Rencontrez Ollie : Votre Chef à Domicile
Mon nom’s Oliver Grant, though most just call me Ollie in the kitchen. I’m 42 years old, born and raised in the seaside town of Brighton on the south coast of England, where the salt air and smell of fish and chips have been part of my life as long as I can remember.
I didn’t grow up in a family of chefs or food critics. My mum was a schoolteacher and my dad ran a small hardware shop. But what we did have was a big wooden table in the middle of the kitchen, and that’s where the magic happened. I’d sit there doing my homework while Mum roasted joints of lamb or baked custard tarts, and even when I didn’t realize it, I was learning. Learning that food is comfort. Food is story. Food is home.
My first real cooking moment came when I was 12 and tried to make a shepherd’s pie for my parents’ anniversary. I burnt the onions and forgot to defrost the mince—but they said it was the best thing they’d ever tasted. That kind of encouragement stuck. I started experimenting with Sunday roasts, pasties, and even tried my hand at homemade puff pastry (don’t recommend doing that without a lot of butter and patience).
Mon Parcours Culinaire
I didn’t go to culinary school straight away. I actually studied graphic design and worked in an office for a few years. But the pull of the kitchen never left me. In my late twenties, I left my job and enrolled in evening cooking classes. Eventually, I trained at a small cookery school in Devon that believed in rustic, honest food. That’s where I fell in love with the rhythm of cooking—the chop, sizzle, stir, and season.
Pourquoi J’Aime Partager
What I love most is helping people discover the joy in cooking. Not Michelin stars or fancy foams, but proper good food: buttery mash, spiced lentil soup, a roast chicken that makes your whole house smell like Sunday. If I can help someone feel confident enough to ditch the takeaway and try a homemade curry or bake their first loaf of bread, then I’ve done my job.
So if you’re just starting out or looking to fall back in love with your kitchen, I’m right here with you. Let’s keep things warm, delicious, and a little bit messy.
Cheers,
Ollie