Member Article

New role for 'celebrity' chef

A chef who has cooked for Bill Clinton and David Beckham is now further developing his talents in the kitchen of one of the UK’s leading chilled and frozen food companies.

Jonathan Murray is the newest development and innovation chef to be employed by SK Chilled Foods.

Based at the company’s head office in Wynyard, near Billingham, the 35-year-old has joined an existing team of four chefs who create the dishes which are enjoyed by millions of people across the UK.

Jonathan, who lives with his wife and son in Ripon, said: “I entered catering immediately after leaving school and after 20 years working in kitchens of restaurants, hotels and pubs, I was ready for a new, and very different, challenge, so I am delighted to have started work at SK Chilled Foods.

“This role will enable me to do what I enjoy most which is being creative and inventing new and exciting dishes.

“There is some tremendous experience in the kitchen here at SK, so I am hoping to be able to draw upon this whilst also sharing things I have learned during my career.”

Jeremy Faulkner, Managing Director of SK Chilled Foods, said: “Jonathan comes to us with a wealth of experience and he is a fantastic addition to our team of chefs. He will play an important role in ensuring SK remains at the cutting edge of the chilled food industry.”

During his time as a chef Jonathan, who is classically trained and went to Harrogate College, has worked in some of the country’s best fine dining restaurants, including Burnham Beeches in Buckinghamshire and Rudding Park in Harrogate. He was at Burnham Beeches when the England football team used to train and stay at the hotel, which meant he cooked for players such as David Beckham, Alan Shearer and David Seaman.

He said: “You were not mean to speak to the players but they often came down to ask if I could make something for them and they were very polite. There was a menu they had to stick to so I remember making David Beckham a chicken club sandwich.”

When he was at Rudding Park, he cooked for former President Bill Clinton who was giving a speech at the hotel. Jonathan remembers: “He came and shook my hand which was amazing and it’s certainly something to tell the grandkids about.”

When he was head chef at the Worsley Arms in Hovingham, near York, Jonathan also cooked for Viscount Linley, Lord Petersham and the Duke of Northumberland, who had been in a shooting party nearby, and the Count of Kálnoky, who had been visiting his son at Ampleforth College.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Neil Shaefer .