Chef revelations: Alyn Williams

Alyn Williams, chef-patron, Alyn Williams at the Westbury, London

 

What was your first job?
A paper round when I was at school, and then working as a trainee hairdresser in my mum's favourite salon in Bond Street

 

What was your first job in catering?

 

What do you do to relax?
I go to the football â€" I have a season ticket at West Ham

 

Which is your favourite restaurant?
The Ledbury in Notting Hill or Midsummer House in Cambridge

 

What’s your favourite hotel?
The Capra in Saas-Fee, Switzerland

 

What is your favourite cuisine?
Japanese. I love its freshness, complexity and depth of flavour

 

Which ingredient do you hate the most?
Salt-based stock cubes

 

What is your favourite drink?
Glenfarclas 40-year-old single-malt whisky

 

What flavour combinations do you detest?
I don’t like strong aniseed flavours, as I got very drunk on Pernod when I was a teenager

 

Which person in catering have you most admired?
Paul Ainsworth: he’s a good friend, he’s a fantastic cook and a great person. John Williams at the Ritz is also my culinary hero

 

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?
My mum. She was an extremely inspirational woman. She gave me great advice and was very open-minded

 

Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?
A stove, a box of all-weather matches… and a bottle of Glenfarclas

 

If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?
A pro snowboarder or a lounge/wedding singer

 

Tell us a secret…
I eat more peanut butter KitKats than is good for me

 

What is your favourite prepared product?
Heinz tomato soup with crumpets on the side