James Hubbard

The Fish Shop is a sister restaurant to the Fife Arms Hotel and I joined the opening team as a Senior Chef de Partie. This highly acclaimed restaurant specialises in French and Italian techniques with most of the menu fish based. All the produce is fresh every day. I have gained a lot of experience in preparing a wide variety of fish and shell fish and serving them in multiple ways. There is a very high level of attention to detail and the restaurant has proved to be extremely popular and I thrive working in a high paced and demanding environment.

During a year in Australia I initially worked at Thredbo Ski Resort in a restaurant called Kareela Hut. I worked along side one other chef producing Austrian style cuisine.

After Thredbo I travelled the East Coast. At the Whitsundays, I was sous chef at Fish D'vine, a popular restaurant with over 180 covers which served fresh fish from the coral reef, prepped, cooked and served in house. It was a great opportunity to learn about all the coral fish. The head chef was off for the majority of the 6 months I was there so it gave me a great opportunity to learn the orders, rotas and menu planning as well as overseeing the whole kitchen so it ran efficiently and smoothly to a high level.

Glenshee was a high volume work load with serving up to 3000 customers a day.

I helped manage a team here, placed orders and designed a daily menu.

At the Fife Arms I was promoted to Chef De Partie and was part of the opening team of this award winning hotel.

My role included breaking down whole hoggets and deer to working with a full menu of produce that was all locally sourced and foraged. I also learnt how to ferment, cure, pickle and smoke a variety of produce.

Much of the menu was prepared using a fire pit and I achieved a high level of skill in working on this medium.

My role also included managing a team and training/mentoring the commis chefs.

The Tresanton, a Three Rosette restaurant, was my first full time position in a kitchen.

I learnt the kitchen basics from working on the larder and then soon moved to the garnish section. I learnt how to present food, maintain cleanliness and work in a team. Durning my first year I passed Level 2 in cooking and culinary skills at Truro College.