When did you first realise you loved cooking?

As a child, watching and learning from both my grandmas. I’ve always enjoyed being in the kitchen and it’s still my happy place when I’m creating things and testing recipes. Being there gives me  energy, so even at the end of a 14-hour shift it’s a nice place to be.

I run my own business and look after the Premier team from a culinary point of view, so I really do have the best of all worlds.

What was the first dish you created that made you think you could make a career out of developing recipes?

When I was 17, I developed a fish and rhubarb soup at Birmingham College of Food. It never took off, but I found it really exciting experimenting with flavours and seasonal ingredients. Sometimes you need a few wacky ideas – you never know which ones might stick.

In my role it’s important to look at something and ask, “Does this work or not?” In that case, rhubarb probably wasn’t the best pairing, but it had potential to be tweaked into something great.

Do you need to think differently?

Definitely. At home with my two grown up children Will and Annabel it’s about throwing things together, Ready Steady Cook-style, using what’s in the fridge. Sometimes it works really well. I love sweet and savoury together and I’m fine with pineapple on pizza and other left field ideas, because that’s often where great concepts come from.

Are they chefs of the future?

No, but both of my children love to cook and experiment, and get real joy from it, which is lovely to see. That means we might put chilli into a dessert or add a light chilli-sweet dressing to fruit salad for a bit of difference.

I carry that mindset into my job. Like most chefs, food is everywhere around me, so even when I’m not working, I’m thinking about it – feeding the family, the next development day, writing recipes or seeing what other chefs are doing.

What does a development day look like?

It’s research, planning, looking at flavour trends, testing products and always understanding who the recipe is for. Inclusivity is key. Even if I’m developing a meat recipe, I’ll add a tip on how to make it vegan and suggest suitable alternatives.

You mentioned joy. Is that a big part of cooking?

Absolutely. The best chefs get joy from giving joy through their food. You can feel it in kitchens where chefs genuinely love what they do – they become the heart of the place. It’s the same in schools, where cooks really do cook from the heart. When that energy exists, it’s powerful.

How does it feel to create something new?

Amazing. We’ve just launched new powdered chicken, vegetable and beef bouillons at Premier, and it’s special seeing products come to life after testing. I’m delighted with the flavour, the nutrition and how they work in a kitchen. It’s been a real team effort.

Because they’re powders, you can sprinkle them into your cooking to boost flavour – not just use them as liquid stock, but as seasoning too. The beef bouillon has beautiful roast notes, no artificial colours or flavours, and a touch of cocoa for colour and richness.

How important is teamwork?

It’s essential. Once the product is signed off, I write recipes, explain usage and create content to bring it to life, but I couldn’t do that without all the groundwork from the wider team.