Executive Chef , Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve & Howletts Wild Animal Park
FOOD + DRINK
MEET THE CHEF :
LEE EDNEY
Executive Chef , Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve & Howletts Wild Animal Park
What led you to becoming a chef ?
I ’ ve always enjoyed cooking from an early age and when I left school I started working in a local pub and it developed from there . I love creating new dishes and recipes , and seeing other people enjoy them . I couldn ’ t see myself doing anything else – it ’ s a job you must love and really commit to .
Where did you train and where have you worked before ?
I started with an NVQ apprenticeship , and I then went to work at the Michelin-starred restaurant , Gravetye Manor . It was a privilege to work there , particularly with a kitchen garden and a focus on classical French cooking . Achieving a senior sous chef position at the five-star London Landmark Hotel was a great experience as well and exposed me to a different side to hospitality . I was head chef at The Swan in West Malling for five years , which was a fantastic and challenging role , where we maintained two AA Rosettes and were included in the Michelin Guide .
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