The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2023 - Issue 33

biterestaurant toes to the grander positions of commis chef, sous chef, and chef de partie. He gained experience at esteemed dining venues like The Fludyers Hotel and Aurora Bar & Restaurants in Suffolk, the 3 AA Rosette Fishmore Hall Hotel in Ludlow, Shropshire and 2 AA Rosette The Unruly Pig in East Suffolk. His earliest connection with food came from his mum. “We al- ways ate pretty standard English dinners until one day, she made a new recipe she had found. It was chicken stuffed with pate, wrapped in puff pastry, with bacon and white wine sauce. She served it with dauphinoise potatoes. We never ate out at restau- rants, so for me, as a child, this was a different flavour experi- ence. After that, I requested it for every birthday dinner." During his A-levels, Dan worked as a part-time kitchen porter at a local pub called the British Larder (now The Unruly Pig). “One night, they had a guest chef evening with Nigel Haworth and Lisa Goodwin-Allen. At the time, I had no idea who they were, but I could see there was real respect and recognition for them. That whole dinner service, I was mesmerised by the food, the approach, the attention to detail and the respect for the food they had produced. Before that, I had never realised that being a chef could be rewarding.” His passion for cooking grew when he took his first position as a commis chef at a local hotel a year later. “I went in without experience or prior knowledge of cooking, so I had to give it my all. The head chef and sous chef opened my eyes to the incredible depths of food, and I found myself obsessed. As my understand- ing and connection with food grew, I became more passionate about what we produced from the kitchen and what ingredients could be transformed into.” At Fox Dining Rooms, Dan started as a chef de partie. “It was the setting and the opportunity that initially drew me to the restau- rant. In the middle of the Surrey countryside, the Manor House, where the restaurant is situated, blew me away. On top of that, I saw a chance to grow and progress as a chef, which is always important when starting a new restaurant.” He says Foxhills has an authentic home-from-home feel, which they try to car- ry through the restaurant. “The atmosphere is relaxed, but that doesn’t compromise quality - we still provide fine dining.” A restaurant serving British cuisine presented elegantly and with flair is “all about offering high quality, inclusive dining in a relaxed and comfortable setting.” In his opinion, a successful restaurant is the staff and offerings. "Keeping things interesting to look at and taste will leave diners wanting more while ensur- ing the chefs are focused on consistently producing high-quality food. I believe investing time into the team around you creates an environment where everyone has the same ethos and that pride and passion shines through into the dining room and the guests.” This forward-thinking, focus-driven young head chef has always firmly believed in togetherness and uplighting the team. “At the Fox Dining Rooms, this was the key objective when I became head chef. I wanted to ensure everyone’s opinion was valued and that each chef had their input. Adopting this ideology has led to excellent staff retention and an environment where we find each chef ’s true potential.” Their busiest times are Friday and Saturday evenings. “The à la carte menu is dinner only, and we tend to be completely full on those days.” Dan loves cooking with mushrooms because they are so versa- tile. “I specialise in a refined menu that is equally accessible to all diners.” They work with various suppliers, many of them local. “For our fruits and vegetables, we use Wellocks; for meat, That- cham Butchers; and for our dairy, West Horsley Dairy, ten min- utes down the road. We aim to cook seasonally, which dictates what we buy from our suppliers and allows the wonderful British produce to shine on our menu.” His favourite dish on the menu is stone bass with prawn and mussel bisque, saffron potato risotto and roasted cauliflower. “I love to eat fish, and the different levels of this dish make it a pleasure to cook and eat.” Recently, he’s had more free time but has not always realised the importance of downtime. “That's because cooking isn't something I would associate with 'work'. I eat out as much as possible to experience different and exciting approaches to food. Apart from that, I love Netflix series and watching films and am constantly listening to music.” In the ten years he’s been cooking, Dan says the industry has massively changed - “especially in the last two to three years with Brexit, Covid, and the rising food and energy costs, making it very difficult to operate as we were before.” He added the high demand for staff in the industry, the culture changing around hours of work and pay rates have led to a better work-life balance for the chefs. “Gone are the days of churning out staff because the head chef knows he’ll be able to hire another tomorrow.” He believes the way chefs treat each other has also changed. “People have realised creating a positive, creative environment is far more productive than the negative reinforcement staff would receive from head chefs and colleagues years ago. The industry would benefit from support regarding inflation costs and energy prices, especially the smaller restaurants struggling with rising costs, which unfortunately has and will cause many to close. The hospitality industry is so important for the UK economy, and I think it needs to be given the support it deserves to continue to develop and grow.” He hasn't won any awards yet, but it is on his radar. Dan’s future goal is to continue stretching himself and his team at the Fox. He would advise aspiring chefs to chase knowledge and expe- rience over money, whether at work or in their spare time. “To me, cooking should not just feel like a job. A good chef should eat, sleep and breathe food. Learn from those around you; other chefs will have knowledge and experiences you can benefit from. Give it everything you have.” He continued, “If you aren’t proud and accomplished in where you’re working and the food you’re producing, make goals to de- velop and surround yourself with the right influences. Be kind to yourself. Being a chef is incredibly rewarding but tough on your mind and body.” He emphasised setting goals. “Ten years have flown, but I have always had development goals within my career. Small or large, they give you things to aim for. Every de- tail matters: how you work and approach food, use your senses.” The Fox Dining Rooms Foxhills Club & Resort Stonehill Road Chertsey KT16 0EL Tel: 01932 704480 www.foxhills.co.uk/dine