Meet the head chef at a Southampton university amazing people with their food.
Kevin Whitcher runs the University of Southampton's catering team.
In this week's Meet The Chef column, they talk tea-flavoured ice cream, frozen Yorkshire puddings and plant-based food.
What first inspired you to become a chef?
I wanted to become a chef from about the age of 12 years old. I’ve always enjoyed cooking for people, so it just seemed the right career path to follow.
What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?
It was so long ago it’s hard to remember exactly! It was probably a lasagne for my parents.
Tell us a bit about your career so far…
I started work at the University of Southampton in 1995 as a trainee chef and worked my way through the ranks. I currently hold the role of head chef.
What is your proudest career moment to date?
Becoming head chef two years ago by far – it was a massive achievement for me. Having a strong team helps a lot! It is something I am very proud of.
What is your signature dish?
I haven’t really got a signature dish, but the Angus beef we use in our fine dining restaurant, The Blue Room, and banquets is incredible and sourced from a farm near Downton. We visited the farm about six months ago to see the livestock. It’s quite cool to see produce go from farm to plate. I love the 30-day aged sirloin.
What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?
Lemon tart, earl grey ice cream and raspberry meringue, which is currently on our banqueting menu. Very summery!
Where is your favourite place to eat in Hampshire?
AO by Daniel Rogan. The tasting menu is amazing. (I might be a bit biased as I work there helping the team out from time to time!)
What is your favourite meal to cook at home?
A nice Sunday roast using fresh ingredients for the family - everything made from scratch. Frozen Yorkies are one of my pet hates!
What do you like to drink with dinner?
It all depends on the meal. If I’m eating out, a nice glass of red. Indoors, sometimes a beer or water.
What is your culinary guilty pleasure?
I love a good quality pork pie with some Dijon mustard.
Which key ingredient is always in your fridge?
Always some sort of cheese. I would eat it every day if I could!
What is your favourite Hampshire ingredient or delicacy?
We are lucky enough to have so many great ingredients to choose from right on our doorstep, so it’s hard to choose. It would probably be Test trout and watercress, a great combination.
Which chef do you most admire?
Any chefs who have the drive and ambition to achieve their goals and succeed.
What’s your career ambition?
I’m quite content with where my career is at the moment, but possibly executive chef one day.
What do you think will be the next big restaurant trend?
Plant-based foods seem to be quite big at the moment, and I see it getting bigger in the future.
Sustainability is quite important to myself and the university, so I am looking to implement more plant-based products and reduced meat options for our upcoming student menus.
We try to source a lot of our ingredients locally and we grow some of our own vegetables and herbs, which ticks a lot of the sustainability boxes.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here