Acorn winners 2011 – Olly Rouse
Age 27
Position Head chef, Restaurant John Campbell, Coworth Park
Nominator Peter Eaton
Proudest career moment In 2007 when I was John Campbell's and Peter Eaton's junior sous chef at the Vineyard. We were awarded two Michelin stars.
Greatest inspiration It comes from my team. We all learn from each other and we all understand our responsibility for growing the business. Watching them grow and develop inspires me to find bigger and greater challenges and results for us all.
Ambition To put the restaurant on the culinary map and gain some accolades. In the long term I would love to be a part of John Campbell's expansion.
A kitchen porter at the age of 13, Olly Rouse worked first at Petrus under Marcus Wareing, and then, for five years, at the Vineyard at Stockcross under John Campbell and his head chef Peter Eaton, where he progressed from chef de partie to sous chef. Olly's work at the Vineyard was pivotal to its winning a crop of Michelin stars and AA rosettes.
From the Vineyard, Olly struck off alone, setting up his own private dinner party business, and a training company for modern cooking techniques. But in 2009 he was back with John Campbell, as head chef for Restaurant John Campbell at Coworth Park.