Mark Stinchcombe MasterChef Professionals 2015 Winner
Mark was one of those chefs that really impressed me from the start, his food looked amazing and you could really tell that he had a passion for what he was doing. Mark met his wife and fellow chef Sue whilst working at le Champignon Sauvage, so I am sure food plays an important part in both their lives and something they can do together.
Mark has had experience at some incredible restaurants such as The Fat Duck and Le Manoir, you can see these experiences has helped shape him into the great chef that he is.
I loved the Venison and Lamb dishes he cooked on MasterChef The Professionals, that is the type of food I love to eat. A good bit of meat but perfectly styled to be a tasty piece of art. Mark and Sue are the masterminds behind the menus at Eckington Manor, which looks incredible and the food looks simply amazing!
Eckington Manor also has a cookery school which looks incredible, somewhere I’ll have to treat Rach to at some point I am sure!!
When Did You First Have An Interest Cooking?
I first got interested in cooking at school. We had a fantastic Home Economics teacher. She was so passionate about food that her enthusiasm really came across to all the students.
How Long Have You Been Cooking Professionally?
I have been cooking professionally for 11 ½ years, working all around the country and abroad.
Where Do You Get Your Inspiration From?
We get inspiration from eating out regularly and reading books. When produce comes into season and you see all the beautiful ingredients there is no better inspiration.
What Was Your Best Bit of MasterChef 2015?
One of the greatest highlights has to be the episode where we cooked at the Law Society. We all came together in the kitchen and worked as a team, and then went back into the MasterChef kitchen and everyone produced amazing food. When everyone went through to the next round it was a brilliant end to the show.
How Would You Describe Your Cooking Style?
Our style of cooking is hard to describe, we use the freshest ingredients and elevate them to the next level.
What Course Do You Prefer To Cook?
I love cooking starters, I like the fact that they can be hot or cold and you can use lots of ingredients to create the perfect dish.
What Is Your Favourite Dish/Signature Dish to Make?
Our favourite dish/signature dish has to be the beef dish. We have our own beef cattle on our farm, which supplies the restaurant directly. We use braised and a prime cut of beef, and the charcoal emulsion gives it great flavour.
What Ingredient Do You Love To Cook With The Most?
We love to cook with Jerusalem artichokes as they have beautiful flavour and are so versatile.
What Inspired You To Enter MasterChef 2015?
I entered Masterchef: The Professionals to showcase our food to a wider audience. Sue, my wife, and I wanted people to know the style we are creating at Eckington Manor.
Which Other Chefs Inspire You?
There are so many chefs who inspire us. Ben Shrewry at Attica in Melbourne is an amazing chef and family man, and we love Tom Kerridge’s food at The Hand and Flowers.
Any Advice You Would Give To People Wanting To Become A Chef?
Advice I would give to other chefs is to eat out as much as possible and buy cook books. Both of these are so important to develop your own style and palate.
Anything You Would Like To Share, IE New Book? Development At Restaurant etc?
Due to demand after the show, we are now open for Sunday lunch, to showcase our beef from the farm, and we are looking into a tasting menu.
You can follow Mark on Twitter: @markschef
Check out Eckington Manor on Twitter: @EckingtonManor
Ecktington Manor Official Website: http://www.eckingtonmanor.co.uk/
I would just like to thank Mark again for taking the time to answer the questions, I am sure he is very busy and I really appreciate it. His food looks amazing and I cannot wait to hopefully try it myself one day!