Where do all those young chefs from Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall really end up? Back on the dole? Easy to be cynical isn’t it? Delinquents dealt an easy hand. An easy ride for a year or so at that flash restaurant on the beach. Get a real job! Well, many have… They say that when you graduate as a chef from Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall that it isn’t the end – it’s the beginning. Yes, it’s the final curtain on a tough year or so but it’s also curtain up on a whole new career. A whole new life. But what really happens to them? After Fifteen’s 8 years in business there’s 120 of them out there now ; have knives ,will travel! And we’ve got tabs on six of them…easy, because they’re all in the same place! Punch 49.55N 6.19W into your seafaring sat.nav. and you find the UK’s most westerly landfall – the Isles of Scilly -‐ home to two very trendy and very successful restaurants – one at the award -‐ winning Hell Bay Hotel on Bryher, the other on the private paradise of Tresco – it’s called the Ruin. And who’s been helping to run the busy kitchens at these far flung places in 2013 – half a dozen ex -‐ Fifteeners – that’s who. Stephen Boot and James Bennett at Hell Bay and Andrew Basso, Louise Parkes, James Northcott and Darryl “Daz” Thompson at the Ruin; there’s a couple of apprentices of the year in there and 3 distinctions too. Head Chef of all eateries on Tresco – Glen Gatland -‐ got involved with Fifteen Cornwall back in 2006 and has had a good nose for the smarter trainees ever since. Always front of the queue at graduation time. The grads love it because they’re given huge responsibility, pretty good money and stuck out there 30 miles into the Atlantic they actually get to save some of that dosh in a way that was …er…tricky in downtown Newquay. And also if you’ve just lost your driving licence – like one of them -‐ living on an island barely a mile long has it benefits. They talk of savings at the end of the season well into 4 figures, in a way that a university graduate would envy. And they’ve earnt it. No loans. “Boot” – (what else was he ever going to be called?) was sort of head boy of Cohort 5 graduating in 2011; no nonsense, mature, talented and huge fun. He’s done three seasons on Scilly now and looks like he’ll be back for a fourth as senior-‐sous in Hell Bay Hotel’s award winning kitchen. But before returning in 2014 he seeks his three essentials in life – “diving, 30 degrees and good beer”; sounds like Oz or Thailand this winter to me. Bennett was with Cohort 2 and many at the time said he wouldn’t last 5 minutes – and he was indeed a challenging individual. He is also funny, ambitious and charming, with dark eyes that can flash a smile as easily as a warning. Trainee of the year in 2008. Has been cheffing at the Duchy Hotel in Falmouth most of the time since but fancied a change. He picked up on the jungle drums from the islands and blew in last spring. He’s had a fine summer. Just a mile away (you can walk it at some low tides) on Tresco, Andrew Basso, who did his work placement at the Hamptons USA in 2007, then had a spell at Sam’s on the Beach, Polkerris and has spent the last three years cheffing in New Hampshire, is plying his trade alongside Louise, a 2011
grad who’s added another little something to her CV. It now reads Fifteen Cornwall, Jamie’s Italian -‐ London, Jamie’s Italian -‐ Sydney, The Ruin Tresco – not bad for a girl going nowhere just two and a half years ago. Next stop for her is Thailand; next for Andrew is Japan – talk about the world being your oyster! James may be able to stay closer to home as much of Tresco stays open all year round and it looks like they’ll need him at the pub – the award winning New Inn. They get somewhere to stay on this paradise; they have to pay for it – modestly – but it’s all taken care of for a fraction of staying in a dreadful place miles from work in London. It all works and they can walk to work. Daz isn’t sure what he’ll be up to – island life isn’t for everyone. Since leaving the mother ship in spring this year he did his month long placement at super-‐trendy Babbingdon House in Somerset and found it tough. Many do. Fifteen is a tough place to work as a first stop but it can also feel like you’ve been wrapped in cotton wool when you really go out into the big wide world. That’s why people like Glen and places like Tresco Estate matter. And can really help make a difference to these kids’ lives. Another step along the way; not the beginning, certainly not the end. Glen “gets” it; he knows they’re not the finished article – he’s seen 10 on the islands -‐ and that most still have problems. They got into Fifteen because they were tricky customers and some still are – it’s a journey and there’s no quick fix. But he likes what Fifteen turns out -‐ “good , basic training that gives them a head start on others”. And the Italian slant is bang on for the Ruin’s menus and translates across well into fine dining too he reckons. That’s why the Tresco /Hell Bay relationship works so well with Fifteen. Head chefs who “get it” – as well as Glen there’s Richard at Hell Bay now too. Bosses who “get it” – there’s really no need for owners and managers dealing with extremely wealthy customers to bother with these guys is there? And the call of the islands that delivers for some of these hardworking kids…allowing them to deliver back. Maybe for the first time. So, that’s where some of them end up – easy to see why really. We should be proud of them.