What does it really take to become a head chef?

In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace sits down with Andy — Head Chef at ROVI (part of the Ottolenghi group), to unpack the real journey behind running a high-performing kitchen.

From growing up in a hospitality family (with a dad who owned nightclubs and restaurants) to working his way up through kitchens in Australia and London, Andy shares the truth about the industry — the highs, the burnout, the pirate-ship energy of kitchen culture, and the leadership skills no one talks about.

We cover:

• Starting out in a family restaurant
• Culinary school vs on-the-job training
• Moving from Australia to London without a job lined up
• Working your way from chef de partie to sous chef to head chef
• What being a head chef actually involves (hint: it’s not just cooking)
• Managing big teams under pressure
• Menu development, seasonal produce & working with a kitchen garden
• Cooking for 200+ guests in Sicily & Ibiza
• The harsh realities of the hospitality industry
• Why supporting independent restaurants matters

Andy also shares the mindset you need to survive in kitchens:

✔️ Work ethic

✔️ Resilience

✔️ Thick skin

✔️ Passion for food

✔️ Leadership under pressure

If you’ve ever dreamed of running a kitchen, opening a restaurant, or just want to understand what happens behind the pass, this episode is for you.

Resources:

https://ottolenghi.co.uk/pages/locations/rovi

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path

📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at hello.howtobecomea@gmail.com

📱Follow us on socials: @howtobecomea__

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'Teaching gave me life, gave me passion' - Ramita went from wanting to being a doctor, to finding a passion for teaching, to founding something special to help younger girls build their confidence. How do you even begin something like this and reach the students who need you? Ramita tells us everything!

Resources:

https://www.elevate-ra.com/

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path

📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at hello.howtobecomea@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Never play too safe in an interview situation, it's much easier to reign someone in than reign someone out' - Alethea has worked the fashion industry since she left uni, from working with big designers like Vivienne Westwood & Lulu Guiness, through to high street brands and having a stall of the iconic Portobello Road. We talk about predicting trends a year from now, advice for ways to start something on your own, and so much more.

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path

📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at hello.howtobecomea@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Uncover and unleash my potential' - Kel gives a real insight into how he supports one of the largest hotel chains in the world. We talk about where he had to start to make sure he was delivering the best service, a key USP of the industry he's in. He talks about approaching a high profile icon in the industry and how this has helped him move forward in his career - something you should consider too!

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path

📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at hello.howtobecomea@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Invest, you can't not succeed' - In this energetic interview I fangirl hard over the CEO of Taste Film, Amy Fernando. From being a runner for reality TV, to teaching the next generation about media, to reading a book that made her realise her love for food and film could be combined to make her a founder of a cinematic dining experience. We cover it all, with the good and the bad and everything she wishes she knew earlier.

Resources:

Taste Film: https://tastefilm.co.uk/

The book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/entrepreneur-revolution/daniel-priestley/9780857089731

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path

📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at hello.howtobecomea@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Be kind and considerate on the way up because you never know when you'll see them on the way down' - Stefan talks us through how his love for sport has brought him to being an agent to one of the best known boxers, Chris Eubank Jr. Along with that busy lifestyle, he has co-founded the sports agency YRDS.

Resources:

YRDS: https://yrds.com/

Co-founders: @jonoyatess @danieljamesunderwood @stefanwesson

LOCOG: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Organising_Committee_of_the_Olympic_and_Paralympic_Games

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path

📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at hello.howtobecomea@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Gate keeping is real, spread the knowledge' - Grace Bristo took the leap to become a freelance photographer when she took a break from her 9-5 and her overall health improved dramatically. Now diagnosed with autism, she has discovered her best work, life balance and has landed majored jobs all over the world. As a bestie of mine, I am very proud to help spread her journey.

Please note: I had to silence the amount paid for the Converse job as this is under NDA - apologies for the tease!

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path

📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at hello.howtobecomea@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Music for me, and the experiences that we have around music, is one of the singular sites in adult life that revolves around playing and having fun' - Toby is an all rounder in the music industry. He manages two businesses, 'Sounds Queer' and 'State is Flow', whilst also being a performer himself. He tells us how creating these side hustles boosts his own passions and keeps him learning.

@tobycortonmusic

@soundsqueerhq

@stateisflow

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨

🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path

📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at hello.howtobecomea@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.