San Pietro wouldn’t be San Pietro without the wonderful team that has been brought together here under Piero and Michelle’s leadership. Rightly so, we are incredibly proud of the skills our team members showcase daily, as well as everything that makes them unique and the time has come for us to shine a light on their talents, their stories and their ambitions.
In the first of this new series, we sit down with Head Chef, Chris…
At the tender young age of 16, Winterton-born Chris joined Winteringham Fields and
after a short stint as a waiter, was drawn into the culinary magic of the kitchen.
Under the watchful eye of Germain Scwabb, he trained in all sections of the kitchen and eventually became Head Pastry Chef of the 2 Michelin star kitchen in 2003. In 2006, Germain and Annie retired and after a few persuasive conversations with Piero, Chris took a leap of faith and joined the kitchen of San Pietro as Head Pastry Chef, later becoming our Head Chef.
Piero and Chris have worked side by side for almost 18 years (save a short 12-month break). They are almost like a married couple and can anticipate each other’s moves, moods and actions – it’s funny to watch, Chris brought his fine dining, French classical background and Piero his Sicilian flavours, ingredients and heritage and together they have truly created a unique dining experience.
What is your favourite pasta dish?
Recently fresh egg tagliatelle with cherry tomatoes and red king prawns- simple but
absolutely delicious
Why do you like being a chef?
It’s the thrill of a busy service, it’s a real buzz leading the team creating not just food but memorable dishes and dining experiences. We are very aware that guests are often celebrating special occasions with us and I am proud to be sharing in those events and love delivering food that people enjoy and remember.
What do you most like to cook?
I love game – it’s coming into one of my favourite seasons. I love rabbit, quail, venison. Look out for an exciting new venison tartare dish and a great partridge terrine for Christmas.
Why do you enjoy working at San Pietro?
For me, it’s my team – from the guys in the kitchen who are like a second family, to the
two great bosses who always have my back. They have given me the freedom and trust
to be creative and inventive which is very rewarding, also the opportunity to travel to
Italy and dine in most of the UK’s top Michelin-star restaurants. We always have Christmas Day and Boxing Day off – they know we could be so busy on these days and most hospitality businesses have their tills ringing, but they put family first and not just theirs but ours too. I have three girls and a fantastic wife and my family will always be number one. San Pietro supports me and accommodates the important things in my life and for me, that just shows how much they value me. It’s not just about the business and I think that is rare.