Chef revelations, Karl Martin, Old Downton Lodge, Ludlow

Karl Martin, head chef, Old Downton Lodge, Ludlow

What was your best subject at school?

What was your first job?
Kitchen porter for my dad at a golf club in Wolverhampton, aged 13

What do you normally have for breakfast?
Black pudding sandwich as a treat but normally nothing

What's your favourite hotel? Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons

What's your favourite food? Honest, well-cooked, home food - you can't beat it

Which ingredient do you hate the most? I don't hate anything but anchovies, because I'm allergic

Are there any ingredients that you refuse to cook with? Kale, because my old head chef put it on everything!

How would you describe your desk? My desk is my kitchen - best desk in the world

Which person in catering have you most admired? Tom Kerridge - great food and great love for what he does

What newspaper do you read? The Star - always factual

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration? Simon Haigh, food and beverage director for Eden Collection - a massive inspiration to many chefs

Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take? Viennetta

If you hadn't gone into catering, where would you be now? Binman

Describe your ultimate nightmare Not putting the orders through - many a time I've woken up to realise it was just a dream but once it wasn't!

When and where was your last holiday? New Zealand, December, to get married

Tell us a secret… I'm addicted to tomato sauce

What irritates you about the industry? People's lack of honesty

What's your favourite book? Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide by Thomas Keller

What's your favourite film? Weekend at Bernie's