Jarad McCarroll is head chef at Tom Sellers' Restaurant Ours in Knightsbridge, London. 

The Staff Canteen spoke to Jarad about his new role at Restaurant Ours, working with Tom Sellers and successfully completing the Challenge Roth ironman challenge, whilst keeping up shifts in the kitchen! 

 Why did you want to be a chef? Where did your interest in food start?

I have always had an interest in food and loved my mum's cooking. For some reason I always knew that I wanted to be a chef. It was only at 22 that I got the opportunity to chase my dream.

You recently moved from M Restaurants to Restaurant Ours, why did you decide to make that move?

I was part of the opening management team at M. I was there for two years and then I felt that I had learnt as much as I could from the company - it was time for me to move on. I was patient in taking the next role and went for many interviews but found that Restaurant Ours suited me the most. I love the space and the concept.

What are your responsibilities as head chef of Restaurant Ours? How have you settled into the role?

It always takes a few months to settle into a role and to make it your own, it’s been no different here. My first job was to stabilise the kitchen, employ the right staff and look after those that were here from the beginning. Then looking after service - making sure we put the right systems in place and streamlining the flow to make sure we could handle the large numbers. With Tom’s help, we are working on the menu and the concept, making the food seasonal, organic and tasty.

How is being head chef at Restaurant Ours different?

All head chef roles are challenging. What makes Ours different is the space - the open kitchen, the ambience that you get from the restaurant. We have a good team and the company has a lot of ambition, which in itself is great.

What is it like working with Tom Sellers?

Tom is great, he has allowed me to settle into the role without micro managing me. He is a busy man with loads going on, but he’s always about for a point in the right direction and guidance. I’m looking forward to what this year holds in store.

>>> Related: 10 Minutes With: Tom Sellers - A Kind of Love Story

What is your favourite item on the menu and why?

Tough question, it’s always changing. Right now I’d have octopus with garlic, lemon and bacon jam, it’s really tasty. Also I have a venison dish with textures of Jerusalem artichoke, hazelnut and mustard.

You also completed Challenge Roth (the full ironman in Germany) in July this year, what was that like? How did you manage both training for ironman and working long hours in the kitchen?

Challenge Roth was awesome, I loved every minute. I just decided to go for it, and when you put your mind to something, no matter how big, you can achieve it. I was running home three times a week after a 15 hour shift, going for 130km cycles on a Saturday before starting work at three, and on Sunday when the restaurant was closed I was running 20k. I know it sounds a little bit crazy but it wasn’t, I just managed my time off work and changed my priorities.

What advice would you give to a young chef that wanted to achieve the same success as you?

Write your goals down, work for chefs that have your best interests at heart and make smart decisions. Get yourself a note pad that fits in your back pocket and write all relevant information down. Focus and listen more than you talk. And most importantly - enjoy it.  You’re young, work hard and have some fun on your days off.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

I would like to start my own company and focus on growing that. When that will be, I’m not sure. I would like to be respected in my industry and to be proud of what I am serving.

>>> Read more in the Heroes of the Hotplate series here