Aktar Islam warns young cooks

Michelin-starred chefs say young cooks are increasingly choosing TikTok-style visibility over college courses, apprenticeships and kitchen competitions. (europesays.com) (diningandcooking.com) Will Murray, who worked at Dinner by Heston before opening Fallow, told the Guardian that social media has brought people into cooking but is not the best route into the trade. He said young people now look for knowledge online instead of using “old school methods” and traditional gateways. (europesays.com) (diningandcooking.com) Murray said some apprenticeships are struggling to attract young talent across the country. He said viral videos can make kitchen work look easier than it is and leave newcomers unprepared for the pressure of professional service. (europesays.com) (britbrief.co.uk) The chefs pushing back are not arguing against the internet itself. Fallow has 1.5 million Instagram followers, and Murray said the restaurant’s own videos have helped hiring even as he argues that structured training still builds the core skills. (europesays.com) (britbrief.co.uk) Their alternative is the older ladder: catering college, apprenticeships and competitions that test technique under time pressure. Murray said contests act like a “pressure cooker,” forcing young chefs to work at a high level in front of judges. (europesays.com) (diningandcooking.com) One example arrived this week when 28-year-old Harrison Brockington, head chef and owner of Gather in Totnes, won the Roux Scholarship with a Mediterranean-inspired “Surf & Turf” dish. The prize includes a three-month apprenticeship at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant. (europesays.com) (britbrief.co.uk) Emily Roux, the Michelin-starred chef at Caractère in Notting Hill, is also involved in the Roux Scholarship and the San Pellegrino awards. She said competitions teach life lessons, expose cooks to peers and sharpen skills under pressure. (britbrief.co.uk) (europesays.com) MasterChef judges Anna Haugh and Grace Dent also criticized some viral cooking videos, saying many present techniques or recipes that do not work in real kitchens. Their complaint is less about entertainment than about false expectations for people trying to learn the craft. (britbrief.co.uk) Aktar Islam’s warning carries weight because he runs Opheem in Birmingham, which Michelin promoted to two stars in February 2024. Michelin called the award significant for Birmingham and for Indian fine dining in Britain outside London. (guide.michelin.com) Islam told Michelin after that award that he tells young cooks “the best gift you can ever give to yourself is an honest day’s work.” That is the side of cooking these chefs say a tripod and a viral clip still cannot replace. (guide.michelin.com)