Revelations: Matthew Reeder, co-owner/head chef, the Silver Cup, Harpenden

We delve into the life and inner thoughts of a top chef. This week: Matthew Reeder, co-owner/head chef, the Silver Cup, Harpenden

What was your first job?

A paper round in my home town

What was your first job in catering?

Prep chef

What do you normally have for breakfast?

A smoothie and a double espresso

What do you do to relax?

Watch a docu-series and have a sneaky Stella

Which is your favourite restaurant?

Barrafina in London

What's your favourite hotel?

The Pig on the Beach in Dorset

What is your favourite cuisine?

Spanish, but I also enjoy cooking modern British

Which ingredient do you hate the most?

Globe artichokes, because prepping them is a nightmare

Are there any foods/ingredients that you refuse to cook with?

I would refuse to use produce from outside Europe when cooking in the UK

What do you always carry with you?

In the kitchen I always have my Mac scissors to hand

Which person in catering have you most admired?

Tom Kerridge or Jason Atherton

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?

Chef Richard McLellan

Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?

Big Green Egg

If not yourself, who would you rather have been?

Frank Lampard, I'm a massive Chelsea supporter

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

A suit tailor. I got close to starting an apprenticeship on Saville Row before joining catering college

Describe your ultimate nightmare?

Being locked in a small room

Tell us a secret...

I love finishing some vegetable purées with chicken bullion – not all of them, obviously!