Double Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing, 39, has acquired a number of reputations in his multi-faceted career at the top of the restaurant industry in London. For a start, he is widely recognised as one of London’s best chefs, which the numerous awards (including Harden’s Restaurant Guide’s accolade of London’s Best Restaurant for his eponymous establishment at the Berkeley, his Michelin stars and five AA rosettes) have confirmed. We caught up with him recently to ask him a few questions about success, his mentor-cum-nemesis Gordon Ramsay and ready meals…
How do you feel about being famous?
Just because it’s my name above the door, it means nothing. It’s not about my ego. It’s all about my customers, they’re the only people who are going to decide if what I’m doing is any good.
Can chefs really make a difference?
I’m not a politician – I’m not here to change the world.
Do you have any grand plans to move on?
What I’m doing here at the Berkeley at the moment, I’m loving. I’ve been having discussions about branching out, sure, but as long as I have my stars here, I’m going to stay cooking here. I think that if you’re going to operate a chain of restaurants, then you’ve got to be transparent about where you are and aren’t cooking.
Would you ever partner up with a supermarket?
I’d do it if I could really kick a company’s ass.
Have you made any contact with Gordon Ramsay recently?
No, I haven’t. While I worked with Gordon, I learnt a lot. My drive and ambition to succeed were always there, but he helped me to focus. I admire the man.
What are your plans for Christmas?
I’ll be at the Berkeley, working. What we’re going to do is our normal menu, right up to Christmas Day itself. Then we’re going to have a tasting menu with all the seasonal favourites – we’ll have turkey leg sausage rolls, deep fried sage and pine nut stuffing, turkey poached and pan fried and all the favourites. It’s not going to be a big formal event – it’s about coming round to my house, kicking off your shoes and making yourself at home.
Read the full version of this interview in Quintessentially Magazine’s January issue, being sent to all members next month.
