Flash-grilled: Charles Morgan
What was your first job?
I was a kitchen porter at The Cottage in The Wood Hotel in Great Malvern. I have never forgotten how hard it was, and I still have the greatest respect for kitchen porters everywhere!
What is your guiltiest food pleasure?
Pie. All kinds.
What’s the best restaurant meal you’ve ever had?
The Hand and Flowers, I’ve always loved the concept of award winning simplicity.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Tom Kerridge – not least for the Hand & Flowers, but I also met him recently at his new venture in The Corinthia. What a genius.
If you weren’t in restaurants, what would you do?
I’d be a gardener. Or maybe a dog walker.
What is your biggest regret?
Not completing my degree. Mind you, I probably wouldn’t have ended up in hotels and restaurants so maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
Pet hate in the dining room?
Dreadful background music that kills the atmosphere. We spend a vast amount of time working on playlists and lighting levels.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
I was working in a hotel in Winchester and a guest came to me to complain they didn’t have a sea view from their bedroom… most reminiscent of a scene from Fawlty Towers!
Describe your service style in three words
Simple, seasonal, British.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
Sack the Chef. We didn’t.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Find a mentor that you trust and respect. Learn everything from them.
What do you cook at home on your days off?
Anything with fresh ginger, garlic, chilli and spring onions. Unbeatable combination.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Never forget the difference – a good manager does things well, a great leader does the right thing.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
I am a simple creature – walking the dog on St Catherine’s Hill with my wife is my idea of bliss.
Tipple of choice?
I do like a decent glass of red wine, which is handy when you work for Lord Rothschild.
