A Salisbury chef who began his career at a country pub is now supporting kitchens across Wiltshire and Hampshire.
Jason Carroll, who is a roaming chef for Fuller's, has worked in a number of pubs and restaurants over the last decade.
With a passion for classic flavour combinations and re-inventing them, Jason has impressed for years.
Do you know a chef who deserves to be featured in the Salisbury Journal? Answer the questions here.
He's the latest chef to tell us about his career and what inspires him.
See what he has to say below...
Tell us a bit about your career so far...
I have been in the restaurant industry for 12 years starting with a commis role at the Black Horse in Hurdcott.
Since then I have worked with Fuller's starting at the Ox Row Inn.
I also have worked with a couple of independent businesses including a head chef role at Wilding where I was able to fully express myself as a chef and really enjoy freedom and creativity using the freshest ingredients.
I am now back with Fullers as a roaming head chef, helping and supporting some of their sites in Wiltshire and Hampshire.
I wasn't the best at school but something about catering really resonated with me.
It wasn't until I worked with my first head chef Ross, at the Black Horse that I realised that cooking is what I wanted to do.
It also has to do with some of the amazing chefs that I have worked with that inspired me to work harder to achieve a higher standard which has got me to where I am today.
What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?
I have cooked so many amazing meals over the years that it's hard to remember the very first one. However, the one that sticks out the most would be a Vanilla panacotta with macerated berries and strawberry and basil pearls.
What is your proudest career moment to date?
Career wise it would be the first day of my first-ever head chef role at the Cromwell Arms in Romsey.
Saying that, getting recognition from those I considered to be amazing chefs will always mean more to me.
What is your signature dish?
I wouldn't say I have a signature dish as I tend to play around with different ingredients. I enjoy taking classic flavour combinations and re-inventing them. I have also been known to make a decent cheesecake or two in my time.
What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?
Due to working in different kitchens, it's hard to pinpoint a specific dish from a specific menu but anything involving seafood or duck is a go-to for me.
What is your favourite place to eat in Wiltshire and why?
I eat all over the place so it's really hard to decide which is my favourite place but I will say that I have a soft spot for the Fox and Goose.
We have had so many family meals there and the food just takes me back to those memories.
Steak and chimichurri!
What is your culinary guilty pleasure?
Freshly made sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream! Second to none
Which chef do you most admire and why?
Celebrity chefs, it would have to be the Voltagio brothers however one of the chefs I admire the most would have to be Rob Boer, head chef at the Mutton in Hazeley Heath.
His attention to detail and the care he takes in preparing every dish and the creativity behind it is amazing to see. What he is doing at the Mutton is what I am aiming for and working towards.
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