Revelations: Nick Deverell Smith, chef and owner, the Churchill Arms, Chipping Campden

What was your best subject at school?
PE and home economics

 

What was your first job?
Pot-wash

 

What was your first job in catering?
Saturday job in the pastry section at Simpsons in Kenilworth under Andreas Antona

 

What do you normally have for breakfast?
Poached eggs on brown bread

 

What do you do to relax?
Walk my dog, Rocco

 

Which is your favourite restaurant?
I love Zuma in Knightsbridge

 

What's your favourite hotel?
Belmond Hotel Splendido, Portofino

 

What is your favourite drink?
A good builder's tea

 

Which ingredient do you hate the most?
Red peppers

 

Are there any ingredients that you refuse to cook with?
I only cook responsibly sourced produce from local suppliers

 

Which person in catering have you most admired?

 

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?
My brother, Paul. With the daily challenges life threw at him, he always had a smile on his face

 

Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?
Bear Grylls - he'll come in handy

 

If not yourself, who would you rather have been?
Keith Moon. He looked like he had a lot of fun

 

If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?
Working in fashion photography or hair

 

Describe your ultimate nightmare?
Red pepper soup!

 

When and where was your last holiday?
In March. My girlfriend took me to Paris. I recommend Crazy Horse!

 

What irritates you most about the industry?
Finding good new staff is always a challenge

 

What's your favourite film?
The Wolf of Wall Street

 

What is your favourite prepared product?
Heinz baked beans

 

Tell us a secret…
My stash of wild garlic is in Ebrington

 

Nick Deverell Smith is chef and owner of the Churchill Arms in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire