ABOUT

ABOUT SALLY

Sally loves food, it is her passion , her enjoyment and an essential ingredient to her life...

“I was lucky, I knew from a very early age I wanted to have a career in food, I wasn’t sure exactly what would be my area of focus, but I knew as long as it had something to do with food I would be happy!” 
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BACKGROUND

Sally has been involved with food in a professional capacity for some twenty years, from retailing with two of the best, to Head of Food for a national chain, to food consulting with prestigious brands. 

As a private chef Sally has catered for individuals with high expectations, dynamic companies, and most recent ventures include launching a gastro pub in the gorgeous Surrey countryside, and running a successful outside catering company. 

Sally is knowledgeable, versatile, highly creative and most importantly passionate about food!

After leaving school with ‘A’ level Home Economics and starting from the ground up with Waitrose, Sally managed various departments from fruit & veg and bakery, to her favourite, the Fish Counter . . . “I love the gutting & filleting!"

This provided Sally with a superb grounding in food, its provenance, its quality, not to mention the excellent career development a company of this stature provides. 

“What better way to really learn all about so many different types food, and receive great training along the way .”

TRAVEL

To broaden her horizons, and to fulfil a school-girl desire, Sally took a brave step and decided to leave Waitrose. She planned a two year trip overseas through South-East Asia and India, ending up in Sydney, Australia. Her plan was to part fund the secondment by working in restaurants to gain first hand experience and expand her knowledge base of food. 

Sally started working in a restaurant called “Jacksons” and outside catering events for “Ginger’s Fine Dining” in downtown Sydney. Under the watchful of Lizzy Fines, working in a professional kitchen was the next step on the culinary ladder. A planned 6 month kitchen experience turned into over 12 months in the blink of an eye. From culinary fusions of the Pacific Rim, and the inspired freshness of Asian influences, Sally was fuelled with a memory bank of recipes which remain with her today.

“I loved working in Sydney, the freshness and wonders of so many exotic ingredients, was fantastic, an incredible larder on your doorstep.”

WORK HISTORY

Eighteen months later, Sally returned to London and took up her next challenge in a fine dining restaurant in Richmond-Upon-Thames Surrey as pastry chef... “That gave me the opportunity to really hone my pastry & baking skills.” A year later she was promoted to Head Chef.

Creating a menu with a focus on Asian influences with classic fine dining, all the things she had learnt from her travels, the restaurant grew from strength to strength. 

Following the purchase by the Pitcher & Piano Group in 1995, after much consideration Sally decided it was time go it alone.

Having built a network of private catering clients, this was the time the uniqueness, and style of Sally’s cooking developed. Lots of Asian influence along with reinventing classics became her trademark. Cooking at the high end for celebrities, royalty, and small exclusive company lunches and dinners, for those who demand expect the very best, was something Sally thrived upon.  

In 1999, a position arose to join Sainsbury’s Development team, which seemed just too good an opportunity to miss. Retail was beginning to get really exciting! Sally’s retail knowledge, her oversees experience, and knowledge of food facilitated her chance to showcase her passion for and utilise her commercial experience to the full.

After two amazing years, having met and worked with some inspiring individuals, who she is still in touch with today, Sally decided to continue with her private catering and consultancy.

“I have worked with two of the most prestigious food retails chains Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, to whom I owe a great deal.”

Maintaining excellent links with her network Sally has enjoyed conducting demonstration & innovation days with Sainsbury’s, in store demonstration days with Waitrose, exhibition work at the BBC Good Food Show, food styling for leading photographers, and recipes and home economy for publishing clients.

TO THE PRESENT

An opportunity covering maternity leave as Head of Food for Tootsies & Dexters Restaurants presented another challenge. Her brief, following the acquisition of Tootsies by Clapham House Group, was to invigorate and re-develop the menu to make it fresh and funky. Following the successful launch of the new menu, the supplier sourcing, seasonal menu changes and chef and front of house training, Sally has consulted on the new menu for the iconic Gourmet Burger Kitchen brand (GBK) and The Real Greek (Summer 2011).


In 2007 a family member bought an old rundown Charles Voysey Art’s & Crafts House in the Surrey Hills just outside Guildford. After a massive renovation Greyfriars is now a wedding and events venue and Sally supplies the food! 


After her move to Surrey in 2007, 2008 Sally took over the kitchen in a village pub, The Cyder House in Shackleford to turn it around, much to the delight of all the locals.


“I have loved creating a reputation for fantastic food, with daily changing specials and a simple classic menu using some of the best local ingredients to be found we are lucky to have so much on our doorstep.”


Sally now explores lots of different ventures - as well as a Private Chef she is providing a Dine At Home experience to bring meals to you during lockdown.

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