Guy Beardsmore

GUY BEARDSMORE
CORPORATE CHEF
SARGENTO FOODS, PLYMOUTH, WI
CHEF MEMBER

Culinology® has helped my personal growth as a chef, and product and menu developer. While working in menu development, I had no idea what it took to manufacture a product from ideation to bench to mass production—and also make the product taste great and be commercially viable.

The Research Chefs Association (RCA) community is a great resource. It’s very open to sharing knowledge and helping others grow, while promoting the blending of culinary with the science of food development. This has helped me understand the daily concerns and frustrations of our scientist team. In return, I share with them our customers’ concerns, operational needs and blue sky wishes.

Culinology will help future generations of chefs leaving the kitchen go get the skill set to move into product development. It will also continue to make the gap between culinary and science ever smaller.

RCA and Culinology will continue to make this industry stronger and make its members world leaders in product development.

BIRTHPLACE: Leicester, England;

SCHOOL DAZE: Hinckley College, City & Guilds, Culinary (1986);

CAREER MOVES: Fine-dining restaurant background in the United Kingdom and United States, including 5 years working for Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand; corporate chef, The Olive Garden; corporate chef, Whitbread Restaurants;

INSPIRATION: I always enjoyed cooking from an early age. My mother liked my help in the kitchen. Had some work experience in a school kitchen at age 14—spent the day peeling eggs and piping cream onto Jell-O and was hooked.

CAREER HIGH POINT: Winning an Acorn Award in the United Kingdom, top 30 under 30 in the food industry;

BIGGEST MISHAP OR DISASTER: Pouring 30 gal. of hot veal stock over my leg—not fun watching your skin peel off;

FAVORITE INGREDIENT: Duck fat gets better with every batch of confit and takes roast potatoes to the next level;

FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOL: A commis chef;

FAVORITE DISH TO PREPARE: Slowly braised pork belly—rolled, braised, chilled and crisped at service time;

MOST-INFLUENTIAL PEER: Jay Nartowicz, my boss at Whitbread and now a consultant based in Orlando (and RCA member)—a true leader of people, creative, great chef and one of the most humble people you can meet;

MOST-MEMORABLE MEAL: Harvey’s in Wandsworth, London, in 1987. Marco Pierre White cooked for the table. That was the day I realized that I had a very long way to go. The food was outstanding.

EARLIEST FOOD MEMORY: Baked beans on toast with red Leicester cheese and HP brown sauce;

FAVORITE JUNK FOOD: Heinz Salad Cream on french fries;

FANTASY FOOD SPLURGE: Dinner at elBulli, then French Laundry;

FAVORITE RESTAURANT: This week it is Animal in Los Angeles;

FAVORITE FOOD CITY: Chicago—a great food town with some of the world’s top restaurants and chefs;

IF STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, I’D MISS: Cadbury chocolate;

FAVORITE MOVIE: “There’s Something About Mary” ... Brett Farve!

FAVORITE MUSIC: Depeche Mode, Muse and Motown.