We recently caught up with Chef Tutor Andrew Roberts whilst teaching at The Gordon Ramsay Academy,
As Andrew celebrates his first year as chef tutor at The Gordon Ramsay Academy, overseeing Gordons First Academy creation, which is soon to be followed by his second in Central London at Bishopsgate early next year, creating the arguably the highest culinary school in the land, 58 floors above London, Andrew shares his early inspirations and journey to where his is now.
Andrew’s passion for food teamed with anecdotes from life both in and out of the kitchen, have inspired many cooks on his courses.
Below Andrew shares what has inspired his career to date.
Andrew Roberts in the Gordon Ramsay Academy hosting a cookery class
What first inspired you to become a chef?
“My first introduction to the world of cooking came initially through my family: my mum and granny are both keen home cooks and wanted to get me involved and helping out for family dinners and hosting friends at home. I then completed various work experiences in restaurants that didn’t put me off this passion, so I continued to experiment with different cuisines, recipes and roles in the industry!”
Tell us a little about your career journey
“I followed a career into professional kitchens, working busy services behind the pass. I found that I was really enjoying cooking and the chef side of things, but wasn’t enjoying the pressure of service, nor the detachment from the guests who were then eating the food. I chose to move to a more front of house role to rediscover that guest interaction and looking after people, which reassured me that this was an essential part of what I wanted to do in life. After a short career break to look at options, a job at Waitrose cookery school came up, blending my two passions!
I saw and experienced for the first time the satisfaction from seeing the impact teaching made, and how delighted guests were to learn new skills. I’d certainly not been able to find such immediate feedback and gratification anywhere else in my career! I was then lucky enough to launch a new cookery school in Cheltenham with Waitrose, and also hosted BAFTA online cook-along with Michelin Starred Chef Claude Bosi. I’ve been the Head Chef here at the Gordon Ramsay Academy since November 2023.”
Tell us about the Gordon Ramsay Academy and what students can expect
“The Gordon Ramsay Academy provides a full, hands-on experience in a relaxed setting, guided by a professional and experienced chef. We pride ourselves in our home-style equipment, so guests can recreate their recipes at home and continue to spread Gordon’s love of food!”
“I’ll have been at the Gordon Ramsay Academy for 3 years in November. The set up, space and the history of the building (it used to hold the prestigious Tante Marie cookery school), along with the broad range of classes we offer, make this a truly unique offering…we even teach 6 year olds!
I would say that the most popular class by far though would be our Beef Wellington. Gordon’s worldwide reach brings such an international and diverse clientele and junior market to us, and we are proud to be able to share his love of all things food with the world! An often overlooked aspect of the Academy is our Cookbook Library, even featuring books from Gordon’s home library! You’ll frequently find our chefs browsing for new class inspiration in there, as well as guests having a coffee mid-course in a beautifully relaxing setting!“
What sort of Cookery Experience can students expect from your classes
I like to think that I – and every chef at the Academy – bring a very friendly and fun personality to the Academy and our classes, whilst still respecting our different skillsets, teaching styles and backgrounds. We always focus on techniques and anecdotes that translate into cooking at home with equipment that is widely accessible, so that guests don’t need to go out to refit their kitchen after the class!
“I personally love the technicality of baking and any kind of dough-based cookery. I’m always fascinated with the transformation from humble ingredients like flour and water, to a resulting delicious loaf / fluffy Bao bun or pasta. The guest reaction to their creations – the pride that they have with their final products – always makes me smile, too!“
“My teaching style is very relaxed and I am an approachable personality with some fun mixed in – that’s what made me fall in love with cooking and I think that that’s the best way to learn! I try to avoid making guests feel like they’re in a classroom, so that the experience doesn’t feel too strict and rigid.”
“At the Academy, we make a point of highlighting the separation of food waste and recyclables. In each class, we like to remind guests that veg doesn’t need to be peeled: they can leave the skin on for those extra nutrients!
Personally, I usually encourage guests to batch make recipes, portioning and freezing to save time and energy. A lot of recipes will use half of a jar, tin or vegetable, so rather than waste the rest, sizing up the recipe to use all of an ingredient before it spoils can reduce a lot of waste.“
“I also encourage guests to think creatively around how to preserve or use up things they would usually throw away. For example, the biggest waste in UK kitchens is bread. By baking it and blitzing leftovers into breadcrumbs, it becomes really versatile: it can thicken soup, top tagine or stew with crunchy breadcrumbs, or be added it into meatballs and so forth. Thinking ahead to find a use or way to preserve the rest of the product you are using only part of (lemons, eggs, water from a tin of chickpeas and so on) is a great way to be sustainable, but also to develop your creativity!”
What are your three favourite ingredients and kitchen utensil?
“Parmesan, a good olive oil and fine Kosher sea salt, along with a good sharp knife (and of course a set of Hexclad pans if possible. We work with them as our brand partner and they really are very good!)”
What top tip can you share with any budding cook/chef?
“Your Mise en place – preparation is key ahead of making any recipe! Weigh, chop and prepare your ingredients before starting to cook, to give you the head space to concentrate on making a delicious dish.”
What are you most proud of at the Gordon Ramsay Academy?
“As our Woking site is currently Gordon’s only cookery school in the world, until we open Bishopsgate early next year, it is an honour to represent him and have recently been awarded an ICSA (the Independent Cookery Schools Association) ‘Centre of Excellence’ Accreditation, independently confirming our high standards in teaching and facilities. To be a part of an organisation with incredible other cookery schools, and the prestige and heritage of ICSA, is something that we as a whole team are really proud of. Nevertheless, we’re always taking inspiration from what our peers are doing, so we continue to grow and aim to deliver the best possible experience for our guests. We are now categorised as one of the Greatest British Cookery Schools Collection.”
Find out more about both Gordon Ramsay Cookery Academy School Experiences Here
