MEET THE CHEF: Top of TripAdvisor in Taunton

The track in question is called Cookin’ (in the kitchen of love) and you can find it on Ringo Starr’s 1976 album, Ringo’s Rotogravure.

It was written by John Lennon and the opening lyrics are: ‘Well, I’m a-cookin’, Just a-cookin’, Cookin’ in the kitchen of love, Cookin’ in the kitchen of love, Lord, lord, ain’t nothin’ to it, I want to do it, , cookin’...’ As I was putting this latest Meet the Chef together this song drifted into my head.

In some ways, possibly in many ways, sums up the love for cooking which Steven Kiernan has for the art of creating culinary delights.

You will find Steven in the tranquil and rather rural settings of Silvers Pantry located at Prockters Farm, West Monkton, Taunton.

For many it is the secret of great food as it has been named for the past four years as the number one place to eat on TripAdvisor in Taunton.

The specials on the menu include:

- Steak and ale pie

- lamb chickpea and chorizo

- chicken, ham hock and leek

- mushroom, spinach and truffle served with a creamy mash or a crisp salad.

- Frittata with leek, smoked paprika, West Country cheddar both served with a crisp garden salad.

- tarts ham and tomato red onion and Gruyere.

There is also a chance to indulge with grilled English asparagus, soft pochard eggs, Hollandaise sauce served with either Parma ham or goats cheese, as well as to enjoy afternoon tea between 2pm and 3pm.

Further details online at willowsofsomerset.co.uk/silverspantry

But there is also a ‘back story’ with Steven. There is definitely more to the chef behind the counter.

In the last 18 years, Steven has been in demand and by what can only be described as the big hitters in the cooking world.

He moved to England from Ireland in 2000, where he started out working in Simpsons in the Strand in London.

He went to the Babylon which is a roof garden in High Street, Kensington as a sous chef.

This is a very up market establishment owned by Richard Branson.

The restaurant gives diners a 360 degree view of London and serves modern European food.

He was whisked away from this position as in Steven’s own words ‘Jamie Oliver came knocking’.

The job offer which Jamie wanted to serve up to Steven was for him to come and work with him at his restaurant Fifteen.

Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen served and Italian menu and this was one of the reasons Steven was enticed to work for Jamie as his head chef as Italian food is his favourite to cook.

Reflecting on his early career which saw him study classic French cooking at college for three years, Steven felt he would have learnt more if he had found himself a job in a really good two Rosette or on star Michelin restaurant as he would have been able to learn from the people he worked with and put this knowledge into practice.

Speaking about being at Fifteen, Steven said: “This was a very high pressured environment where you had to put on a show for the customers.

“It was like live theatre. It was first time where I had worked in an open kitchen.

“Jamie was a very approachable guy and he would cook with us.

“But it could sometimes be a nightmare as people wanted to have their picture taken with him and you would be surrounded by people when you wanted to serve food.

“What was fantastic was we had two deliveries a week for fresh food straight from Milan and you would be able to take what you wanted and cook using what had been delivered.

“For any chef this was a dream and for me it was a great experience.”

As I said earlier in the article, Steven was in demand and soon another famous chef came knocking, this time Gordon Ramsey, who wanted him to work as a senior sous chef at his Bread Street Kitchen near St Paul’s Cathedral.

This job, like the others, was high pressured and on any given day the restaurant served 1,000 people.

This was high-end, quality food, what is known in the trade as ‘plated’.

That is to say it was served in some cases using a tweezers so then presentation was perfect as opposed to rustic plated which would be just food on a plate.

Steven said the job was demanding and as he had a family, he wanted to do something else.

He felt this type of job was best suited to a single person as it took up so much of his time when he wanted to spend time with his family.

Speaking about what his business, Steven said: “It has given me a sense of achievement.

“I have grown this from nothing and it has been number one of TripAdvisor for the last four years.

“All of this has given me a wonderful sense of personal satisfaction. I enjoy what I am doing.

“It is not cheap here, but people do not mind paying extra if they know they are getting quality.”