Flash-grilled: Tom Barnes

By James McAllister

- Last updated on GMT

Flash-grilled: Tom Barnes

Related tags Rogan & Co Restaurant

The executive chef at Rogan & Co on the importance of learning the basics, his admiration for Michel Roux and banning Tripadvisor.

What was your first industry job?
Apprentice chef at Lakeside Hotel.

If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
I'd train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu full time.

What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Michel Roux Snr. He achieved everything imaginable, yet stayed so humble and gave so much back to younger chefs.

What's your pet hate in the kitchen?
People who only look out for themselves. Teamwork is so important!

What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
That the soup was too hot.

Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Flavourful.

What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
There have been one or two questionable reviews on Tripadvisor over the years.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Find a kitchen that will teach you the basics, they will be invaluable for your career.

Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
A Thermomix.

What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Salt and pepper chicken wings.

What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
Benu in San Francisco.

What's your favourite fast food joint?
It has to be KFC.

What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
Niall Keating’s lobster and bone marrow tortellini. It's absolutely delicious.

MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Great British Menu.

Restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Tripadvisor.

Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
Shak-Fuyu in Soho. I always go when I visit London.

What's your tipple of choice?
Brooklyn lager.

 

 

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