Chef revelations: David Ridgway, Smart Group
David Ridgway, executive head chef, Smart Group
What was your first job?
What do you normally have for breakfast? Porridge
What's your favourite restaurant?
The Ledbury, London
What's your favourite drink?
Gin and tonic
What's your favourite cuisine? Spanish, cured meats, tapas and cheese
Which ingredients do you hate?
Sweetbreads and Turkish delight
Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take?
Pata negra
Are there any ingredients that you refuse to cook with?
I would cook most things, apart from endangered foods, and I'm not a fan of foie gras and caviar - I think they're both overrated
What flavour combinations do you detest?
Chocolate and coffee
Which person in catering have you most admired?
Marco Pierre White
Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?
My granddad - he was a chef in the army
If not yourself, who would you rather have been?
Elvis Presley
Describe your ultimate nightmare
Falling from the sky
Tell us a secret…
I set fire to the school bushes on my last day
When did you last eat a hamburger?
Six months ago at Almost Famous in Manchester
What is your favourite prepared product?
Puff pastry
