After a decade working for some of the biggest names in the London restaurant scene, Scott Goss headed back to his home county of Kent, where he teamed up with restauranteur Peter Cornwell to help launch the I’ll Be Mother group in 2014. Scott has been instrumental in putting the businesses on the culinary must-visit map. With I’ll Be Mother celebrating ten years this May, we caught up with Scott ahead of the big anniversary year.
When and how did your passion for food and cooking begin?
I came from a big family and sitting down each day around the table and eating together was a huge part of my childhood. It was a normal household, but my mum ensured there was always a freshly prepared meal for everyone each night. My nan was also a demon in the kitchen, so she was a big early influence but coming from Kent, I was surrounded by an incredible array of seafood, meats, game, fruit and vegetables, which encapsulated me from an early age.
What were the key steps in your development and career?
I was working part time in a restaurant but after leaving school, I joined Thanet College to learn the cooking trade and get my qualifications. I was quickly engrossed and on finishing, my lecturer Peter Barrett pushed me to apply for roles in London. It was the push I needed as I got a job at Gary Rhodes as an 18-year-old and never looked back working across several of his restaurants. After a decade in London, I moved back to Kent where I started to work for Peter Cornwell.
Describe your cooking style?
I was brought up on the French classics but I would say my cooking is more classical British now. It’s simpler, ingredient-led and it’s the food I love to eat. We have a solid repertoire but we’re always looking to improve. It’s about constantly evolving as people, chefs and as a business.
How do you create new dishes?
I love what I do so I am always eating out, reading cookbooks, travelling, speaking to chefs and looking for new ways to do things. We joke that we will never run the same dish twice but that is probably the case. If we ran a dish last summer focused on a seasonal ingredient, we will spend 12 months thinking how we can tweak, improve or boost it next year.
What cuisines, flavours or techniques are you loving right now?
I think we will see some of the classic, simpler cooking techniques coming back in vogue. A less is more approach. Cooking over fire will continue to be huge and I expect more and more chefs to introduce BBQs in their kitchens. I also think menus will continue to get simpler and descriptions shorter. In terms of international cuisines, Asian flavours have been dominating this past decade and I think this will only continue. Whether it’s fusion dishes or Asian twists on classics, I expect the umami and freshness of Asian dishes to be extremely popular.
Three tips vital for success in a professional kitchen
- Attitude is everything.
- Be on time with clean whites and sharp knives.
- Be willing to learn. I heard Gordon Ramsey on a podcast recently and he said ‘take it professionally, not personally’. I thought that was bang on.
For the latest news and events from the I’ll Be Mother group, visit www.illbemother.co.uk
