With a strong family background in cooking, Sean Boyne was always destined to become a chef. The head chef of the Chequers at Crowle talks about his love of food – including the heaven that is the traditional Sunday roast

Tell me about your cooking?

I’ve been in the kitchen since I was quite young so I guess my cooking is a combination of old and new techniques that I’ve picked up along the way and tried to make my own.

How did you become a chef?

My mum and uncle were both good chefs so I was always in the kitchen as a boy. I guess you could say I was born into it.

What would you eat if you were at home?

If I was cooking for myself at home it would have to be a steak. You can’t beat a good steak that you’ve cooked yourself.

Who’s the best chef in the world and why and who’s the best in Birmingham?

My favourite chef for his style and complexity is Peter Gilmore of Quay in Sydney. I would say the best chef in Birmingham is Glynn Purnell.

What was your favourite food as a kid?

I loved my mums fish pie- always a winner!

Food heaven and food hell?

Food heaven has got to be a good Sunday roast. My food hell is anchovies- can’t stand them.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten?

This is an easy one. I once ate a sea urchin- it’s definitely the most unusual thing I’ve eaten. Safe to say I probably won’t eat one again.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

I’m pretty sure that if I wasn’t a chef, I would still be working with food in some way so I think I would be a butcher.

What do you recommend from this evening’s menu?

We recently launched our new menu so there’s lots of nice dishes to try. However if I was really pushed, I would recommend starting with the black pudding Wellington, followed by the pan roasted cod which is served with steamed razor clams and chive gnocchi- it’s a really fresh dish for Spring. And if you still have room after that, I’d recommend a visit to our cheese table to try some of the amazing cheeses we have to offer.