Q & A with Danial Olive

How long have you been cooking and what made you decide to be a chef?

I have been cooking for 15 years now, chefs run in my family, my dad was a baker, and my uncles were both chefs down in oxford, I loved going in and helping my dad in the bakery on Sundays. And my grandparents used to take me to a farm where we could pick our own ingredients. Food has always interested me.

Can you talk us through your style of cooking?

I would say I like the classic style of cooking, but adding new modern techniques.

We try to cater for all, and we have worked on our vegan dishes and gluten free a lot over the last year.

Which chef has influenced you most during your career?

Steve Thorpe was the head of the catering college in Norwich when I studied there, and he had a big impact on me. Richard Hughes again he had a lot to do with young chefs in Norwich and I did some events with him. Tom Aikens was a food hero to me, coming from Norwich and going on to do so many amazing things. And recently in the last few years Richard Bainbridge, his food is on another level, and his just down the road from us!

What are your favourite garnishes to use when plating up?

It changes all the time but at the moment I really like lemon balm on desserts, red amaranth is always popular in the kitchen.

I really like micro celery, I just love the punch it has.

Sea fennel is different but my team really like this one.

What is your favourite product to work with?

I love beetroot! All forms of it, it is so versatile, I’m always picking away at it the roasted beetroot in the kitchen.

What does the future hold for you as a chef, what is your ambition?

For now, the future I just want to keep making food I love and hopefully everyone will continue to enjoy it. I have a great team and we are always teaching each other and trying new things. I would love to one day open a family run restaurant with my mum and sister and brother! They are all chefs as well.