Meet the Royal Southern Yacht Club head chef Lawrence Hall

I’ve been head chef here for three years.

Before that I worked at New Place in Shirrell Heath.

When did your passion for food begin?

I started cooking at home with my parents. I grew up in Liphook in Hampshire and would get involved with making cakes and doing Sunday lunches from a young age. I didn’t have a very good time at school. I didn’t really get on with it but at 16 I went to catering college in Alton and that’s where I really seemed to find my niche. I’ve been in catering my whole career.

Tell us more about your training.

Once I qualified, I moved around the country, changing jobs every 18 months or so to learn from as many different chefs as possible. I worked in hotels on the Channel Islands and at Belton Woods in Grantham, Lincolnshire. It was a new hotel so I was there for the opening which was a great experience.

My first head chef position came when I was just 24 in the 96-bedroom Swallow Hotel, in Grantham. I really enjoyed it. It was a bit daunting having that much responsibility at that age but I like a challenge.

How many people are in your team at RSrnYC?

I oversee five chefs, cooking for the 45- seater restaurant, bar and various functions and events throughout the year.

We have a double function room and can also erect a marquee outside. For a really big event we bring in agency chefs. We have a relatively small kitchen for the number of people we can cater for so it can be tricky. We need to be organised and work as a team.

What’s the biggest event you’ve been involved in?

Last year we did the J Cup – an important date in the sailing calendar.

We had 1,000 covers over four days, including three lunches and a 450-seater gala dinner.

But we can do anything from finger buffets for a member’s birthday to hog roast barbecues and seafood buffets on the terrace.

We work hard but it’s enjoyable as well as challenging. Everyday is different. I love the variety of working somewhere like this. It’s a good atmosphere, a real buzz.

What’s the biggest challenge of running the RSrnYC kitchen?

The sheer numbers. Because it’s a private members club there’s a perception that you don’t need to book. People often just drop in and numbers for functions often change at the last minute, so we have to be flexible.

We recently had a dinner that started off being for 18 people, then went up to 36 and by the night itself was 60!

In my first year we had a dinner for 90 people but on the afternoon of the event it went up 180. I had to get in the car and buy more pork!

There are lots of logistics involved. It’s not just ordering in the food it’s thinking about the wastage. You need enough but not so much that you end up having to throw a lot away. It’s a fine balance.

What’s been your most memorable moment to date?

One of the most fun experiences was when we did breakfast out in the Solent for a cricket match held every year on a sandbar called the Bramble Bank. It’s only there for about an hour before the tides cover it up again so the window of opportunity is very small. I was here at 4am preparing breakfast kebabs with quails eggs and black pudding. We put the food in insulated storage boxes andtook it out to the players by RIB. That night I was back in the kitchen preparing a gala dinner for the club’s junior members.

What’s a typical day for you?

I usually start at midday, go through the food orders, do the basic prep for each dish and prepare sauces and stocks in advance. Then I’m overseeing things in the kitchen and keeping on top of any health and safety.

I usually finish at 10pm but it’s not unusual for big events like the J-Cup to work a 14-hour day.

Do you ever have Gordon Ramsey style strops?

I’m very much a team person. I don’t believe you need to shout to run a good kitchen – although it probably depends who you speak to about that! I’m more sarcastic than anything but I’m calm under pressure – you have to be in this job. I’ve learnt that if you get the organisation and the logistics right you don’t get panics.

And it’s not just about me. I’ve got a very good team and also an excellent second chef.

How passionate are you about seasonality and local produce?

We try and use seasonal ingredients and rely on local suppliers including Southampton butcher Geoff Betteridge.

We get our veg locally from The Bunched Carrot.

We try and create a menu that’s as seasonal as possible and the a la carte menu changes monthly. I ask the whole team for input into the menus so everyone feels a part of the creative process.

Ever catered for anyone famous?

Prince Phillip is the club’s patron and visits from time to time. He’s a very busy man so it tends to be a fleeting visit but we have to make sure everything is perfect. We also get big names from the sailing community here including recordbreaking sailor Geoff Holt who is a member.

Do you ever get the opportunity to get out on the water yourself?

I’m not from a sailing background and I don’t own a boat but it’s a nice environment to work in.

What keeps you coming back to the kitchen?

I love the variety and the challenge.

Every day is different.

And the industry is changing. People are more aware now of what they are eating and interested in where their food has come from. We find ourselves dealing with a lot more special dietary requirements these days. When I started out people thought being vegetarian was unusual. Now we’re catering for vegans and people with food intolerances.

I enjoy that challenge – it’s a new perspective on what we do.

I also enjoy catering for so many different events. It’s a real juggling act at times but I love it.

What’s next for you?

2012 is a big year for the club. We’re celebrating 175 years so there will be lots of special events throughout the year.

Plus it’s the Olympics and with the Royal wedding this year we will be kept busy with themed dinners and special events.