Sous Chef at Three Hares,. Sedbergh. Who inspired you ... It's nothing new but I'd describe my style as modern using loc
Andrew Postlethwaite Who inspired you to get into the kitchen?
I was inspired by my family to get into the kitchen. I enjoyed cooking and baking as a kid with my mum. My school bus would get me home before my mum got in form work and my dad got in from the farm, so I’d happily make tea for us all. We were sheep, beef and dairy farmers so naturally I was introduced to this end of the food chain at an early age. My Nana had been a school cook, my grandad made and still makes homemade preserves, and they had a very productive vegetable garden where I could be found digging potatoes or eating peas straight from the pod.
How would you describe your food style?
It’s nothing new but I’d describe my style as modern using local ingredients. I try to use as much quality produce from my doorstep, whether reared, grown or foraged, but where this is not possible I always aim to use British. I like to keep dishes simple and natural to let the ingredients speak for themselves.
Who are your food heroes and why?
I look up to the leading figures in the industry, but I wouldn’t say I admire one person above anyone else. I owe a lot to my former Executive Chef, Justin Woods, for seeing my potential and helping me to succeed in what I’ve achieved so far. He takes on many young chefs, tutoring and encouraging them along the way to try and reach their full potential. From the eight chefs cooking at the Alumni event, four of them at some point or other have been trained by Justin.
Age 27 Sous Chef at Three Hares, Sedbergh Photography by Jenny Jones Photography, conceptual styling by Catherine Connor.
What three ingredients can’t you live without?
Butter, bread and cheese. Nothing beats these three ingredients when done properly.
What one piece of advice would you give someone coming into the industry?
Be like a sponge, soak up as much knowledge, skill and experience as you can and develop it into your own style. Be confident in what you do and take any opportunity that comes your way.
What would you do differently?
I’d maybe have thought outside the box when choosing my career as there is a lot more to this type of work than just cooking in a hotel or restaurant, but at 16 years old you don’t really know all of the options available to you. After winning competitions, progressing in my career and believing more in my abilities, I wish I had then used this as a platform to work my way around various countries, learning from different cultures and seeing the world.
