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Home | Meet the trainees | Cheeky Chops | Train your senses | Second helpings | Jamie reflects | Take the heat? | Careers in catering | Find out more
Age: 18 From: North London
*Update: Former DJ Ben claims that rustling up a fancy dish is the foodie equivalent of mixing a few good tunes. And, having graduated with flying colours - Ben achieved an 85% pass mark – he has just embarked on his promised overseas scholarship in Tuscany at the famed Osteria di Passignano – one of Italy's best restaurants.
Tell us a bit about your life before you joined the course
I suppose I got in with the wrong crowd and things didn't work out for me at school. I didn't do any exams.
I left school and then went and did labouring work on a building site and worked as a painter and decorator. After that I was unemployed for about a year-and-a-half, apart from the odd bit of temping work.
Then I heard about this course.
Which three words best describe you?
Crazy, dedicated, sociable.
Have you always wanted to be a chef?
No. I didn't really know what it involved.
Where did you do your work experience?
The River Café in Hammersmith, run by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray. Jamie used to work there.
What has been the highlight of your training?
The highlight will be the opportunity to travel that this course will offer. I've never been abroad and I have a deep enthusiasm for it.
What has been the worst point?
There has been a conflict of interest between people in the group a couple of times – but you do learn from that. For instance, you might notice a mess in the kitchen somewhere and ask someone who didn't look too busy to clean it up, and they'd say, 'No, I didn't make that mess.' That's fair enough but, at the same time, we're in that kitchen environment – we all work together so, if something goes wrong, it shows up on everyone.
What is the most important thing you have learned on this course?
The importance of teamwork and good communication skills.
What was your proudest moment?
Working at the River Café, where Jamie used to work. It's one of the best restaurants in the country. That was great.
What is the hardest bit about the course?
I had to learn to balance my family and home life. This is not an average job and it can be demanding. I found it hard not to be around for my mum like I used to be. We've talked about it and she has encouraged me to do what I have to do.
What would you like most about being a chef?
Seeing the sexy waitresses! No, more seriously, when you've done a 'service', and it's all worked like a machine, and the customers are satisfied.
Do you cook at home? Do you cook for other people now?
I do now. I didn't have the confidence before.
My dream dish would be Italian food – chicken risotto or a lovely pasta dish.
What is your favourite food? Can you cook it?
I like cooking with leftovers from the fridge, trying out my creativity and being spontaneous.
What do you hope to do in the future?
Get a lot of experience in every type of cuisine and then open my own restaurant eventually.
Tell us a secret about yourself, something away from cooking
I'm a DJ and an MC in my spare time. I DJ at a bar now and then, and do parties with a friend.
Cooking is like an analogy for music. When you mix two tunes or put some food together – you get the same satisfaction.
How would you describe Jamie Oliver?
Nice hair; likes a good dirty joke.
Other trainees:
Ben | Elisa | Johnny | Julakha | Kerryann | Kevin | Lindsay | Michael | Michelle | Nicola | Ralph | Tim | Warren