Chef profile: Charlie Crote, head chef at Brasserie Constance

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m very excited to be working alongside Adam Byatt in such a special restaurant, and I’ve taken great pleasure in developing our early ideas that we scribbled on a piece of paper and seeing them come to life in the restaurant now. I’m very proud of everyone involved into bring the restaurant to life to what it is today. 

 

What’s your favourite thing about where you work?

The opportunity to create a restaurant in which people come to have fun and enjoy themselves and come back. I get to teach the guys in the kitchen all the things I’ve learnt over the years – but probably my favourite thing is to develop new dishes for the menu, I’ll always have an idea in my head about what I want to create, then once everyone else joins with their ideas, it evolves into something completely new and a really nice creative process.

 

What was your first job in catering?

Working in my local pub, the Apple Tree, in Gloucestershire, with my best friends’ mum who was a chef and taught me originally.

 

What do you do to relax?

A lonely pint or two, of Guinness, in my local is probably my favourite thing to do to relax

 

Which is your favourite restaurant?

Perilla in London’s Newington Green – Ben is an incredible chef and looks at food in such a different way to anyone else.

 

What’s your favourite hotel?

The Ritz, of course! I trained there for five years and dined a couple times – next level hospitality you can’t find anywhere else

 

What is your favourite drink?

Spicy mezcal margarita 

 

What is your favourite food/cuisine?

French to cook – Thai to eat

 

Which ingredient do you hate the most?

Truffle oil! I detest the flavour the smell and everything to do with it!

 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Don’t go out drinking with your staff!

 

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?

Patrick Powell, he helped me loads in my early career, and I’ve always wanted to be as inspired and dedicated as he is to providing the guest with a complete experience, not just the food.

 

If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?

I love driving so something driving related I guess… always fancied being a Rally Driver.

 

Describe your ultimate nightmare?

Eating truffle oil

 

Tell us a secret...

I love well done beef.

 

What irritates you most about the industry?

Peoples’ work ethic

 

Who would play “you” in a film about your life?

Channing Tatum – good looking guy

 

What is your favourite prepared product?

Koffman fries

 

Who would be in your “fantasy” brigade?

Auguste Escofier, Phil Howard, Ben Marks, Adam Byatt, Patrick Powell.

 

Charlie Crote is head chef at Brasserie Constance in Fulham