Chef Craig: Feeding the frontline and the fast lane

Meet Craig, one of our brilliant chefs here at The Odney Club! Whether he’s preparing your morning breakfast and brunch or crafting the perfect lunch for our delegates, Craig brings a wealth of flavour to the table, inspired by his previous culinary adventures around the globe.

Q: When did you begin at The Odney Club? Which kitchens or culinary experiences shaped your career?

I joined The Odney Club in October of last year. As for what shaped my career, I’d have to point to two major experiences that ran concurrently for about 10 years: working with Formula 1 teams at Silverstone and cooking for the Royal Box at Newbury.

Working in Formula 1 gave me incredible life experience, allowing me to travel the world and cross paths with some fascinating people. I worked exclusively for Williams, where my daily focus was looking after Frank Williams. Catering for Frank was a deeply rewarding culinary challenge - as one of the longest-living tetraplegics, his diet was understandably very strict and limited. I also had the pleasure of cooking for Claire Williams back when she was just 17 and starting her Youth Training Scheme. To this day, my time with Williams remains a standout chapter of my career and one I am immensely proud of.

On the flip side, I managed the Royal Box at Newbury during the years when the Queen Mother was alive, cooking for her, the late Queen, and Prince Philip. Because the Queen's cousin lived just up the road at Highclere House, she would often visit on her days off. These visits were never official; we’d just get a phone call in the morning saying, "She's coming down, expect three or four people." Interestingly, the Queen loved a gin and Dubonnet in a tall glass. She could easily have seven or eight of them, that was her drink of choice and she never got drunk!

Throughout my career, I've had some incredibly memorable, one-off experiences. I’ve looked after guests for the Earl of March at Goodwood, and catered an exclusive meeting for Qatari diamond sponsors. Security at that event was so intense that a guard had to personally hand me the tableware - each plate was worth £500, and the cutlery sets were £1,500 each. Naturally, the very first thing I did was turn around and drop a plate!

Beyond luxury events, my career has also taken me into much more high-stakes environments. Six months before the start of the first Gulf War, I was called up as a civilian chef for the army. Stationed at the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) Officers' Mess, my team and I were responsible for feeding all the deploying forces before they headed to the Middle East.

Q: What does a "day in the life" look like?

As one of the breakfast chefs, it’s quite an early start for me! My day kicks off with breakfast and brunch service, followed by tackling whatever else needs doing in the kitchen. From there, it's straight into cooking lunch for the delegates over in the SBMC and keeping our Partners fuelled throughout their shifts. Though I have to admit, sometimes it feels like breakfast lasts a lifetime!

Q: What do you love most about what you do? 

For me, it’s all about the interactions and seeing the smiles on people's faces. Bringing that joy to someone's day is far more important to me than online reviews, photos, or social media posts. I especially love it when all the different departments come in for lunch and we get to have a quick catch-up.

Q: If you could spend a day working in any other department, where would you go and why?

I’d definitely be a gardener. I’d happily spend all day out with the grounds team, learning from the professionals and picking up some proper tips to see how it's done right. I’d also love to try my hand at maintenance. I really enjoy fixing things up and always have a project on the go, so I think that would be a lot of fun.

Q: What’s your latest Odney Club obsession? Tell us the number one thing every Partner or member needs to try!

It has to be the afternoon tea. Our lovely chef, China, makes some absolutely fantastic cakes. Just yesterday, she made a beautiful rhubarb and custard tart that featured a delicate basil cream, it was incredible. So, for me, the number one thing everyone needs to try is our afternoon teas.

Thank you Craig!

Stay tuned for more chats with our team, where you'll get a glimpse into the passion and creativity that brings The Odney Club to life.

Please note: An error was made in the description of the rhubarb and custard tart, with the correct ingredient being mint leaves. We apologise for any concern this may have raised.