Revelations: Jake O'Riley, head chef, South Place Chop House, London
We delve into the life and inner thoughts of a top chef. This week: Jake O'Riley, head chef, South Place Chop House, London
What was your best subject at school?
Maths and physics
What was your first job?
Breakfast chef, while I went to school
What do you normally have for breakfast?
Red Bull and a sausage roll
What do you do to relax?
I look after my poultry and my vegetable patch, with the dog, listening to house music
Which is your favourite restaurant?
The Angler in South Place or Core by Clare Smyth
What's your favourite hotel?
South Place, of course
What is your favourite drink?
Vodka, the craft stuff
What is your favourite cuisine?
I don't think any chef should limit themselves to one cuisine – we should be open to different flavours and experiences
Which ingredient do you hate the most?
Halloumi
Are there any foods/ingredients that you refuse to cook with?
Kidneys, they stink up the kitchen
What flavour combinations do you detest?
Certain kinds of fusion are a farce
What do you always carry with you?
An optimistic perspective
Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?
A decent oyster knife
Which person in catering have you most admired?
Gary Foulkes (left) or Magnus Nilsson
If not yourself, who would you rather have been?
Ramsay's done well for himself
If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?
Something in fine art
Describe your ultimate nightmare?
Having the weekend off and having to spend it with family
What irritates you most about the industry?
People who don't treat it as a career
If you had more time, what would you do?
Plan my wedding instead of leaving my poor fiancée to do it by herself