Tom Aikens is known for his strong work ethic
I’ve had lots of opportunities to travel and meet diff erent, amazing people, including Bill Clinton, who I cooked for during the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2010
How does your partnership with Levy Restaurants work? Who does what? The day-to-day running is handled through and by Levy Restaurants. We give them the raw materials in terms of the branding, the menus and the training. We have very specifi c, detailed manuals on eve- rything from the service to the menus and layout of the venue. Everyone is very clear and open about what everyone else is doing.
What do you have planned for your restaurants at Somerset House? We recently did the catering for London Fashion Week. The Terrace will be opening soon for spring/sum- mer, and we had a menu change at the start of April. We’re also relocating the Deli at Somerset House because it’s too small. We need a bigger place.
QUICK FIRE: TOM AIKENS
How has your life changed since the early days? When you’re young you can work all the God-given hours and you don’t mind, but as you get older your pri- orities change. I have two little girls now, and that’s an important fac- tor in my life. I’m not saying I don’t work just as hard as I used to, but I prioritise a bit more these days.
What are the highlights of your career? I’ve had lots of opportunities to travel and meet different, amazing people, including Bill Clinton, who I cooked for during the World Economic Forum
in Davos in 2010. Also the Brazilian Olympic Committee when they set up home at Somerset House dur- ing the 2012 London Olympics. We had to prepare food for them with the assistance of a Brazilian chef for parties and events when they were entertaining clients. That was good.
Who’s been your biggest inspiration in the industry? Pierre Koffmann and Joël Robuchon. They are two very different chefs. Pierre Koffmann is about hearty, gutsy, provincial Gascony cooking – it’s all about the fl avour and the taste, and not so much about the presen- tation. Joël Robuchon is all about tiny details on a plate, identically spaced or placed. They had two dif- ferent ways of cooking, plating and running a kitchen, so I learned two very different ways of working. ●
For more information please visit Levy Restaurants’ website:
www.levyrestaurants.co.uk For Levy Restaurants enquiries please contact: +44 (0)1895 554 653 For Tom’s Kitchen reservations please call: +44 (0)20 7845 4646
ISSUE 2 2014 © cybertrek 2014 Read Leisure Management online
leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital 53
PHOTO: DAVID GRIFFEN
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