This month we ask five fab chefs who has inspired them most in their culinary career…
Parichat Somsri-Kirby
Sohe, Jesmond
Douglas Jordan, the man behind the North East Chef of the Year competition, for his continued contribution to the industry. He is a fantastic ambassador for young chefs and every year he organises the North East Chef of the Year competition, which I was fortunate enough to win in 2008.
Mark Hart
Sweethart, Consett
The first book I bought was The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reihart and the prologue still makes my forearms bristle with goose bumps as he describes his passion for baking bread. His recipes read like a father describing his children – he had a vested interest and loved each one.
Gary Dall
The Roxburgh, Whitley Bay
I worked in a three-man kitchen at Four in Hand in Sydney with Colin Fassnidge and it was an incredible experience. I’ve always loved nose-to-tail cooking but the glamour he brought to it lifted it to a new level. What he could create with simple ingredients and the bare minimum of equipment was phenomenal.
Bob Arora
Sachins, Newcastle
There are three big influences on my cooking – Sanjeev Kapoor, a great chef who is basically the Jamie Oliver of Indian cooking. He’s done so much to make Indian cooking more accessible to the masses. The other two are my mum and dad – watching them make old family recipes was always inspiring.
Andrew Wilkinson
artisan, Newcastle
My mum and grandma both inspired me from an early age. I remember helping my mum make spaghetti bolognese and tucking into my gran’s cakes and Sunday dinners. Over time, Nowadays, our suppliers at Artisan are my inspiration thanks to their amazing produce. It’s addictive – all I ever think about is what I can create with all of their wonderful, fresh ingredients.
