Interview With A Chef – Dave Wall

The combination of wine and food go hand in hand, an excellent combination, and an exciting challenge to find the perfect pairings, in this feature we speak with Dave Wall, an amazing Chef from England, let’s discover a little about his time in the Culinary World.

It’s Great To Speak With You, Dave Wall, Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself And Which Inspired You To Become A Chef?

“I kind of fell into cooking. I started working in kitchens when I was travelling the world in my late teens. I was working in the pot wash as a ‘dishie’ as they’re known in Australia, one day the line cook was sick and the chef couldn’t arrange cover and I was thrown in. I was instantly hooked on the buzz and fast pace of service, and the rest was history.”

When You Worked For Gordon Ramsay at Claridges and The Boxwood Cafe, What Lessons And Experiences Did You Take Away That You Still Use Today?

“The Boxwood was a huge eye-opener. The pace and precision that you were expected to work at was a huge step-up and it nearly broke me! I was mentally and physically drained but you just have to keep persevering and adapt and overcome. One of the things that I still use today is the accuracy of the processes- every recipe is weighed to the gram and timings and checkpoints are precisely laid out for the team.”

What Can Customers Look Forward To Discovering On Your Menu At The Unruly Pig?

“Our menu is focused on big flavours presented with clarity and impact. We have an Italian lean on our ethos – to take excellent seasonal ingredients and showcase them without over-manipulating.”

What Advice Would You Give Inspiring Chefs Starting Today?

“Be ready to learn and study and don’t rush the process. Too many chefs are in a rush to climb up the ladder and chase the bigger paychecks, but the real dividends will become apparent if they take the time to learn their craft. Invest a minimum of 2 years into a meaningful position in a challenging kitchen where they are pushed and learning before trying to take a step-up into an even more challenging kitchen and again staying for a good period.”

When It Comes To Sparkling Wine & Food, Do You Have Any Pairings That You’ve Enjoyed Over The Years And Would Recommend People To Try?

“You can’t beat a beautiful glass of dry English sparkling and oysters!”

Thank you, Dave, for sharing your words, knowledge and experiences with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!

Photo Credit belong to The Unruly Pig, Glass of Bubbly was granted permission, to use them.