshaw is head chef at Tom Kerridge’s The Coach. Nick started in the industry when he was just 11, sweeping the patio at his local pub. Nick joined the Hand and Flowers in 2010 where he swiftly moved up the ranks landing the senior sous chef position. The thirty-something has been the head chef at the Coach since 2014.

Why did you want to be a chef?

I kind of fell into it if I’m honest. Typically, I was working in my local pub when I was 11 – sweeping up the patio on a Saturday! I went to college but I wasn’t very good at attending and I realised that it was this industry I wanted to be in. It built up from working in my local pub to working in better and better places.

Having worked in several two star kitchens, what is the environment like?

It’s hard but that’s part of the attraction. Anyone who is going to survive at that level, you would never deal with the hours and the pressure unless you enjoyed it. A lot of chefs who exist in those environments, they thrive on it. The energy levels and the buzz of the kitchen and the running from the start of the day to the end of the day – that is what the attraction is. They are intense environments because you are working at a level of perfection that must be attained.

At The Staff Canteen we want to see what makes chefs tick. We asked Nick a few questions about what he gets up to when not in the kitchen:

Would you rather order a starter or a pudding?

Starter.

What would your last meal be?

Roast beef and all the trimmings.  

What was the last thing you ate?

Sausages and brown sauce.

If you weren’t a chef what would you be?

Bored.

>>> Read more in the Behind The Chef series here

If you could choose to dine in any restaurant in the world which would you choose?

Astrance.

Who is you celebrity crush?

Monica Bellucci.

If someone was to write your biography what would it be called?

Pig Heads and Pirates.

What do you listen to in the kitchen?

We are an open kitchen so have no radio! Would be Radio 6 though.

What are you most proud of?

The team at The Coach.

If you could own another chef’s restaurant whose would you choose?

The French Laundry.

Who would you trust to run your restaurant?

Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Nigel Winterburn and Lee Dixon.

Why did you choose to get involved with TSCLive?

I chose to be involved in TSCLive as to be a modern chef is all about the sharing of knowledge. TSCLive presents a great opportunity to both share and gain knowledge from other chefs.

Visitors can go to www.hotelympia.com and register now for a free ticket to the show.

>>> Read more about The Staff Canteen Live 2016 at Hotelympia