Award-winning N.Z. chef feeds the stars

Press, 8 February 1986, Page 28

Award-winning N.Z. chef feeds the stars

NZPA staff correspondent London Auckland’s triple gold medal-winning chef, Mark Gregory, knows he can never be replaced by a computer or a “meal in a capsule.”

“That is one of the best things about our trade. People have to eat ... we have each got 32 feet of intestine and we have to make it work,” he said. Mr Gregory, head chef at the Hotel De Brett, has established himself among the world’s best at the “Salon Culinaire” competition in London. He won the lamb, international fish and nouvelle cuisine classes at Europe’s top culinary contest, and gained a silver and a bronze medal. But for the Welsh-born Mr Gregory, it does not seem long since he got up at 4 a.m. and worked for 50 pence ($1.30) an hour making pastries and doughnuts in a Watford restaurant.

He used to supply cricket matches for the nearby schools.

“The kids wore straw boaters, and mummy and daddy had. the Rolls parked in the driveway,” he said.

Mr Gregory, aged 24, began a three-year train-

ing course at Trillo’s in 1978, “We had everyone there from the Queen to Muhammad Ali. Before an important guest arrived there would be security checks and surveys of religious and political groups.

“Lists of likes and dislikes would come downstairs ... for example, Prince Charles doesn’t like seafood much.” While at Trillo’s, Mr Gregory won the Apprentice of the Year title. After working in England, Holland and Australia, he was named Chef of the Year.

In 1984 he was a member of the gold medalwinning team at the Culi-

nary Olympics in West Germany, and last year he was New Zealand’s top senior in cold buffet work. Mr Gregory, who admits he “doesn’t like to lose,” says the great attraction of competition cookery is the "chance to learn and improve.” His entry is always based on split-second timing. “If I have 45 minutes to complete a dish I’ll choose a 50-minute one and hurry,” he says. But while other competitors struggle to stop their hands from shaking and complete their dishes red-faced and perspiring, Mr Gregory stays calm. “It’s emotionally draining ... I guess it’s like running a race. I’m very nervous before I start, but

the nerves disappear ■> when the clock goes on.” ’’ Mr Gregory’s top prior- * ity over the next two years is De Brett’s which i he says is one of the top ; “value for money” hotels ; in New Zealand. He spends about 12 - hours a day, six days a > week overseeing, food ' management at the hotel. <• But, outside work, he " spends little time in the kitchen. “My wife, Jacqueline, * does most of the cooking. 1 She makes all sorts of unusual things. To be honest, I’d find it hard to be . marrried to someone who wasn’t a good cook. . . “She made something I ‘ called vulture soup once : ... full of black bits, looked like a horror story. It was great.”