On Tuesday, October 6 a new National Chef of the Year 2016 will be crowned. We take a closer look at this year's finalists hoping to produce winning dishes at the final at The Restaurant Show, which will impress the judging panel - Paul Foster.
Paul Foster is head chef of The Dining Room at Mallory Court in Warwickshire. The 32-year-old from Coventry pursued the traditional route to service after deciding he would become a chef at the age of 10. He moved to Mallory Court in 2014, building on the hotel's reputation for fine food. He has trained under the watchful eyes of Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, and spent two years under the tutelage of Sat Bains at Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham which holds two stars in the Michelin Guide UK, before becoming head chef at Tuddenham Mill in Suffolk in July 2010.
Paul Foster
Are you nervous about cooking live at The Restaurant Show?
I might be on the day but I’m OK now, I’m used to cooking in front of a lot of people after doing things like Great British Menu and Saturday Kitchen you sort of get used to it really, it’s always a bit easier. When you’re busy you go into your little zone and don’t really notice everyone around you.
How do you let your personality come out in your cooking?
It’s quite hard really, my food is me and it’s what I want to do and I’ve really found myself, but my food is light and delicate and I’m not light or delicate! So it is a bit of a contradiction but it’s me on the plate. Food for me is about what I like to eat, it’s about really light, fresh food at whatever time of year, no heavy sauces or ingredients, nothing manipulated. So it’s about quality produce, provenance and the best ingredients with very little manipulation.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Sat Bains, a massive influence with very similar philosophies on food and the way food should be. And from when I was a youngster, one of the first cookery books I ever bought was Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry, which was a massive influence on me and on the way I cook my food.
What do you hope to achieve in the future?
Paul Foster
As much as I possibly can at Mallory Court, to bring it back to where it used to be, it’s always been an iconic place in Warwickshire, to achieve the accolades it previously has, Michelin star etc., to make it stand out in the county and make it stand out in the UK as well, to make it a real food destination and something exciting, not just cooking by numbers and not just a part of the furniture, I just want it to be exciting.
Finally, what would winning National Chef of the Year mean to you?
It’d be massive, it’s such a huge competition, and I know people say it but I literally only entered it to win it, that’s the bottom line and if there’s anything less I would be disappointed. Not to knock it, if I were to come second it would still be a great achievement but it’s not good enough for me, I want to win it.
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
