FOOD + DRINK
MEET THE CHEF :
JAMES CRANK
Head Chef , The Old Kent Barn , Swingfield
What led you to become a chef ?
It was not your conventional route at all really , I had just finished my A Levels and wasn ’ t sure what I wanted to do , I had a good part time job in a furniture shop but had no intention of taking it up full time and was leaning towards getting a job for British Gas as a service engineer .
Then one evening I was watching the first season of Hell ’ s Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay and was fascinated how the kitchen operated , the artistry , passion and dedication on show just captivated me .
Interestingly my mum a few years later contacted Gordon Ramsay to tell him about how he had inspired me . She enclosed a birthday card and asked him to sign it for me as I was having a tough time in the industry , and he returned it with a fantastic message inside telling me to keep working hard and stay dedicated when it gets tough . Real touch of class from him and a prized possession of mine .
Where did you train ?
I started at Mid Kent College in Maidstone before leaving after the first year to gain industry experience and stretch myself .
Where have you worked before ?
I worked at Leeds Castle after leaving college then moved on to Solomons Hotel , Chapel Down , and Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley . I then did a couple of years teaching back at Mid Kent College in the same kitchen I began my journey ; I have always felt passionate about inspiring the new generation and have strong links with colleges as I believe it ' s our duty to give something back to the new wave of aspiring chefs .
It has to be said that I count myself lucky to have worked in some fantastic kitchens with some amazing chefs and some very inspirational people in my career who all took the time to help me develop and grow , but without question the person I credit a big proportion of my food ethos and development is Scott Goss when I worked under him at The Swan in West Malling , he really molded me and I can ' t thank him enough for the years I spent under his wing .
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