Restaurateur Robin Wickens, didn’t always know he wanted to be a chef, but his natural flair with food soon led him in that direction.
After years of working for other chefs, he did, however, know that he wanted his own restaurant, which is how Interlude came to fruition. It’s hard to imagine that this award winning chef began his career as a kitchen porter at a local pub in England aged 14. From here, the passions grew leading to an apprenticeship at the famed Le Manoir aux Quat Seasons in Oxford, under Raymond Blanc, followed by a string of positions at some of the UK’s most well-respected restaurants.
On a day off, Robin can be found relaxing with his family or perhaps at the cinema (another of his passions). If pushed to name a favourite restaurant, Wickens will quickly reply New York’s Per Se, having recently had a 32 course meal there which was “just flawless, everything was perfect.” Chefs he looks to for inspiration are: Per Se’s Thomas Keller, his former sous Grant Achatz and Wylie Defresnie. And his tip for us cooks at home? “Season your food. It is the only way to get it to truly taste good.”
