James Golding - The Pig
As modern British cuisine began to emerge fully in the late 1970’s, James Golding was born. James, a local Hampshire & Dorset boy, was to leave his home 16 years later for London and his first job as a chef.
The Savoy Hotel first employed James while still just a student on the Specialised Chef course. He won his place at the Savoy on the back of his enthusiasm and excitement for cooking, as well as for this determination. Within 3 years he had completed all sections at the Savoy and hand a firm grasp of Classical French cooking.
In 1998 James was offered the position of Chef de Partie at Le Caprice working under Mark Hix and later Elliot Ketley. It was during the next 7 years James’s love for British seasonal produce began to present. James stayed at Le Caprice until 2001 when head chef Tim Hughes offered him a new position at the seafood restaurant J Sheekeys. James left J Sheekeys in 2005 having risen to Sous Chef, been a part of restoring the restaurant to its former glory and had learned how to motivate and train the junior members of staff.
It was these leadership qualities Elliot Ketley drew heavily upon when he placed James in charge of the 6th floor restaurant at Soho House New York.
In 2006 James returned to his home on the south coast. James’s work began to take on inspiration from the region and its unique produce from both forest and sea. James feels the responsibility to promote and protect the traditional foods of the United Kingdom. To James this means seeking out small producers and local butchers in the habit of working sustainably and with passion for their products. Provenance and seasonality are the key ingredients when Chef James Golding builds his menus.
Through his position and relationship with The Pig and the Home Grown Hotels Ltd he achieves and delivers his vision with respect to the Environment, to taste and to animal welfare. He has been awarded two Rosettes form the AA and have made it into this year’s Michelin guide as a recommended restaurant. The Pig was also been voted the U.K’s most sustainable restraunt by the SRA 2012 and have been place at no.29 in the top 100 Restaurants at the National Restraunt awards in 2012, most recently voted Best Independent Hotel at the Cateys 2013.
Visit the main demo stage at 10am on Saturday 7th September and watch James demonstrate his twist on dishes with foraged and wild food. Make a donation to the RNLI and you will be the lucky person that gets to indulge in his dishes!
