Chef Revelations – Mark Sargeant

What was your first job? Washing up for 500 covers a night in a privately owned steakhouse

 

What do you normally have for breakfast? Tea and a fry-up at the weekends

 

Which is your favourite restaurant? It used to be Chez Bruce, but since I moved I haven't been for ages. The most consistent restaurant that I love is Le Caprice.

 

What is your favourite drink? Puligny Montrachet Domaine Leflaive

 

What is your favourite food/cuisine? I love it all. My favourite place to be and eat is Italy but my favourite food at home is Indian.

 

What is your favourite prepared food product? Baked beans

 

Which ingredient do you hate the most? Tricky question - I don't really dislike anything but I'm not keen on papaya

 

What flavour combinations do you detest? I can't stand mint chocolate or coffee cake, which is weird as I love mint and I love chocolate and I love coffee and I love cake, but not mixed together

 

What do you always carry with you? Unfortunately, my wallet!

 

Which person in catering have you most admired? Hmm - tough one. I have admired many for varying lengths of time. Most of them, however, have ended up not being what they were when I admired them. I admire Pierre Koffmann for getting back in the kitchen again, as he is a truly passionate cook, and for longevity it would have to be the Rouxs.

 

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration? So many people have inspired me I can't answer this really. My mentor is David Pitchford but that is for many different reasons.

 

Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take? A Sunseeker Predator with a full tank of fuel!

 

Describe your ultimate nightmare I hate mice and rats and am claustrophobic so probably being buried alive with mice and rats

 

If not yourself, who would you rather have been? Either a complete tragedy of a rock star who died too young but had loads of fun or the total opposite like Nelson Mandela who made a real difference to the world

 

If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now? I'm not really sure. It's all I've ever wanted to do really. Maybe a hairdresser.

 

Who would be in your fantasy brigade? Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay, Keith Floyd, Steven Terry and me!

 

Mark Sargeant, chef-proprietor, Rocksalt