Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 42 views

    Face Face: With Martijn Kajuiter

    Uploaded by

    api-196147784
    Martijn Kajuiter is one of Ireland's few Michelin-starred chefs who owns and operates the Cliff House Hotel and Restaurant in Ardmore. He discusses how he started his career in the food industry working in his parents' café at a young age. Kajuiter shares that his biggest challenge is that he is always striving for more and wanting to achieve new goals in his career. He also recounts an embarrassing moment as a chef where he accidentally turned on the fan in the oven and ruined soufflés that were baking.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Face Face: With Martijn Kajuiter

    Uploaded by

    api-196147784
    42 views1 page
    Martijn Kajuiter is one of Ireland's few Michelin-starred chefs who owns and operates the Cliff House Hotel and Restaurant in Ardmore. He discusses how he started his career in the food industry working in his parents' café at a young age. Kajuiter shares that his biggest challenge is that he is always striving for more and wanting to achieve new goals in his career. He also recounts an embarrassing moment as a chef where he accidentally turned on the fan in the oven and ruined soufflés that were baking.

    Original Title

    Untitled

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Martijn Kajuiter is one of Ireland's few Michelin-starred chefs who owns and operates the Cliff House Hotel and Restaurant in Ardmore. He discusses how he started his career in the food industry working in his parents' café at a young age. Kajuiter shares that his biggest challenge is that he is always striving for more and wanting to achieve new goals in his career. He also recounts an embarrassing moment as a chef where he accidentally turned on the fan in the oven and ruined soufflés that were baking.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    42 views1 page

    Face Face: With Martijn Kajuiter

    Uploaded by

    api-196147784
    Martijn Kajuiter is one of Ireland's few Michelin-starred chefs who owns and operates the Cliff House Hotel and Restaurant in Ardmore. He discusses how he started his career in the food industry working in his parents' café at a young age. Kajuiter shares that his biggest challenge is that he is always striving for more and wanting to achieve new goals in his career. He also recounts an embarrassing moment as a chef where he accidentally turned on the fan in the oven and ruined soufflés that were baking.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 1

    QUESTION TIME

    Face2Face
    With Martijn Kajuiter
    Martijn Kajuiter is one of Irelands few Michelin-star chefs. Working out in Ardmore, at the Cliff House Hotel, Martijn has just launched his new book, Lets Go Disco, which features many dishes served at his famous restaurant.
    How did you start off in business? It comes from loving to eat. My parents had a caf and a bistro so that was always around. I was tested in school and I was doing really well but I dropped out at a young age. I didnt like it, so I went to catering school; you can start at 13 in the Netherlands. Your dream? I always wanted to work in a Michelin star place. Then I did, so I wanted to work in a two-star, then a three-star. Then I wanted to be head chef of my own one-star. Ive wanted many things and worked hard to get them. Your best business decision? To relocate my family back to Ireland and take the job at the Cliff House. It gave me independence as a chef, and in the first two years I was back, I probably spent more time with my family than ever. Now my wife lives in Netherlands, I live here, and commute home a lot. The best thing about your job? A lot of passion is needed. There are not many jobs where you get so much recognition as well as so much criticism as in this industry. The biggest challenge? That its never over! I always want to go on, do something different, achieve something else. In this industry you are only ever as good as your last dish. Ambition for the coming year? The book was a reflection of the past 8-10 months, a true reflection. Every week we took out a couple of dishes which we were serving and profiled them, took photos. So for next year, we just want to control the controlables. Try to relax and let the team grow. Your most embarrassing moment? Oh, I have plenty. But the one that stands out was when I was working in a two-star restaurant in the Netherlands. We had souffls for 20 people in our oven, which had a fan. I was asked to add steam to the oven to get a better finish, but I pressed the wrong button, turned on the fan and ruined the souffles. There was a team of 14 chefs, all the front of house staff, everyone, left waiting for 20 minutes because I messed up. And I knew the second I pressed the button! It was horrible. Its important to learn from your mistakes but, if Im honest, a two-star Michelin kitchen was not the place to make that mistake. Your favourite pub/restaurant/hotel? I really like Keohoes in Dublin. It was one of the first pubs I was brought to in Ireland. Fishy Fishy is a simple, nice restaurant, and I have had many good meals there with my wife and kids. Your worst job? When you are a comis chef you have to work every stage, and often you cant see at the time why you are doing a specific task. Because I was tall, I always had to clean the canap and remove all the grease. That was awful. If you could do any other job apart from the job you are doing now what would it be and why? When I was a boy I wanted to be a test driver for Lambourghini. I guess Im a little past that now... Why Lambourghini, thats a bit specifc? Its just a nice car. Rustic, not as smooth as a Ferrari, but great. Your earliest memory? When I was a child, I know I used to dip my finger in my parents oxtail soup Your business motto? Well, Lets Go Disco seems perfect. When I got to Ardmore, I had a plan, as everyone should have. But you have to readjust, people have different tastes, cultures are different. Its all about the guest really. Actually, that would be it Its All About The Guest. They pay our bills, after all. The best advice you ever received? From my wife: Martijn, stay true to yourself, make sure you can look yourself in the eye in the mirror. Which fictional character do you most identify with? The Godfather. One thing you always have in your refrigerator? Dutch cheese. View on Critics? [Pause] Theyre all guests. Everyone who eats in your restaurant is a guest. No one is better than anyone else; they are all important.

    68 Hospitality Ireland December 2012

    You might also like