Chef spotlight: Dan Cavell

We talk to solo chef Dan Cavell on the ‘fun-first’ approach that’s earned fine dining restaurant Hem in Warwick, a place in this year’s Michelin Guide

How did your career unfold?

I started at Birmingham College of Food, but quickly realised the real education happens in kitchens, so I left when I was offered a job. A summer job turned into years working under old-school chefs who taught me the fundamentals of discipline, consistency and respect for ingredients. From country pubs to a stint in California as a private chef, I’ve moved around, learning as I went. Now I have a share in my own place here in Warwick cooking my choice of honest food properly.

Was there a single moment that inspired you to become a chef?

It wasn’t romantic like that. I wasn’t academic, so I chose something practical and stuck at it. It was only later, when I was deep in kitchens, that I realised I genuinely loved it and wanted to make a life out of it.

How would you describe your cooking style?

Playful, creative and flavour-led. I don’t cook to a specific cuisine – I cook what excites me. Travel influences me, but the aim is always to make dishes that change as you eat them, different textures, different hits of flavour. It’s not about being overly technical for the sake of it. It’s about making food that’s interesting but still makes people smile rather than scratch their heads.

How do you balance sourcing ethical and sustainable ingredients without compromising?

You have to be smart. We source as locally as we can – beer for the bread I make, local wines, independent suppliers – because provenance matters. But you can’t load every dish with expensive ingredients and expect it to work commercially, so you balance it. Spend on key elements and be creative elsewhere. A wellthought- out vegetable dish can be as memorable as protein. Guests don’t think in terms of cost. They remember how it made them feel.

What’s your favourite cuisine?

Italian. It covers everything – simple, comforting, but capable of real finesse. You can eat it every day and not get bored.

Do you have a philosophy around food?

I’d rather have an ugly, delicious dish than a beautiful looking plate of food that tastes average. I’ve eaten in so many places where everything’s over-engineered. It’s plated nicely, cooked perfectly but it lacks soul and flavour.

The best plate you’ve ever tasted?

A dessert in Sweden. Buckwheat pancakes, raspberry jam and charcoal ice cream. Simple on paper, perfect in execution. What stays with you isn’t complexity, but balance and clarity of flavour.

How important is fun?

What the room feels like is almost as important as what’s on the plate. I didn’t want this to be a place where people feel judged or uncomfortable. It should be relaxed and fun. Somewhere you can properly enjoy yourself. The best moment of any service is stepping out at the end of the night and seeing a room full of people laughing, drinking, talking, having a good time. That’s the buzz. That, and creating happy food that makes you smile, is why I do it. Food is a big part of it but it’s the whole experience that matters.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Toasted crumpets with thick slabs of cold cheddar. After a long shift, that’s all I want. No fuss, just something comforting that hits the spot.

What would you say to the 16-year-old you?

Get your head down and graft. This industry will give you everything if you’re willing to put everything into it. Travel, move kitchens, learn from different people and understand early on that it’s hard work but if you love it, it’s worth it.

The pursuit of perfection

Every chef is chasing perfection, whether they admit it or not. You want that full restaurant, that recognition, the sense you’re getting it right. But don’t let that pursuit make you overthink a dish to the point where it’s technically perfect but lacks soul.