Clare Smyth on the pressures of 3 Michelin star cooking, being a female chef and potatoes

In this episode of the Good Food Podcast, Samuel Goldsmith sits down with the groundbreaking Clare Smyth MBE, the first British female chef to run a restaurant with three Michelin stars. Recorded on location at her new London bistro Cornucopia, Clare opens up about the realities of life at the very top of the restaurant world. From growing up on a farm in Northern Ireland to running some of the world’s most celebrated kitchens, Clare reflects on ambition, identity, mentorship and the pressure of perfection. She shares stories from her years working with Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse, talks about opening restaurants “taking years off your life”, and explains why she now prioritises personality, diversity and joy in her kitchens. There’s also plenty of food talk, including how to roast chicken, the recipe for perfect roast potatoes, crisps, cheap sherry in trifle, and why fish and chips absolutely must come with the right malt vinegar (Sarsons, of course). Expect honesty, humour, culinary confessions, and a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of modern fine dining from one of Britain’s greatest chefs.

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