Time to take stock
JOHN BENSON-SMITH
Executive chef, Victoria & Albert
Hotel, Manchester
What was the high point of 1995?
"We introduced a take-away service in two of our restaurants and opened a third restaurant in the hotel within seven days of conception."
What was the low point?
"Discovering that Craig Bancroft [proprietor of Northcote Manor, Langho, Lancashire] and I dated the same girl at the same time in the 1970s!"
Do you have any New Year resolutions that would help you run your kitchen better?
"Enlarge the sign on the kitchen door which states: ‘No bullshit, no cowboys!'"
What was the naughtiest thing that happened in your kitchen in 1995?
"At 1am one morning we held a grand Scalextric competition in the kitchen and I sabotaged all the other chefs' cars."
Do you have any culinary predictions for 1996?
"A transfer market (à la football) will soon appear for division one chefs."
GORDON RAMSAY
Chef-patron, Aubergine, London
What was the high point of 1995?
"Winning the Newcomer of the Year Catey.
What was the low point of 1995?
"My first day back in the kitchen after we had closed for two weeks' holiday."
Do you have any New Year resolutions that would help you run your kitchen better?
"I'm taking on an extra chef de partie, so we will have a brigade of nine. I want to give my chefs longer breaks in the afternoon."
What about New Year resolutions to help you run your personal life better?
"Yes, I want to spend seven hours a night at home instead of five."
What was the naughtiest thing that happened in your kitchen in 1995?
"I helped set up a restaurant in a ski resort in France and the head chef came over and did a two-week stage with me at Aubergine. Towards the end of his stage, he started giving my boys a bit of a hard time. So, on his last night, we stripped him naked, coated him in butter and wrapped three rolls of plastic film round him. One of my chefs, Freddie, then cut his hair with fish scissors. We took him out on to the King's Road and left him outside a nightclub. He was last seen hopping down the road."
ANTONY WORRALL THOMPSON
Creative director, Simpson's Restaurant Group
What was the highlight of the past year for you or your kitchens?
"Taking over the Hyatt kitchens in Sydney and Melbourne for one week each and showing them how it should be done. Great response. Useful planning exercise for proposed new restaurant in Sydney in 1997."
What was the low point of the past year for you or your kitchen?
"Waiting for the builders to leave Drones restaurant - only four months late. It was hard to keep up staff enthusiasm with so many postponements."
Do you have any New Year resolutions which you think would help you run your kitchen/s better?
"Keep the food simple with less flavour combinations on each plate."
Do you have any New Year resolutions to help you run your personal life better?
"Deal with decent architects for any new restaurant projects. As much as I like working for charity, 1996 is going to be an Antony Worrall Thompson year. Be more selective with TV and radio projects. Lose weight. Discover the secret of Delia Smith's popularity - is there something I'm missing?"
What is the naughtiest thing that happened in your kitchen/s this year?
"Kitchen… what's a kitchen? Naughty. That's another story. You'll have to wait for the autobiography."
What food trends do you think are in store for the culinary world in 1996?
"More of the same: extensions of the Mediterranean. Lots of Vong restaurant clones, so more spices.
Do you have any other culinary predictions for 1996?
"Sports bars start to collapse. Rocco Forte will start a milk bar with Marco Pierre White in Piccadilly. David Dorricott starts researching dishes from Darlington and Dagenham inpreparation for new socialists at the House of Commons. John Burton-Race takes Holy Orders.
SIMON HULSTONE
Chef de partie, Swallow Royal Hotel, Bristol
What was the high point of 1995?
"Representing Britain in the cooking competition at the International Youth Skill Olympics in Lyon in September. Nothing can beat the feeling of being selected as an ambassador for your country. It's the biggest thrill there is, whatever the outcome of the competition."
What was the low point of 1995?
"A lot of good friends and members of staff have left the hotel. Another low point was trying to decide what I want to do with my career now."
Do you have any New Year resolutions that would help you in your work?
"I need to be a bit more lenient with other departments and realise they are busy as well."
What about New Year resolutions that would help you run your personal life better?
"I must take things more seriously and stop teasing people so much."
What was the naughtiest thing that happened in you kitchen this year?
"A certain lasagne incident involving hamburgers and me getting a warning for burning an apprentice when we were messing around."
Do you have any other culinary predictions for 1996?
"British chefs are going to take the world by storm. We've got the best chefs in the world and this year we will prove it."
JAMES MARTIN
Head chef, Hotel du Vin, Winchester, Hampshire
What was your high point of 1995?
"Receiving the Egon Ronay Newcomer of the Year award. Also buying a Lotus - a car I've always dreamed of having."
What was your low point?
"When my two first chefs left in March. We had all worked so hard through the previous Christmas and were doing 150 covers a day - but they both wanted to work abroad."
Do you have any New Year resolutions that would help you run your kitchen better?
"Yes, learn to step back and delegate more. I made the mistake of trying to spread myself across each section."
What about New Year resolutions that would help you run your personal life better?
"In the past year I haven't had much of a personal life. I will have to promise to see my girlfriend in London a bit more, but I don't know if that will be possible because we have just enlarged the bistro and bar."
What was the naughtiest thing that happened in your kitchen in 1995?
"I made one of my commis go through three wheely-bins full of fish guts and rubbish, because he tried to play a practical joke on me and lost the keys to my beautiful new car."
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI
Head chef, Four Seasons Restaurant, Four Seasons Hotel, London
What was the high point of 1995?
"Finally getting a strong and enthusiastic brigade around me, which helped me get five AA rosettes and, hopefully, two Michelin stars!"
Do you have any New Year resolutions that would help you run your personal life better?
"I would like to improve my looks by having a spikey haircut and donning a pair of brown, chubby glasses."
What was the naughtiest thing that happened in your kitchen in 1995?
"I appeared on a BBC1 TV show with Lily Savage during the middle of service."
Do you have any other culinary predictions for 1996?
"I believe the UKwill emerge as the leading gastronomic country in Europe."
MICHAEL COAKER
Executive chef, May Fair Inter-Continental, London
What was the high point of 1995?
"Receiving two AA rosettes."
What was the low point of 1995?
"Until recently, being unable to recruit the right staff at the right time."
Do you have any New Year resolutions that would help you run your kitchen better?
"We plan to introduce a computerised system into the kitchen office, complete with CD-Rom."
What about New Year resolutions that would help you run your personal life better?
"Yes, by working less hours."
What was the naughtiest thing that happened in your kitchen in 1995?
"A famous female pop star debagging in the close vicinity of the kitchen."
What food trends do you think are in store for the culinary world this year?
"Height on a plate."
Do you have any other culinary predictions for 1996?
"The east-meets-west theme will continue, as will the growth of new restaurants."
MAX GNOYKE
Head chef, Heathcotes Brasserie, Preston, Lancashire
What was the high point of 1995?
"All the good feedback we have had from our customers and the guides since the opening."
What was the low point of 1995?
"Missing out on my home life and family."
Do you have any New Year resolutions that would help you run your kitchen better?
"To take days off!"
Do you have any New Year resolutions that would help you run your personal life better?
"To take days off!"
What food trends do you think are in store for the culinary world this year?
"I believe less red meat will be eaten and the onus will be on fish and vegetarian dishes."
Do you have any other culinary predictions for 1996?
"The customer is becoming more aware and demanding more quality and value for money. There will be more opportunity for people to eat well but within a budget."
ANDREW RADFORD
Chef-proprietor, Atrium, Edinburgh
What was the high point of 1995?
"Our staff party. They have become known as Radford's magical mystery tour because I tend to make it a bit of a surprise. I got a coach to pick us up from the bar downstairs and take us to the Caledonian Canal where we boarded a barge. We ate well and drank copious amounts of alcohol. It was brilliant.
"Another high point was my head chef Glyn Stevens winning Egon Ronay/British Meat Chef of the Year. I put Glyn forward just four days before the competition because the Scottish entrant had dropped out, so when he won it was a serious boost for us. It was equal to the restaurant winning the Newcomer Catey last year."
What was the low point of 1995?
"There were two low points - the morning after the staff party and the morning after Glyn winning Egon Ronay Chef of the Year. We were all crawling around on all fours wondering why the restaurant was open. We were really struggling."
Do you have any New Year resolutions which you think would help you run your kitchen better?
"Well I asked my brigade this question and they suggested I retire!"
What is the naughtiest thing that happened in your kitchen in 1995?
"Well, it was at the staff party, but I can't go into that. Let's just say it was something to do with the Egon Ronay Chef of the Year!"
