Nigel Haworth discusses his role as Chef patron at Northcote Manor and his own inspirations with regards to pursuing a career as a Chef.
Name: Nigel Haworth
Place of work: Northcote Manor
Role: Chef patron
Bio: Nigel has been at Northcote Manor since 1984 and has held a Michelin star at the restaurant since 1996. He has worked in Switzerland, at Gleneagles and at Grosvenor Hotel in London before returning to his home county of Lancashire to lecture. He was then offered the Head Chef position at Northcote where he has worked ever since. Nigel has recently appeared on television shows such as Saturday Kitchen and Market Kitchen.
Chef Skills
Nigel Haworth takes us through his personal experiences whilst being in the Culinary Industry. These key skills that young Chefs and industry professionals learn as part of their basic training.
How long have you been in this role?
For 30 years.
What are your ultimate top five tips for someone looking to start a career in the hospitality sector?
1. Be ambitious and confident.
2. Show enthusiasm.
3. Remember to be a team player.
4. Do homework about the area you are interested in, a bit of knowledge is always a good tool to have Practice.
5. Try to gain some experience with someone who can teach you the basic skills and then just practice, practice practice.
What are the main things that young Chefs should be doing to build their CV up?
If they are young, then do some stagiaires, get some work experience. If you are on holiday abroad and are ambitious enough you could try to get a couple days experience in a kitchen, whether that is in Barcelona, Paris or Torquay, it doesn’t matter where. Don’t be shy.
Also, cook at home to practice things, write to people you think might be able to help you. If you show enthusiasm in hospitality someone will help you.
Who are the key Chefs and restaurants that someone should be speaking to and trying to gain experience with?
I would start by looking at Chefs in your area who have developed a successful business, it doesn’t have to be a Michelin-starred restaurant, and you can learn a lot of good things in a good restaurant.
Speak to someone locally then move on from that if you are more ambitious. Look in major cities like London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and if you are in college ask your tutors, they will be able to help you and may be able to organise some work experience for you.
Any other tips from a cookery school perspective?
In regards to finding the right college cookery school for you, I would make sure you pick a good college, not just the nearest college. The start to your career is very important but there is always a second chance in hospitality if you don’t get it right initially.
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
Harden's Guide 2024: Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume crowned UK's number 1 restaurant
#news
Dean Banks: "The government has the ability to stop this"
#chefstowatch
NEW VIDEO:'Tasting menus give us the ability to utilise more ingredients and give more of a journey and an experience'
#thestaffcanteenmeets
NEW VIDEO: ‘The thing I love about a great, British pub, is the shackles are off and you can pretty much do anything’
#editorials
NEW VIDEO: “I always wished that I got into the industry a little bit younger”
#editorials
MasterChef: The Professionals 2023 Winner Tom Hamblet: "It's such a risk going into it"
#news
Who is chef Tom Hamblet MasterChef: The Professionals 2023 winner?
#news
Tom Hamblet, Sous Chef at South Lodge Hotel, has been crowned MasterChef: The Professionals 2023 winner
#news
Everything you need to know about MasterChef: The Professionals 2023, when is it on, which chefs made it through to the semi-finals and what are the challenges ahead
#news
"You have all made a difference in my life and at Northcote"