Meet the chef: Freddie Fenwick
Head Chef at The Lighthouse
in Kibworth
What’s your first memory of your love for cooking?
As a child, making cakes with my mum. We used to buy those pre-packed cupcake kits.
I loved the whole process, but especially licking the cake mix off the spoon at the end.
When did you know you wanted to be a Chef?
When I was 17 and I got a job as a pot washer at our sister restaurant, Boboli.
I witnessed how the kitchen worked and just fell in love with the buzz of it all.
What do you love most about your job?
So much. I love the camaraderie of the team I work with. I love that I get the opportunity to be creative.
I love that no two days are the same. And I love the buzz. At the end of a shift, I always feel a great sense of achievement, and that I have earnt my sleep.
Describe your style in three words.
Honest, experimental, Scandy/Nordik vibe (I am embracing that I am part Danish!).
What’s your favourite dish to create?
I know it sounds simple, but I really love making soup! Who doesn’t love a good soup? It’s so versatile, you can make soup out of anything.
Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?
Books, TV shows, different cultures and colleagues. I actually hadn’t made a curry before I started working with my current Chef de Partie, Caleb Chauhan.
What four ingredients are necessary in your kitchen?
Fish (obviously!), eggs, onions and butter.
What are you most proud of in your career?
Taking over the reins of Head Chef and helping the restaurant to win Leicestershire’s Best Casual Dining Restaurant Award earlier this year.
Who is your biggest supporter?
My family.
What would you want to have as your last meal?
A really decent burger, Man vs Food style!
Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Whelks.
What do you think is the most challenging ingredient to work with?
Tofu. I just don’t see the point.
What advice would you offer to an aspiring chef?
Know what you want to get out of it. It’s a calling, rather than a job and you need to be passionate about food.