The dish: Mark Jarvis, Anglo

Born in Buckinghamshire, Mark Jarvis began his culinary career at the age of 16, training at Chesham Park Community College. He went on to take up a role at the Michelin-starred Lords of the Manor, in the Cotswolds, as chef de partie, before joining Michelin two-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons as demi chef de partie, working under Raymond Blanc for two years. He went on to open Blanc’s pub, The Thatch, before moving to London in 2008, where he worked as senior chef de partie at Sauterelle in The Royal Exchange in the City and then as sous chef at the Michelin-starred Texture. In 2012, Jarvis accepted his first head chef role at the Blueprint Café in London, and in 2013 became executive head chef of The Bingham Hotel in Richmond. After leaving The Bingham Hotel in 2015, Jarvis went on to pursue his own first venture – Anglo, in Farringdon – which launched in March 2016. A second restaurant – Neo Bistro – opened in Mayfair in June 2017. His third restaurant, Stem, is due to open in Regent’s Street next month.

Mark Jarvis

What/who influenced your decision to become a chef?

Cooking and baking with my grandma from a young age.

Can you remember/describe your first shift in a kitchen?

My first shift I spent peeling a LOT of beetroot, it took me all day and I was told at the end ‘you have to do that again tomorrow’.

What is your earliest wine memory?

It has to be drinking Champagne at Christmas with my family.

What has been your most memorable meal?

Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck – unforgettable.

How important is wine to a meal, from a chef’s point of view?

Incredibly important, it can enhance the experience and the flavours when paired properly.

What would be your ultimate food and drink pairing?

It would have to be a warm cheese course paired with Urban Orchard cider.

Who is your inspiration in the winemaking and gastronomic world and why?

My biggest inspiration is probably Raymond Blanc, purely because he is so driven and has such a passion for his food and the industry.

Biggest kitchen disaster?

Forgetting to add the gelatine in a mousse when I was at college….

If you could give your younger self advice starting out as a chef, what would it be?

To travel more, learn from other cultures and try to understand the produce and techniques that are available around the world.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?

Probably a butcher or fish monger.

Besides cooking, which talent would you most like to have?

I’d love to be good at making pottery.

What would be your best piece of culinary advice for an aspiring home cook?

Read the recipe thoroughly all the way through before you even begin making the dish.

If you could only eat at one restaurant for the rest of your life, where would you choose?

The Royal China Club on Baker Street.

What else would you like to achieve in life?

A seamless and happy opening for my new restaurant venture, Stem, near Regent Street. Opening a restaurant is every chefs greatest goal and biggest fear at the same time.

And finally, what is your life motto?

Never ever stop!