About Me

Having spent over 20 years in IT with a major UK bank, I decided it was time for a change, and so in January 2009 I started the 6 month Diploma course at the Edinburgh School of Food and Wine, graduating, with Merit, in June 2009 (in Feb 2015 I went back to teach that year's diploma students for a day - very proud of that achievement).

I wanted to do something meaningful, work with people, and combine my passions for cookery and coaching, and so I established Wild In The Pantry, with the original aim of fulfilling a need for people who want to be able to cook for themselves, but are not sure where to start, don't have the background, or lack the confidence to get going or progress further.

I have now expanded into a number of areas, including dinner parties, hen parties, wedding canapés and champagne, fully catered weekends, business functions and pop-up restaurants.

I have discovered that as a chef, I am continually pushing myself to discover new recipes, new ingredients, and improve the standard of my food. I never get tired of trying out new ingredients, recipes, and styles of cooking.

I have been involved with a number of joint ventures as well, with Fullers Hill Cottages,  Wild-Track, Hartingtons of Bakewell and Brosterfield Farm out in the beautiful Peak District and others, which has widened my horizons and enabled me to meet even more interesting and passionate people!

I am located near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, handy for Cambridge, Huntingdon, Royston, St Neots, Bedford, Peterborough, and only an hour and a half from London.