Interview With A Chef – Stuart Gillies

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 Stuart Gillies, an amazing Chef from England, let’s discover a little about his time in the Culinary World.

It’s Great To Speak With You, Stuart Gillies, Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself?

“Yes, hi. I’m a chef and restauranteur in the third career chapter of my life currently actually, as an owner of two businesses with my wife Cecilia, employing about 50 people. The journey has taken me on a path of being a chef at a very high level in London, Stockholm, Rome and New York for 30 years, then being the CEO of a large global restaurant business. We then launched our company in 2018 to create and open new hospitality businesses that WE owned, employing young people and our children working alongside my wife and I.”

What Inspired Your Beauty And The Feast Menu?

“I have always had involvement in healthy eating, through friends in the SPA and fitness industry, as well as a good diet myself. So the next step of creating something really practical, indulgent but also healthy to promote and encourage good eating, has been on my radar for quite a while….”

During Your Time As A Chef, What’s The Most Surprising & Interesting Thing You’ve Learnt?

“That’s a hard question as it’s a mix of amazing flavour discoveries and knowledge of techniques to create beautiful dishes…..however if I had to make a statement it’s that you just never stop learning, no matter how much you think you know….!!”

What Advice Would You Give Inspiring Chefs Starting Today?

“It’s a very tough life being a chef at a high level, so stay committed, resilient and passionate, even on bad days. ‘Tomorrow’ is always a new day to shine….”

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?

“Well yes, there is the perfect combination of oysters and Champagne, delicious! But also there are some delicious sparkling rosé wines from England that pair amazingly with creamy desserts and Eton Mess….”

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

Images belong to Stuart Gillies. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use them.