Having started his career as a part-time pot washer, Ollie Bridgwater has worked his way through the ranks and is now executive chef at the Michelin star Source restaurant at the Gilpin Hotel near Windermere. After a spell as a sous chef in an Austrian ski resort, he returned to the UK aged 19 and worked for Heston Blumenthal’s Hind’s Head before moving to The Fat Duck. He spent five years as sous chef there before moving to Gilpin. thegilpin.co.uk
Tell us a little about where you work and why you wanted to work there:
My experience working for Heston was very special but the opportunity to do something different, in a different type of venue, in a different part of the country had massive appeal for me. Gilpin’s reputation is renowned, and I was excited by the challenge to apply what I had learnt at The Fat Duck to a five-star independent hotel.
What was the first dish you learned to cook?
A Soufflé Suissess. I learnt this from Paul Vidic when I was working in his Lincolnshire restaurant as a teenager. He worked for the famed Le Manoir and brought the twice baked cheese soufflé to the county. It was so popular that we used to make it around 50-60 times a day. Even now, fifteen years later, I know the recipe like the back of my hand.
What’s your most vivid childhood food memory?
I used to really like my mum’s grilled pork chops with a Dijon and wholegrain mustard, but I also remember loathing liver and sprouts. I think when you’re young, it takes a while to get used to those strong flavours, luckily, I’m much better with them now.
What’s your favourite ingredient?
I believe we produce some of the best quality fish and shellfish in the world due to our cold waters, so I really enjoy having the opportunity to spotlight these ingredients. We work closely with Johnny at Flying Fish Seafoods to select the best produce, and then ensure it is cooked accurately and presented beautifully.
And your go-to snack?
If I’m being good, a cracker with good quality peanut butter and fresh blueberries, but if I’m craving something a little naughtier, then it has to be cheese. Any cheese, and by the wedge. No need for crackers, I’ll grab it straight from the fridge.
If you weren’t a chef what would you be doing?
Something where I could still be creative – maybe an architect or designer where I would be able to use my creativity and eye for detail to create and build things. I love the satisfaction of seeing a project through from start to finish.
Who are your Lancashire food heroes?
What Mark Birchall is doing with Moor Hall is something special. He’s continually evolving and I’m excited to see what’s next. Neil Udale from Udale Speciality Foods is a legend on the Lancashire food scene and a really great guy who I have a lot of time for. And Lisa Goodwin-Allen is a real trailblazer, especially in terms of the training culture she has created, helping young chefs get their first taste of life in the kitchen and the career that lies ahead.
What’s your guilty food pleasure?
Anything comforting! Fried chicken is my guilty pleasure, there are so many exciting flavour combinations.
A place you love to eat?
Rogan & Co. is a go to of mine. Sam is always attentive and makes sure guests are really looked after. When in London, I always pop into The Devonshire, it does amazing steaks, plus it serves the best pint of Guinness in the city. I recently experienced Moor Hall for the second time and the level of detail both in dishes and service was phenomenal – it just gets better and better.
What’s next for you and your kitchen?
Continuing to build our team, pushing our food a little bit further and keeping the guest at the heart of everything we do. We now offer both a longer and a shorter experience, and now these menus contain some set courses as well as the option for guests to choose certain elements and create a dining experience that is completely personal to them every single time.
Your favourite dish?
At Source, our menu changes all the time to keep things fresh, so I don’t actually have one favourite dish but more favourite flavour combinations and stories behind dishes. At the moment we’re doing a lobster and lettuce dish which stemmed from me going to a Chinese restaurant where they give you a chicken skewer and they put it on the lettuce, as the chicken is hot it wilts the lettuce. I thought there was something in that but we wanted to make the lettuce a part of the dish, so we braise it in butter and brown chicken stock, and rather than pairing it with a satay sauce we’ve done a red curry bisque. It’s fun but refined.
