Staff Focus – Anthony Jackson

Anthony Jackson
Chef

Where did you work before William & Victoria?
I was head chef at Farm Bistro in Harrogate for three years right from the start. Before that, I spent 10 years working as a full-time chef in various restaurants in Spain.

What do you like about being a chef?
I have been passionate about what I do for 20 years. To me, every day is a school day. I respect food and it’s provenance and the effort that has been put in growing and rearing it and this should show in the end result.

What is your favourite food to eat?
I love classic traditional English food, Italian and Thai curries.

What attracted you to William & Victoria’s?
I have always heard great things about William & Victoria and my mum raved about it after having her 50^tth birthday party here. I like the fact it’s an independent which maintains a high level of consistency. I like working in a busy kitchen and I feel my principles on using local suppliers and good quality ingredients fits in with the W&V ethos.

What will you bring to the table at W&V, so to speak?
I will be working with head chef Oli Barta to modernise and bring more creative dishes to the table whilst keeping true to the tradition and values of William & Victoria. The emphasis is on simple, well-executed British dishes using good quality fresh locally sourced ingredients but with a few interesting twists on the way.

What do you do in your spare time?
I love spending time with my family. I enjoy the outdoors and am keen on swimming and cycling and of course eating!

Anthony Jackson joins the W&V team of chefs after heading the kitchen at ‘Farm Bistro’ for three years where he was instrumental in creating menus and running the kitchen. He brings his passion for creating innovative and modern classic dishes using fresh ingredients from local suppliers. After working as a chef for over 20 years, 10 of those years spent in Spain, Anthony’s love of Mediterannean food and his wealth of culinary expertise he will be able to showcase his dishes within the backdrop of William & Victoria whilst working closely with newly appointed Head Chef, Oli Barta.

Oli Barta has worked as a dedicated member of the W&V kitchen team for the past four years and his new promotion to Head Chef is due to his hard work and passion for creating fantastic dishes. Oli brings his knowledge of local suppliers and passion for using fresh local produce combined with his love of Spanish food to add some creative twists to the W&V menu. His passion for good food and ability to inspire others made him the perfect choice for leading our team of chefs. (Look out for more on Staff Focus interviews with staff at W&V)

Both Oli and Anthony work with our downstairs team of chefs; Brad and Ovi. Brad Nicholls has been integral to the W&V team for over 16 years, so with his experience and Ovi’s eye for presentation, we have a strong team of chefs who keep our customers happy.

We hope you will visit us soon to sample some of the new dishes along with the old favourites such as Slow cooked lamb Henry, Chicken tikka masala, Shepherds pie and Moules Mariniere.

Keep an eye out for the weekly specials on the blackboards, ‘Early Bird’ menu, Set Lunch menu and bar tapas – all of which add an extra dimension to the regular menu.