Flash-grilled: Alex Price
What was your first job?
Babysitter.
Why did you want to work in restaurants?
Initially I didn't, I liked dining at them too much. It was a happy accident that I ended up doing it.
If you weren’t in the industry, what would you do?
Art auctioneer.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Nick Gibson, owner of The Drapers Arms. I've never met anyone who is so supportive and kind of others in the industry, and has been a great mentor to me. Nick also proves that you can run an incredibly successful restaurant and still maintain incredibly happy staff!
What's your pet hate in the dining room?
People sitting really far away from their table.
What’s your best tip for keeping calm under pressure during a busy service?
Look out the window, count to 10 and breath. There is a world out there!
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
It's too odd to say out loud!
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
It will be even more rewarding than you think but get a decent pair of shoes!!
What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten in a restaurant?
It has to be The Ledbury. It was a very special day indeed.
What's the most overrated food?
Controversial but... fried chicken.
What’s your favourite comfort food, post shift?
Heavily buttered toast, sprinkled with maldon.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Great British Menu, obvs.
If you could serve anyone, who would it be and why?
Picasso. He had such a love affair with food. Favouring simple good quality ingredients with a bit of wine, frequenting the El Quatre Gats in Paris almost nightly. He was a man that appreciated what was in front of him and that makes for a very enjoyable guest. Plus I think he'd be quite entertaining!
What’s your earliest food memory?
Peeled grapes... sorry Mum.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
Crashing into a lamppost on rollerblades. I went down like a sack of potatoes.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
Bar Termini (in Soho) for after work drinks. The Canton Arms (Stockwell) for long indulgent lunches and anywhere where I can dance.
What's your tipple of choice?
A Vesper or a Mezcal Negroni. I can't decide.
What's your favourite food and drink pairing?
GC Chablis and a Big Mac.
What’s your favourite dish to cook at home?
Ixta Belfrage's bloody delicious mushroom lasagne.
