SOURCED Locally
DEVON-RAISED TOM WOODS, HEAD CHEF AT DART MARINA’S AWARD-WINNING RIVER RESTAURANT, DISCUSSES HIS ROOTS, HIS PASSION FOR THE SEASONS AND THE ETHOS BEHIND HIS MENUS
Did you always want to be a chef? I didn’t really know what I wanted to do when I was younger. It all really started with my mum, who had her own outside catering business, so from an early age I would be on a stool in the kitchen making sausage rolls and canapés. It wasn’t really until I finished school and thought ‘what do I want to do’ that I got a job working in a pub and began helping out in the kitchen.
You grew up in Devon? Yes. My family are originally from London, but I was born in Totnes, went to school in Ivybridge and ended up at college in Plymouth. I’ve lived here all my life.
Where did you hone your skills? I went to work at the Marine Hotel, Salcombe, as a trainee under head chef Cliff James. He was really ‘old school’ and gave me a full education, learning the basics properly with no short cuts. He was really something of a mentor to me and got me on the right path.
Did you always want to work in Devon? Not at first. I did a bit of travelling, first to Australia for a year, then to Spain and finally South Africa, cooking everywhere I could. These experiences provided the opportunity to see different styles, ingredients and cultures. When I came back it was time to settle down and forge a career, and Devon was the perfect place to do it.
Do these experiences influence your menus? A little bit of everything influences my menus! The experiences abroad are certainly a part of it, but the produce and ingredients that I can get here in Devon are the main thing.
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