Head Chef, The Coach
Sarah Hayward has been working for Tom Kerridge for 9 years. Starting as a commis chef at The Hand and Flowers, she is now at the helm as Head Chef at his second pub in Marlow, The Coach. In 2023 she scooped the Michelin Guide’s Young Chef Award and her star continues to rise. Recently we caught up with Sarah to learn more about her career path and passion for cooking.
Can you tell us a little about how you got started in the hospitality sector?
My Dad is a Chef, and still to this day is one of the most passionate Chefs I know. I grew up in a big family and spending dinner time together was always important, we would always have home cooked meals on the table. I started working with him part time when I was still in school and loved the buzz of a busy kitchen. When I was 17, an apprenticeship became available at The Royal Hotel on the Isle of Wight and I jumped at the opportunity!
What excites you about your current role?
I love everything about The Coach. It has a beautiful open kitchen which is amazing as you get to interact with the customers. The menu is designed of small plates, which is just the type of food I like eating myself, and Chef Tom and Warren are both super supportive with letting us be free to create dishes as we like.
Who have been your mentors throughout your career?
There have been a lot of influences over the course of my career, and each Head Chef I worked with has supported me with my next move. My Mum and Dad have been there throughout the entire course and after working at Lucknam Park for a period, Hywell Jones naturally became someone I can always turn to. He has recently asked me to join him for a Charity event for Hospitality Action, so is still helping me drive my career forward. In more recent years, Chef Tom and Warren have been incredibly supportive and have been there to guide me and show me the ways through each role that has been given to me.
How have your put your own stamp on the menu following your move to The Coach?
Its amazing how things have subtly changed over the years, representing each Chef that has been at the helm. There are a lot of dishes that are Coach Classics that I wouldn’t change, and some that stay the same, but we tweak the dish with the seasons. Others are brand new dishes that represent myself and The Coach wholeheartedly.
Can you describe the moment you found out about your recent award from the Michelin Guide?
I was buzzing enough to be attending the awards (which usually indicates the retention of the Star), but when I heard my name called out for the Young Chef of the Year award, you can imagine how my jaw dropped. Luckily I had Chef next to me to stop me falling over and push me up on the stage!
If you could cook a dish for anyone, who would it be and why?
I lost one of my best mates in 2021, Luke Henderson was such an inspiration as a young peer in the kitchens of the Hand & Flowers; creative and passionate and naturally incredibly talented. I never got the chance to really show him the real nature of my cooking, and I know he would be super proud of where I am now, and it would have been amazing to share that with him.
