Andre Garrett is executive chef at Cliveden House where he runs his eponymous restaurant and oversees all food and beverage outlets at the 47-bedroom hotel. Starting out as a commis chef at Huntstrete House Hotel in 1989 Garrett went on to work with Nico Ladenis at Chez Nico in London in 1991. He remained in the capital, working with Bruno Loubet, at the Landmark Hotel and then with Chris Galvin at Orrery where he became head chef in 2001. The Roux Scholar (2002) continued to work with the Galvins for more than a decade, helping to launch Galvin at Windows as head chef in 2006 before leaving to join Cliveden House in 2013.
Cliveden House InteriorWith almost four years behind you now at Cliveden House, what have been some of the highlights?
Opening a named restaurant in a hotel with my name on it is a huge privilege and something I’m very proud of, especially in such an iconic hotel in the UK, but to be part of the refurbishment process here has also been good. We’ve come to the end of it now and have a new spa, so the final piece of the hotel jigsaw puzzle is complete. It’s been pretty strenuous at times, but has been a phenomenal privilege to be involved in designing the spa’s kitchen and restaurant. I’m just a classically-trained restaurant chef, but now I’m here at the hotel it’s been interesting to have been able to lift myself out of the day-to-day running of a restaurant and think about different concepts. It was a big step change for me.
Does running a restaurant within a building so steeped in history and prestige bring added pressure?
It brings a massive amount of pressure. Andre Garrett Restaurant is in such an iconic building and everyone comes here for a special occasion. There’s more of a sense of where you are here and it does bring a lot of pressure. I think you just have to up your game a bit more and get your chefs and front-of-house guys understanding that as well. The secret is not to be stuffy. We want to keep the place accessible and lose that sense of stuffiness, but still respect our surroundings.
Now you are well-established, do you plan to make any changes?
There has been a continual evolution since I’ve been here and now this summer with the spa being completed, we’ve finally got a full business model to work with. The first thing was the Andre Garrett restaurant, then the Astor Grill came along and then the spa, so now it’s probably a good time to go back and reassess where we’re at. The restaurant is the main focal point and everything feeds out of that, so I’ll go back to that and look at where we’re going, plus really focus on building the teams now we have more staff. I like to empower them to look after their areas.
Dover Sole “Veronique”If you could pick one dish that defines you and your work, what would it be?
I’d say it’s the Dover sole Veronique – a take on that lovely Escoffier classic of poached Dover sole with lemon butter sauce and grapes. It was on my opening menu and although it’s not on the menu at the moment I’m thinking of bringing it back for autumn. When you’re in a beautiful, classic hotel you need food that fits and I’ve always been a classically-minded chef, so it’s the sort of dish I’ll always go back to.
Competitions have formed a key part of your career, what are your tips for success in this area?
Competitions aren’t for every chef, not everyone wants to get involved and that’s fine, but if you do, you’ve got to commit yourself to the competition fully and, if you wanted to enter the Roux Scholarship, for example, you need to get the backing of your employer and your head chef. They have to be behind you and help and guide you.
Competitions are vitally important for young chefs: They help build profile and are a good way of seeing where you are against your peers. You also meet new people and network. It’s a bit like an internship in a way. They can be career changing. Support, commitment and self-motivation are very important for success though.
Cliveden House ExteriorHow important are winning awards to you and the restaurant?
I’ve never been a chef who cooks for the guides, but I think awards are vitally important. The more accolades you have and the more information that is written about you, the more people will want to visit and come and work with you. It puts you out there as a good restaurant. However, I’m not going out there to cook for Michelin stars, although they are nice to have.
Our Good Food Guide rating is really good as is our AA rating. We are in a five star hotel so it deserves an award-winning restaurant, but then again you’ve got to cook for your guests and deliver what they want. A lot of people say to me ‘if you cook for your customers with a good commercial head on you, you do things right and look after everybody, the awards will come to you’.
You are an inspiration to many chefs, but who or what inspires you?
I’ve been in this trade now for just over 25 years and I’ve seen so many things and worked for so many amazing people who have all left their mark in some way. Now, for inspiration, I look towards people like Éric Fréchon at Le Bristol in Paris and Michel Roth at The Ritz Paris – those great iconic French hotel chefs with two and three stars. Here in the UK there are so many great restaurants and chefs – I look at my friends like Simon Rogan and Sat Bains who are doing this cutting edge food and lovely chefs like John Williams, who is a great inspiration and friend of mine and has that great classical edge. John also shows that a hotel restaurant chef can receive Michelin stars after all those years he’s been there.
I travel a lot, which is important for chefs I think. I’m so lucky with the Roux Scholarship that we have our educational trips every two years. We’ve seen some amazing things and been to places like Japan and San Francisco. I also look at the young staff I have here and those that go on to do great things and that inspires me too.
Where do you enjoy eating out on your days off?
I live in Berkshire and we’re inundated with great places to go. I’ve got Tom Kerridge down the road with the Hand and Flowers and The Coach in Marlow and there’s Dom Chapman with The Beehive at White Waltham. I’m also lucky not to be far from London – I can be there in 30 minutes, so I get to try out all the new places when they open. I like good, quality food in a more casual environment. I don’t want to dress up, I want great food and great company. I like to go somewhere I can kick back a bit and let someone else do the cooking.
Emma Eversham
Hospitality & Catering News, Interviews Editor