Knowledge exchange: ‘Watch everything and have a can-do attitude'

A diverse age range means experience can be matched with enthusiasm at Hampton Manor

Stu Deeley, executive chef, Smoke at Hampton Manor

How long have you worked in hospitality?

Fifteen years

How did you get into the industry?

A misspent youth is one answer. But actually, I first worked in a restaurant as work experience aged 15. The decade that followed included Halesowen College, Jamie's Italian, Brockencote Hall, Simpson's, the Wilderness and MasterChef: The Professionals before finding my home at Hampton Manor.

What advice would you share with those early in their careers?

Watch everything that goes on and always have a can-do attitude. There's nothing harder than people who are resistant to new things, whether it's trying new food or techniques. Enthusiasm goes a long way, and find a good mentor – at any stage of your career.

Who has been your best mentor and why?

Adam Brown at Brockencote Hall (now at Killingworth Castle) taught me so much and guided me through my first experience of working at Michelin level. Adam is a very, very good cook and he helped me think about my future. And, not only did Luke Tipping at Simpson's teach me about sauces, his specialist subject, but he's a family man who helped me see how you guide a team.

Have you mentored younger people joining the industry?

I've always taken it as part of my role, from first becoming head chef at the Wilderness, which had a really young team. I've actually been teaching at Halesowen College, where I studied, on and off for the past eight years. After Masterchef: The Professionals, I had the opportunity to launch my own academy there.

What do you think working with a diverse age range of people brings to your workplace?

The younger chefs coming through with that burning desire to learn is infectious. It pushes you to try new techniques. I've seen chefs reinvent their style of cooking in the middle of their career when they look at who is coming up behind them.

What's the best part of your job?

I used to think it was all about technique, but the further along I am, the more I realise it's about a restaurant full of smiling diners.

Sharee Priest, demi chef de partie, Smoke at Hampton Manor

How long have you worked in hospitality?

Just over a year — Smoke is the first kitchen I've worked in.

How did you get into the industry?

I studied sociology at university and I had planned to become a social worker, but during lockdown I had a conversation with my mum, who convinced me it wasn't too late to change my career. I found University College Birmingham's cookery courses and started my Level 1 a week later. As soon as I walked in the kitchen, I knew it was exactly where I wanted to be. When I started my Level 2, I started to apply to local pubs for work, but then I thought, whose food am I interested in eating? I was saving up to come and eat at Smoke and I eventually got the courage to message Stu to ask for work experience. I was so nervous, but taking that chance led to my first job as a commis. A year on, I'm a demi chef de partie and I absolutely love it.

Have you had a formal mentor and how has this benefited you?

Everything I've learned, I've learned from Stu. The skills he is teaching me are the foundation of my career. I know I have a lot still to learn but I also feel like I've grown so much.

Who's inspired you most since joining the industry and why?

I keep an eye on loads of chefs but am particularly drawn to strong women. Elly Wentworth at the Angel in Devon seems to have a lot of character and I look up to Angela Hartnett and Monica Galetti. I also follow the work of Lorraine Copes of Be Inclusive Hospitality in shining a light on diversity. I'm of dual heritage and, as a young chef, it's good to see that the industry is starting to recognise some of the challenges for black women in hospitality.

What have you learned from more experienced colleagues?

Having not been in the industry for long, every day is a learning day for me. Each member of the kitchen teaches me about produce, techniques, resilience and working as a team.

What do you think working with a diverse age range of people brings to your workplace?

Our kitchen is really age-diverse and there's still a freshness and excitement, especially among the juniors. We find everything exciting and that's levelled out by the experience and knowledge in the rest of the kitchen.