I was on the path to becoming a professional footballer before I even thought about picking up a saucepan – at 16 I was training hard locally with Princes Park Football team, and eventually went for trials as a left-midfielder at Queens Park Rangers. The football career was going well until unfortunately I broke my collarbone, which put me out of action for a while.
Some time after that, the dream of becoming a footballer was no longer an option, so I turned to cooking – it helped me to focus again, and following the injury it felt great to be back doing something practical.
I ended up at Westminster catering college, and since then I’ve been lucky enough to work in some of the best kitchens in the world. I perfected my skills at The Berkeley under Pierre Koffmann – one of my biggest inspirations – then went to the three-Michelin-starred Le Bristol in Paris, Mayfair's two-starred Greenhouse and then The Woodford.
I joined Launceston Place, the fine-dining restaurant in Kensington, as head chef in January 2017, and since then have been showcasing the dishes that I love to cook. I'm always trying to be creative and come up with new flavor combinations – eggs, celeriac and brioche has become a firm favourite.
The restaurant itself has had a colourful past, having been transformed from a tailor into a restaurant in 1986. I love working somewhere with history; it's had two completely different careers, which I suppose means it's quite a good match for me.
Follow Ben on Twitter, or go to find out more about Launceston Place here
