Who or what got you into cooking?

I was inspired from an early age by my dad, who cooked fresh meals when we were growing up. I was also the perfect age when being a chef had become “cool”, every channel on the TV had a big named chef on a cookery show most nights of the week. It was also the one subject at school where I was getting fantastic grades, so I thought to myself, this might be worth pursuing. I haven’t looked back since.

What is your earliest childhood memory of food?

My earliest childhood food memory has got to be marmite – and yes, you do either love it or hate it and I’m a firm lover of it!

What brought you to The Wild Rabbit?

A unified vision for the future of The Wild Rabbit with the existing team and working to refine and elevate its seasonal dining experience, with a real emphasis on celebrating the best of British ingredients.

There is an incredible story to be told through the plate, from the Daylesford farmshop and its artisan producers to its organic farm with heritage breed livestock and market garden produce just up the road, there is so much potential. It’s a chef’s dream to have this fantastic produce at your fingertips and I consider myself very fortunate that I get to work with this produce, to shape the menu of The Wild Rabbit for years to come.

And what will you bring to the menu?

I will bring a fresh, refined and authentic farm to fork approach to the menus. Using as much local produce as possible, and on the occasion it’s not possible, I will ensure it is of the highest standard from animal welfare to low environmental impact.

What are you most excited about joining The Wild Rabbit and wider Daylesford Stays collection?

It is hard to choose one; there are many reasons why I thought this was the best move for my family and my career, mostly the potential, the people and the beauty of the area.

The potential of the wider Bamford Collection is limitless, it is super exciting to be part of a business that keeps growing and developing.  Every single member of staff that I have had the pleasure of spending time with are wonderful, caring, professional and wanting to be the best version of themselves. I’m a right stickler for 1%’s, and for me, it’s all of the little details at The Wild Rabbit, The Cottages and Daylesford Farmshop that I think, “wow, someone has thought of every little detail”, they all add up and count.

What is your favourite dish on the new menu?

I think it has to be the custard tart as it has no frills, it’s all about letting the dish speak for itself with super thin and crispy pastry, a delicious custard filling with a wobble and a seasonal sorbet. You might be mistaken for thinking it’s not complicated, but there are a lot of technical skills involved in the making of this dish, it takes real courage to believe in a dish that has less on the plate as there is nowhere to hide.

After the success of your delicious ‘”not” a French soup’ dish, do you plan on bringing your “not” series to The Wild Rabbit?

I’m “not” sure yet… see what I did there… It’s a dish that I am proud of, so why not.

I’m conscious to make sure the food and the style of The Wild Rabbit are aligned; I like to make dishes feel fun and relaxed in an elevated way that doesn’t feel gimmicky.

You cite travelling as being a big inspiration for your menu development, where is next on your travel list?

The only problem with getting older, is that I discover more places that I want to explore; I have friends in Chile and Japan, and the thought of visiting these countries is very exciting as by knowing people who live there, you just know you’ll visit all of the best “local” places. Closer to home, I will be exploring every inch of the Daylesford estate and surrounding Cotswold area for inspiration.

What do you like to cook at home?

I enjoy cooking Thai or Vietnamese food at home, or just comfort food like a good steak, or nice roast chicken and good veg.

Drink of choice?

Easy one this Spicy Marg all day long.

Most underrated dish?

I know it’s not a dish, but pork is so underrated. Pork is my favourite meat, but I think generally as a kid we’ve probably all been given a dry pork chop that was tough and not that great. If you cook pork properly, with crispy skin, a good sear, seasoned and cooked well, slightly pink, I’m hungry now! It’s also affordable, so great for families.

What's your desert island dish?

Pho is a dish that I long for all the time. I recently visited Vietnam and had it for breakfast, lunch and dinner one day as I wanted to experience the real deal as much as possible. It’s a humble dish, but my god, it’s fantastic!

Who is your culinary hero?

To answer this question, I think of which chef would make me a massive fan boy if they walked into the restaurant – my first thought is Feran Aderiá. He is a special individual who has seriously transformed how we all cook with what he achieved at El Bulli. What would be considered groundbreaking culinary techniques, styles and tools 20 years ago, have now become the norm, and for the better.

What’s your most memorable dining experience?

I’ve been fortunate to eat at quite a few good restaurants over the years, I keep a list so I don’t forget and can keep adding to it. I’ve got to say, I’d struggled to whittle it down to one that stands out, until September 2024 when I went with my wife to L’Enclume by Simon Rogan in Cartmel – it was the perfect day and evening. The food was fantastic, as well as the wine, but I hadn’t experienced a front of house team that was that fantastic, they knew exactly what they were meant to do at the exact moment. It’s the closest I’ve seen to perfection from a restaurant, truly exceptional.

Three things you’ve always got in your cupboard at home?

Salt, Pepper and Sriracha

What are you looking forward to most about your move to the Cotswolds?

I’m really looking forward to submerging myself in the food and produce on the doorstep, developing further as a chef and seeing where it takes us. It’s going to be a journey for sure, but I firmly believe it’s going to be a beautiful and exciting chapter. It helps that the Cotswolds is a beautiful area and can’t wait to settle in and enjoy long walks in the countryside with my wife and the dog.