FoRMeR westMinsteR kinGsway student. head CheF LaunCeston pLaCe
Throw in a subject with insanely artistic tattoos, boyish good
looks and sparkly eyes and you also have to deal with a
photographer harnessing her own creativity to get some iconic
pictures. And Ben Murphy is becoming an iconic figure amongst
the London restaurant scene.
Ben Murphy is 27 years old. From an early age he excelled at food
technology. He was awarded an A* in formal examinations and
then decided to study his craft further. Westminster Kingsway
College, long heralded as the place to go was to be his home
for the next 3 years. Though a quiet and unassuming character,
it is astonishingly clear that from a very early age, Ben was
driven, ambitious and current. Choosing to undertake his work
experience placements whilst at Westminster Kingsway, Ben
opted for some of the most applauded, busy and notoriously
demanding kitchens in London. The Ledbury, The Square, The
Harewood Arms and The Royal Garden Hotel were his kitchens of
choice.
Following his time at the college, Ben then worked with Pierre
Koffmann at The Berkeley for three years. Listening to Ben
describe Koffmann, it becomes clear that this man is the Chef
Mentor that has imprinted his values, work ethic and love of
hospitality directly into the soul of the chef that Ben has become.
Following his departure from the Berkeley, Ben was then placed
for a year at the 3 Michelin star Michel Guerard before then
embarking on a series of positions at Le Bristol, Per Se, 11 Madison
Park and then back in London, the Greenhouse. An exhausting
and impressive CV at such a young age.
Most Chefs have the dream of fronting up their own place,
and Ben was no exception to the rule. After his time at the
Greenhouse, Ben opened Woodford in east London. With a
brigade of 14 and an average of 120 covers per night, Woodford
soon embedded itself within the best London had to offer.
Awarded the Evening Standard restaurant of the Year after a
very short time validated to Ben that he was on the right track.
Unfortunately, it also validated to his investors that covers could
be doubled, revenues raised and profits increased. It is a sad, but
true fact that often Chefs and investors will not see eye to eye on
these matters, especially if investors have little industry insight
or experience. Ben had the quality of his cuisine and the welfare
of his team to consider, so made the decision to leave. The entire
brigade soon followed.
Reaching to the power of social media, Ben announced that he
was looking for his next project. The offers flowed in from places
such as Fera and the Ledbury. But then the restaurant group D &
D got in touch and discussions started to take place, Launceston
Place was to be his next home.Reflecting back on his time at Westminster Kingsway, Ben
identifies that his time spent there formed his technical skill sets.
He studied the grass roots of all things hospitality, he studied
classic methods of cuisine, as well as modern. Not simply by
learning a recipe, but by understanding every element of a
dish, and why it should be there. He was given the tools to fully
understand and respect produce, seasonality, balance and cost.
He describes the commitment of the chef lecturers and vice
principal towards learning as infinite. “The more you ask, the
more you get” – there is no limit to how much you can learn.Competition work is something Westminster Kingsway lead
the way on. A chance to shine, an opportunity to put yourself
alone and under pressure, sometimes a humbling experience,
sometimes joyous. Ben has entered many of these competitions,
taking gold at Hotelympia, gold at World skills, Young National
Chef of the Year and many more besides.When Westminster Kingsway released Ben Murphy out into the
world to begin his career, they released, as Escoffier himself
had envisioned in the early 1900’s, a fully formed chef, ready
to enter any professional kitchen, anywhere in the world. On
a personal level, Ben also admits to being incredibly shy when
he was younger. The Chef Lecturers, the fellow students, the
camaraderie he experienced at his time soon encouraged the
young Ben to become the confident person he is today.Time moves on, and Ben is now employing his own brigade. Two
of whom are ex Westminster Kingsway students. I asked Ben
what he instinctively knows about a potential member of his
team when he sees that they have taken the same study path he
followed:“I know the quality of the chef. I know they are a blank canvass,
ready to be inspired by an individuals’ cooking. I don’t have to
worry about knife skills, or palate. I know they have a great work
ethic. I know they have been through my journey. They are, after
all, a mini me!”interviewing cheFs is never straightForward. they are ever Busy
creatures. By the time you have miraculously Pinned them down to
a certain hour oF the day, you then have to dash in and out oF the
kitchen and restaurant Between services, whilst also Feeling guilty
that you are taking uP the only time oF the day they may actually have
managed to take a Break. and that’s Just the Practical element.