A new taste of life

By Jess Kong

Not many British chefs are as widely recognised as Philip Sedgwick.

Mr. Sedgwick, 32, is the first British head chef of the French restaurant Gaddi’s in the Peninsula Hotel.

In the world of cuisine, where most glamour belongs to French cooking, a British head chef in a French restaurant may not be convincing to some patrons.

“Some customers did question my ability. But I proved to them I am more than qualified,” said Mr. Sedgwick.

Throughout his 20s, the British chef was cooking and travelling.

Having won two culinary awards, Mr. Sedgwick left his home country at the age of 21. He went to Switzerland, Germany, Lugano, Rome, Paris and, finally, Hong Kong. At that time, the young and enthusiastic chef had nothing else in his mind except cooking.

Said Mr. Sedgwick: “In Switzerland, I learnt to appreciate how food is made into final products. I visited the meat market, the farmers, and many other places.

“It is amazing to see so much work; so many challenges are involved before food is placed on dishes.

"In Germany, I worked in a famous restaurant named Tantris. That was also the hardest time of my life."

During his time in Germany, he had to get up at 5 in the morning and worked all the way to 9 at night. There was much pressure under the strict German head chef. Discipline was required in the kitchen.

"When I first went to Germany, I couldn't speak German, nor did I know anyone.

"I couldn't go out, but just sat in my room. I was like a newborn baby in another country," said he.

Such hard times in his 20s often led Mr. Sedgwick to thoughts of giving up cooking.

Said he: "When you had to work 15 hours a day, when you may burn yourself and get food poisoning, when your friends in other jobs had easier work but earned the same amount of salary, you would ask yourself, 'Why am I doing this job?"

Despite the gruelling work, Mr. Sedgwick did not quit.

"I did not want to go back home, just watch football or go to pubs. Such a life in my 20s would be too boring for me.

"Cooking is an interesting job in which you get inspired every day," said he.

He once created a "water mousse" which was made solely from water. He gave his newly invented dessert to his colleagues for tasting.

They spit out the food, but it gave the fun-loving chef a good laugh.

Said he: "I haven't dreamt of being a famous chef.

"My dream is just to be a great chef, a good chef, knowing his job well."