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How long have you worked at Donington Manor Hotel? I've been here for just over five years. During my time here I have introduced a contemporary style to the menus and method of cooking.

What is your signature dish? For someone whose been cooking for over 25 years, it feels an impossible question to pick one really special dish. Every ingredient can offer something to a dish from a few grains of sugar to a few grains of salt. However if I had to pick it would either be 'Marinated fresh Scottish salmon,whole-grain mustard potatoes and pea shoot salad' or 'Iced banana parfait with rich chocolate ganache'.

Who or what has had the greatest influence on your career? I won a cake competition at my school beating all the girls, which got me noticed! I made a fresh cream and strawberry shortcake, I don't think the prize money even covered the cost of the ingredients but from then on I knew I wanted to be a chef.

What is your top cookery tip? My grandfather and father had an allotment which taught me a lot about the quality of fresh produce and seasonality; the sweetness of an English strawberries, fiery radishes and onions that made your eyes stream.

Cooking should be enjoyed and this joy should be carried through to your dish. Food cooked with'passion' is the magic ingredient I feel this is the difference between good chefs and great chefs.

Is there someone you've always wanted to cook for? My first Head Chef Mark Snelling to show him how far I've come in my career and to say thank you for giving me the opportunities he did.

Is there an item of food or piece of kitchen equipment you couldn't live without? Scales - without them there would be no recipes and Clingfilm for lining moulds and shaping food and keeping food fresh. Ingredient-wise sugar... rightly or wrongly it's in virtually every food we eat from candy floss to chocolate mousse. It is so diverse from food for yeast to sugar flowers on a wedding cake.