aidanbrooks' photostream

I'm a 22-yr-old chef from Hackney in London's East End, recently returned home after over two years training in Spain with some of the country’s top chefs. I graduated from Westminster Kingsway with a Professional Chef Diploma in summer 2007. While a student I started my food blog Aidan Brooks: Trainee Chef and for a while contributed to The Guardian's Word of Mouth blog. Following work experience in various London restaurants, I applied for a stage at Comerç 24 in Barcelona, owned by former El Bulli Senior Sous Chef Carles Abellan, where we won a Michelin star. Later I was promoted to chef de partie of cuarto frio. After over a year Comerç 24 I decided it was time to move on. During a short break I ate at several of Spain's finest restaurants. Early in 2009 I took a two-month stage at Martín Berasategui's Michelin starred Lasarte, which won its second star later in the year. I then moved to the mountains of València to join the team of Spain's "Chef of the Year" Paco Morales at Hotel Ferrero, where I was subsequently appointed Pastry Chef. I'm passionately pursuing my life-long ambition to become a top-class chef one day and ultimately a world-famous restaurateur.