Tom Kerridge: “Mum gave me the confidence to to do what I enjoy”

“What I’ve learned over 18 years running six restaurants is that people react well to food made with love and warmth. I was fortunate that my mum instilled self-confidence in me and demonstrated natural hospitality. She was a single parent, working two jobs but always welcomed my rugby team back after a game to feed them all. The confidence she taught me enabled me to do what I enjoy.  

“My mum instilled self-confidence in me. The confidence she taught me enabled me to do what I enjoy.”

Part of the reason for my success is probably the innate love I have for ingredients. It doesn’t matter if the restaurant is pristine, or the food is picture-perfect on your plate – a good food experience only comes when the food is cooked with love. Think about when you cook a Christmas dinner together at home, but the carrots are overcooked or the potatoes burnt, the fact it’s cooked with love makes it.  

My mission is to take the fussiness out of food. Outside of work, I love beans on toast at home for tea. I’ll take just as much pride in preparing it as I would a meal in one of my restaurants.  

I cook a lot with my son Acey. It’s important he connects with food, and cooking is a great educational tool. We can cook five different teas in a week and visit Mexico, Thailand, India, France and Spain as we go. Talking about food, you can touch on geography, history, RE, science and much more.  

I believe no child should go to bed hungry, which is why I’m involved with the Full Time Meals campaign. I provide pocket-friendly recipe ideas and raise awareness of the government’s Healthy Start scheme where those in need can claim food vouchers. Winter is going to be very tough on some families.  

“I believe no child should go to bed hungry”

I realise my role now is less about chopping the veg and more about food activism. After years of growing my business, I can now put my profile to good use. I have over 200 employees and I see the issues people face – I’ve been through it myself. I’ve got over a million followers on my social platforms and I’m more than happy to use that platform to help make somebody’s life better, whether that’s to support someone raising cash for a charity marathon on a local level or trying to end child food poverty, on a broader scale.  

The whole hospitality supply chain is also affected by price increases. But I will keep going as I have invested every penny I have in my business. I can’t give up. For the rest of the country, people are having to make those awful choices between food and fuel, to me it’s absolutely terrifying.  

The hospitality industry has become woefully exposed since Brexit – price increases, loss of staff, and changes to agriculture. You need to understand the workforce in this industry – we employ over three million and another two million through the supply chain. I believe you’ve got to make sure their jobs, livelihoods and futures are secure. I’m not just a chef now, things have got political.  

I warn any budding restaurateurs that, ‘It’s going to be way harder than you ever think it’s going to be’.  But in retrospect, I would never have done anything differently.”

If you enjoyed our interview with Tom, take a look at our chats with Lynne Franks OBE and Jenny Agutter OBE.