One of the most common questions I get asked is: “Do you always eat really fancy food when you have your own meals?” It’s a common misconception that chefs eat high-end cuisine all of the time. I’m pretty sure that I lived on late-night garage sandwiches for an entire year when I was in my late teens, and it’s actually really common for chefs to opt for something convenient and tasty after a long day at work.
I’ve worked the 16-hour days, the night shifts, the early mornings and everything in between. When you are working that much, the one break of the day is usually for the staff meal. Every restaurant is different when it comes to staff meals, and I’ve seen it all, from feeding hundreds of staff at a five-star hotel, to hundreds of staff in a three-Michelin-starred restaurant.
Staff meal is usually the break between prepping and cleaning and setting up for service, and getting ready to start greeting customers and cooking. It’s the wind-down phase of the day, and then usually involves a quick espresso to give you a little kick before service.
Restaurants are busy places, and staff food tends to be simple, tasty dishes, with minimal time needed and maximum flavour. I’ve seen all types of staff food over the past 15 years, with the memorable worst being ham hocks with undercooked rice and scrambled eggs (we got chips from the takeaway across the road instead). I’ve also seen amazing staff meals with lots of effort and passion thrown in.
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These recipes are a blend of what we like to eat in the kitchen at Mae restaurant. The orzo and sea bream with tomatoes is one of my favourite dishes to eat, bursting with flavour and also fresh and light.
The chilli beef hot pockets are inspired by Daniela, who makes incredibly delicious ones. They are simple, delicious and would also work in an air fryer. If you don’t want to make the dough, you can use tortilla wraps instead.
The creamy pasta with chicken is inspired by sous chef Leticia, who puts cheese and cream in most of the staff meals (she hasn’t hit 30 years of age yet). The pasta is simple and delicious, with the thighs adding a succulent and crispy element.
Recipe: Pan-fried sea bream with orzo, garlic and tomato
