After ditching a degree in law and doing an about-turn into food, Dan McGeorge hasn’t looked back. With stints working for the likes of Simon Rimmer, Sam Moody, and Ben Mounsey, he joined Rothay Manor as Head Chef, where he secured three AA Rosettes, was listed in the Michelin Guide and was awarded a Michelin Plate. Dan has also achieved the top slot in Great British Menu’s Champion of Champions in 2021. We caught up with Dan just after the eagerly awaited launch of his first restaurant called Vetch in Liverpool earlier this year.
What was your first job in hospitality?
My first ever job was as a waiter at what is now the M&S arena but used to be the Echo Arena near the Albert Dock in Liverpool. It would be working on the kiosks or helping out with functions. There was no cooking involved and at the age of 16, a career as a chef wasn’t anywhere in my thought process.
What were your next steps?
I enrolled at Liverpool Community College and threw myself into it. I was pretty terrible when I started, especially compared to the rest of my class but I felt an instant connection and desire to learn more and improve. When I enrolled, I had never been to a fine dining restaurant, so when I carried out a stagiaire at a one-star restaurant under Will Holland in Ludlow – it honestly blew me away and changed my whole mindset.
Tell us about Vetch
It’s a fine dining restaurant with a more casual atmosphere. We want people to feel like they can relax. Sometimes fine dining can be a bit stuffy and over formal, and it affects the experience. We want people to enjoy themselves. It’s people’s night out, not just something to eat. It’s just 26 covers but it’s been a great start.
What has been the biggest challenge in getting up and running?
It’s the unknowns. When you open a business, you don’t know all the stuff that you need to know. You didn’t even realise that you would need to know most of it. When you’re running a kitchen, it’s easy. You know the processes, the costings and what needs to be done. Setting Vetch up has opened my eyes to everything else that needs to be done behind the scenes to launch and run a business. Contracts, pensions, fire safety, countless forms – it’s been challenging but a great learning experience. We’re self-funded, just a family business with no big backers, so we have had to juggle and do things a bit differently at times to stretch the budget.
How was the Great British menu experience?
It was brilliant, very surprising but such a huge moment for me. It’s a completely different sort of pressure and you always have to have your game face on – the camera is always on. It’s a long day and there are always five cameras around you.
What have you learnt in the last few years?
A negative review doesn’t mean something is wrong. It’s an opinion and everyone has one, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re right either. I understand that better now and don’t let things affect me quite as much and use them to develop and grow.
