Lewis Huggins talks about career as University of Southampton chef

Lewis Huggins' official job title is actually senior sous chef - and he works in the University of Southampton's catering team, tickling taste buds in the university's Blue Room.

In this week's Meet The Chef column, he talks about his inspiring great-nan, chicken butter sauce and paella.

Lewis Huggins, Senior Sous Chef, University of Southampton

Lewis Huggins, Senior Sous Chef at the University of Southampton (Image: University of Southampton)

What first inspired you to become a chef?
I'm pretty lucky that my great-nan was an incredible cook, and when I was younger I was lucky that whenever I went around there we used to bake and cook together. This started my love for cooking.

What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?
It was me practising on holiday in Spain before I started my first year in college. I cooked a paella for my mum, dad and brother.

Tell us a bit about your career so far…
So I started my career in 2011 at the age of 16 in a little pub in Gosport, while I was training at college. Then from there on, I’ve had some great opportunities to work in some fantastic restaurants, such as The Jetty Ocean Village when it first opened, and AO by Daniel Rogan.

READ MORE: Meet the top chef who has fed The King and impressed on TV

Barbecued lamb rump main (Image: University of Southampton)
What is your proudest career moment to date?
My proudest career moment was probably getting the opportunity to go up to Cornwall and work in Paul Ainsworth at No6 for a week – getting to experience working in a Michelin star restaurant.

What is your signature dish? 
My signature dish is probably something simple like a nicely done BBQ. I love using our indoor BBQ at work, or going around my family's house on a weekend, or special occasion, and cooking on their Green Egg.

What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?
It has to be the pan-fired hake, which is served with a chicken butter sauce, chorizo, black eyed beans, pickled shimeji mushrooms and potato straws covered in malt vinegar powder. This dish is a firm favourite, returning to The Blue Room menu a good few times. And this was one of my first dishes I developed on The Blue Room menu.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Hampshire?

My favourite place is probably The Pig, in the Forest, because of their use of sustainable and local ingredients. But on a more causal note, it is probably 7bone, for a good dirty burger.

Gin-cured mackerel starter (Image: University of Southampton) What is your favourite meal to cook at home?
Not the weather for it at the moment, but it would have to be a good short-crust pie. 

What do you like to drink with dinner?
On the week days, it's usually pretty boring, being just water or coffee. But on the weekend, I do enjoy a hazy IPA with dinner.

What is your culinary guilty pleasure?
Probably an instant ramen for the convenience and you can add ingredients to them, or spice them up. A good after work meal that you can use up vegetables in the fridge for.

Which key ingredient is always in your fridge?
Butter, butter makes everything good.

What is your favourite Hampshire ingredient or delicacy?
I don't know if I could pick an individual one, since we are spoilt for choice with the New Forest and Isle of Wight. But if had to choose one, it would probably be Isle of Wight tomatoes.

Which chef do you most admire?  
Probably Tommy Banks, seeing how he utilises so many different foraged ingredients and comes up with so many innovative ideas, or ways to use usually wasted products.

What’s your career ambition?
I’ll continue to explore and expand the sustainability of my dishes in The Blue Room. Also, to utilise the garden we currently have to allow us to use ingredients that we have grown. Maybe work towards some accolades in The Blue Room too, such as a rosette.

What do you think will be the next big restaurant trend?
Probably the way Scandinavian countries like Norway and Denmark preserve produce and find alternative ways to use all parts of their ingredients. This is because of their harsh winters, so they can still extend their ingredients' life to be able to use them throughout the year.