Delicious and versatile, Michael’s recipe is awesome served with pasta dishes, tossed with roasted new potatoes – or alongside one of his favourites, steak and chips!

 Ingredients:

• 150g washed wild garlic

• 100g spinach

• 60g lightly toasted pine nuts

• 60g parmesan

• 150g extra virgin olive oil

• 1 lemon zest

• Maldon sea salt

Method:

Place all of your ingredients into a blender. Blend until you have a nice coarse pesto. Season with Maldon sea salt.

Tell us about your cooking?

My cooking style currently is an extension of some of the incredible restaurants and chefs I have worked with, most importantly Tom Shepherd, my current chef patron, who I have known for more than 11 years and who I supported at the restaurant’s launch in 2021 as sous chef. My cooking style is very seasonal and ingredient led, with flavour taking the forefront of the focus, ensuring everything really packs a punch with flavour! 

How did you become a chef?

I entered a professional kitchen at a young age with a part-time job as a KP. I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and being able to work with amazing produce. I have always loved and have been interested by food. This is how my culinary journey started. I then went to work at Michelin star restaurants such as Restaurant Sat Bains, Adams and I was Tom’s sous chef at Upstairs when we won our Michelin star just four months after opening. Sat and Tom have been massive influences for me and my career and so many more in the industry I look up to that have created incredible restaurants. Some of my most inspiring visits have been, The Ledbury, Moor Hall, Row on 5.  

What do you eat at home?

An unhealthy amount of milk chocolate Hobnobs. 

Who is the best chef in the world and why? And the best in Brum?

A very difficult question for me as I don’t think there is any one chef that’s the best! They are all very different and incredible in their own style. For me, based on how many young chefs have been influenced and developed and the impact on our industry, I would have to say Gordan Ramsay. Best in Brum (slightly biased) would have to be Tom Shepherd, I have been lucky to be a part of Tom’s journey during the restaurant and his career and it has been inspiring to me as a younger chef coming through the industry and similar kitchens. 

Share a cooking tip

My tip is for cooking meat. Rest your meat for around the same time as you cooked it, this really retains all the important juices and flavour of your meat. 

What was your favourite food as a kid?

Spaghetti Bolognese and fajitas – still one of my favourite dinners now.  

Food heaven and food hell?

Heaven is spicy buffalo chicken wings with blue cheese sauce. My hell is fermented fish – the worst food experience of my life! 

What’s the most unusual thing you have eaten?

I was very fortunate to eat at D.O.M, a special restaurant in Brazil where I experienced ants – very unusual but interesting. 

If you weren’t a chef what will you be?

If ‘chief milk chocolate Hobnob tester’ wasn’t available at the time, then a job in the motorsport industry for sure, A racing car driver!