| Aiden was the head chef at Michelin-starred Tom Aikens before moving to the Dorchestsr, where he produced some high class meals. He now runs his own restaurant, The Church Green in Cheshire. |
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| How long have you been cooking professionally? |
| 14 Years |
| Where did you train to cook? |
| I went to catering college in Roby, Liverpool, and then became a chef at a very young age, so I learnt a lot from my own mistakes. |
| How would you describe your style of cooking? |
| I really dislike this question, I’m not really a fan of being pigeon holed, I cook with as much British, seasonal produce as possible in the way I have been trained i.e. classically. |
| Is there a secret for a successful restaurant? |
| Planning, hard work and pure determination from the whole team. |
| Do you have a “signature dish” or favourite dish you enjoy cooking? |
| Not really a signature dish, but one I love serving at the moment is Rose veal fillet with lobster, apples and rosemary. |
| Do you have a favourite ingredient? |
| Globe Artichokes; I just love how they can be so robust and so delicate at the same time. |
| Which restaurant do you most enjoy eating at on your night off? |
| Not really a night off, more of a journey but The Fat Duck. It’s always a pleasure and I learn something new every time I go there. |
| What is your most interesting or fun experience from your time in restaurants? |
| I was working in a very pressurized restaurant not so long ago, and one of the chefs drove a knife through the back of his hand to try and get out of service (it failed). |
| What would be your “last request” dish? |
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| Nothing too elaborate, roasted chicken on a Sunday afternoon |
| Is there another chef that you most admire? |
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| Tom Aikens for his constant drive and determination. Marcus Wareing for his patience and Heston Blumenthal for his consistent product. |
| Any advice you would give to someone wanting to become a chef? |
| Be patient, far too many chefs try to run before they can walk. If you cook for yourself the accolades will follow. |
| Any final thoughts you’d like to add? |
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| Stick to British produce - if we don’t as chefs then who will? There is more than enough produce to go around; it is up to us chefs to set the benchmark. |
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Current Restaurant |
| Dorchester Grill Room |
