Flash-grilled: Kim Ratcharoen
What was your first industry job?
Working in a Thai restaurant in Brighton
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
I'd be a florist.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Angela Harnett. She's a very inspiring and hard working chef.
What's your pet hate in the kitchen?
Dirty uniform.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
‘Where is the lamb sauce?’
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Authentic and modern
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
On Great British Menu when the judges panel didn’t like my main course.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Where there is a will, there is a way
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
A spoon.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
Egg fried rice
À la carte or tasting menu?
Tasting menu.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
Dinner at The Ritz.
What's your favourite fast food joint?
Fez Mangal in Ladbroke Grove.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
Nham jim.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
Great British Menu.
What's the most overrated food?
Five Guys.
You're restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Chefs smoking.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
My grandma.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Learning how to pound chilli paste at a very young age.
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
I was in a bad car accident when I was 12 years old.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
Bar termini in Soho.
What's your tipple of choice?
A coconut espresso martini from BiBi.
What's your favourite food and drink pairing?
Som tam salad and pina colada.
What do you consider your signature dish?
Smoked bone marrow sticky rice and pimp my beef sauce.
