A lively and interesting interview with Craig Edgell today, the head chef at Eddie Gilbert's seafood restaurant in Ramsgate (the first restaurant in Kent to join The Sustainable Restaurant Association). If you want incredible seafood, cooked by a top chef, this is the place to go!
Name: Craig Edgell
Where do you currently work?
Eddie Gilberts
What is your role?
Head Chef
What are your favourite ingredients and why?
My favourite ingrediants at the moment are all the local fish and shellfish being landed out of Ramsgate. Our restaurant has a fishmonger's and a fish & chip shop downstairs, so at the moment there's lots of local cod, crabs and lobsters. It's amazing - we get lobsters minutes out the sea, then cooked here in the restaurant - you can't get any better than that!
Which kitchen gadget(s) are you particularly fond of?
The best gadget in my kitchen is my vac-pac machine. It's amazing, whoever invented it is a kitchen god !!!
What's your favourite food memory?
My favourite food memory is this year when I had a letter from.the Michelin guide saying we're recommended in the guide. I was so excited, all the hard work finally paid off! I mean we have been in it from the start when my executive chef Craig Mather got us there, but it shows when I took over as head chef. I've kept up the standard of food at Eddie Gilberts by just being me and my love for food.
Who do you most admire in the culinary world?
There are some amazing people in the culinary world - Sat Bains, Nathan Outlaw, Gordon Ramsay, Tom Kerridge, Tom Aikins - I could go on and on. I've worked under some great chefs and owners - John Radford, James Sallows, Craig Mather, Jonny Dunhill, David Cooper, Tony Humpheys, also worked undersome right cowboys but that's how you learn even though I'm head chef now I'll be moving on to learn again under another great chef, you've also got to admire the chefs under you, they look up to you and without your team you're nothing !
What country do you most like to visit for their cuisine?
Italy - I adore Italian food, it's wicked tasty, full of flavour and colours fresh wholesome food. Got be the next country or kitchen I go to !!!
Do you have any guilty food secrets?
Guilty food secrets mmmmm ha ha doesn't any chef?? You can't beat a bad-boy curry or chinese with a few beers, fill up till ya pop, ha ha!
Have you had any culinary disasters?
Oooo culinary disasters, yeah had a few, who hasn't? One I will always remember - I had a pan heating on the stove and I went upstairs to get the fish from the mongers, Then I heard this voice shout "Help chef, help!" - it was the voice of one of my chefs saying that there was a full-blown pan-fire in the kitchen, it was mad but funny, as you do the olympic run to save the day. Luckily nobody was hurt and my kitchen was fine, ha ha!
What would your last meal on Earth be? Who would cook it?
Last meal on earth? It would probably be beef stew and dumpling with creamed butterd mash and all the veg you can think of!! And it would be my mum who would cook it - her food is the nuts, proper home cooked. HAPPY DAYS !!
What tips would you give to any aspiring chefs?
NEVER GIVE UP!! When I was at college I had a class of 18 chefs, now there are just about five of us that are chefs! It's a hard career, to be the best you give your life for food, you will meet new people and lose people in your catering life but just always remember why they did and what they teach you. Good food comes from the creation in your mind and the passion in your heart! At 25 I'm still learning and still wanting more, always push yourself and never say you can't or be told you can't, because you can: TRUST ME YOU CAN! And never forget who made you. HAPPY COOKING !!
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