10 Questions with our new Head Chef….

We’re giving our new Head Chef Ray Brenner a big Onslow welcome to our team. He obviously doesn’t know what he’s letting himself in for and we haven’t told him that secretly we’re all crazy loons, but we’re sure it won’t take long for him to discover that on his own.

In the meantime, I asked him a few questions about himself, I figured I’d put him on the spot, so…

What made you become a chef?

My parents ran pubs when I was younger, so I’ve always been surrounded by hospitality. I was eight years old when I first started getting under our head chefs feet.

If you’re having a dinner party at home, what do cook?

Fillet steak! You can’t go wrong with a chateaubriand.

If you got your dream job tomorrow, what would you be doing?

I’d be a chef director for a small pub company… or a singer in a boyband!

Any pet peeves?

People eating off of my pass; did you get that team? Stop stealing chips!!!

A singer in a boyband? So what would your karaoke song be?

Easy- Westlife, Flying Without Wings

You must have an embarrassing chef moment?

Well everyone’s got one, but when you start out you’re young and naïve. I spent a good hour in the fridge as an apprentice chef looking for the leg of salmon I’d been sent in for.

You’ve been in the game a while now, so what words of wisdom would you give any young chef starting out?

Slow down. You’re always in such a rush because kitchens are such fast paced environments, but actually if you can sit back and take it all in you’ll pay more attention to what you’re being taught.

So why the Onslow?

It’s in an incredible location and has a massive amount of potential. There always seems to be a great vibe between the team and the regulars, and the attractive GM helps…

And you won a prestigious award while at one of our other pubs. What made you go for it?

I’m getting on a bit now, and having been in the business for 18 years, I figured I’d see if I couldn’t get something back from all of the work.

You’ve been with Peach for three years, and won an awesome award with them in that time. What makes you stay?

It’s a real home from home. I also have an aspiration to be a Peach partner, their shared ownership ethos is barely rivalled by any other pub family, and I’m lucky that I get to use the best ingredients from the best suppliers.

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