Meet the chefs cooking at the 29th Trencherman’s Guide launch

Discover which Trencherman’s chefs will be cooking up a storm at the launch of the 29th edition at THE PIG-at Combe

We’ll be launching the new edition of the Trencherman’s Guide in gastronomic style on 27 September: with a champagne reception, five-course lunch and exceptional curation of fine wines at THE PIG-at Combe. The cream of the South West hospitality industry will gather at Devon’s most contemporary restaurant with rooms to toast the launch of the guide and indulge in a very special lunch prepared by THE PIG chefs. Here’s who is going to be wielding the spatulas.

James Golding, chef director of THE PIG Hotels

James’ culinary career began at The Savoy Hotel, where he studied and honed his classical French cooking skills for three years. He then worked as chef de partie at Le Caprice under Mark Hix and later Elliot Ketley, and developed a passion for cooking with British seasonal produce.

In 2001, James left Le Caprice for a new position at seafood restaurant J Sheekey, where he worked up the ranks to sous chef and trained up more junior members of staff. After his time at J Sheekey, James headed overseas to a role as head chef of the restaurant at Soho House in New York where he fine tuned his modern-British cuisine style before returning to his UK home on the south coast in 2006. Since then, he’s kept provenance and seasonality front of mind and diligently sought out small-scale producers and local butchers to work with.

As group chef director at THE PIG Hotels and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, James has been on a mission: to raise interest in where food comes from, how it is produced and consequently how it tastes, which he’s done by working closely with THE PIG’s head kitchen-gardeners and chefs, and through his work as a food ambassador for New Forest Marque and Dorset Food and Drink.

He now trains the next generation of chefs through THE PIG apprenticeship programme, which has won multiple awards since its launch and currently has over 20 student chefs working and learning across the group.

Adam Bristow, head chef of THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay

Despite his family roots in south London, Adam mostly grew up in the South West. His first experiences of working in a kitchen was as a KP and later, at 14, as a fryer. He spent time working at rosette-rated gastropubs and restaurants before being offered the opportunity to join THE PIG-on the beach team in Dorset. During his five years at the establishment he went from chef de partie to senior sous (becoming a dad along the way) before earning the coveted role of head chef at THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay.  

Jack Stallard, head chef of THE PIG-near Bath

Jack entered the hospitality industry immediately after school, training for three years at a cookery college in Bristol while working at a local pub during the weekend. On finishing college, he began his career at The Royal Crescent Hotel in Bath under the eye of chef David Campbell, where he stayed for three years before moving to London.

In the capital, Jack worked for Michel Roux Jr in Roux at Parliament Square, where he worked his way up through the ranks. However, after an opportunity to return to the South West presented itself, Jack moved back to take a job as chef de partie at The Bath Priory. Jack worked there for three years and became senior sous under head chef Sam Moody (during this time The Bath Priory retained a Michelin star for three consecutive years). He then left fine dining to pursue his love of more relaxed style of cooking and took the role of senior sous at THE PIG-near Bath. In June 2018 he was promoted to the role of head chef. 

James Shadbolt, head chef of THE PIG-on the beach

At the age of 14 James worked as a pot washer in the kitchen of the Hundred House Hotel in Telford, where he soon progressed onto basic food prep and services. The hotel had a similar ethos to THE PIG in that it sourced the best local ingredients and cooked them simply and with respect, and also had its own small kitchen garden. James completed his catering qualifications (levels two and three) at Birmingham College of Food and held his first full-time job in the industry at Hibiscus in Ludlow for 18 months. He then moved to Poole and worked at Le Poussin at Whitely Ridge for several years, before leaving for a role as senior sous at Careys Manor Hotel, a position he held for seven years before securing the role at THE PIG-on the beach.

Daniel Gavriilidis, head chef of THE PIG-at Combe

Dan studied at the University of West London, securing a degree in culinary arts management. After graduating, he started his career as commis chef at Charlotte’s Place in Ealing, then worked at Tom Aikens restaurant in Chelsea, followed by two years working as a pastry chef at two Michelin-starred Pied à Terre in Fitzrovia.

He was later appointed junior sous at Bonds Brasserie in Marylebone, which was followed by a stint as chef de partie at The Greenhouse in Mayfair, before he moved to The Westbury Mayfair. After 10 years in London, Dan relocated to Bath in 2014 and joined the opening team at THE PIG-near Bath. He then joined the opening team at THE PIG-at Combe in 2016 as head chef.

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Discover exceptional dining experiences at independent restaurants across the South West of England in the 29th edition of the Trencherman’s Guide. Buy your copy here.