Meet Luke - Head Chef at The Clockspire
We recently met up with Luke, the Head Chef at The Clockspire, our official Yeovil Audi partner. We wanted to discuss all things delicious food and hospitality, along with outstanding Audi models that Luke got the chance to test drive!
Tell us a little bit about yourself, in and outside of work at The Clockspire?
My name is Luke, and I am the Head Chef at The Clockspire. I have been cooking professionally for 11 years and started at The Clockspire when it first opened 4 years ago. Cooking is a huge part of my life, as well as being one of my main hobbies, I don’t spend that much time out of the kitchen, to be honest! Food is such a big part of my life, travelling the world and trying out restaurants, foraging for good foods and gardening too. I do however have a beautiful family including two little girls (1 and 4) who keep me very busy.
You have mentioned you’re a big foodie, other than The Clockspire of course, what is your favourite restaurant or food spot?
One of the best ever meals I had was when I was travelling in Peru, and at the time the restaurant I went to was the 3rd best in the world and has since been the best restaurant in the world. I had some crazy foods like Piranha, lots of foods you wouldn’t usually get to try which made it a pretty cool experience.
What got you into cooking?
I had a slightly backwards journey. I went to university to study Business and when I graduated, struggled to find a job in the field I wanted. I then got a job in the kitchen as a chef with two of my best friends, however they are no longer in the trade anymore. I really enjoyed the aspect of being able to create from scratch. I have been lucky to have worked at fairly small places and have the opportunity to be freer in my creations. A lot of people find cooking a “sink or swim” environment and luckily, I was a very strong swimmer.
What do you enjoy most about working at The Clockspire?
I mean firstly it’s a stunning restaurant, we have a super nice team that we have built over the last few years in which we refined our style which means that people now come to us wanting to be part of the journey. We get to create beautiful plates of food with great ingredients. We come from such a great part of the world for Cheese, Apple, Cider; and lots of cool stuff which make our lives easier to cook with. It's probably one of the coolest places in the area.
Based on your current menu, what is your favourite dish to cook?
My current favourite is the Agnolotti dish as it represents what we do here, turning different parts of our ingredients into a beautiful dish. Most of the ingredients are made from ingredients used in different dishes, so sustainability-wise it also ticks a lot of boxes. Everything on our menu is enjoyable to cook and something we have created together, otherwise it wouldn’t be on the menu.
If you bumped into someone and had to explain what The Clockspire is about and convince them to dine with you, what would you say?
The Clockspire used to be a school, so there aren’t many restaurants in a building like this. We have made some changes to fit our needs, but you do step into a luxurious building whilst being surrounded by the Sherborne countryside. We all work super hard, and we are trying to produce amazing food with local and seasonal ingredients, we make so much of our food in-house and you can taste the difference. Our venue is suitable for fine dining, parties, weddings, and afternoon tea along with catering to different allergies and food preferences, and children too. We try and have fun with the food for the children, including making our own 100’s and 1000’s.
Let's talk about cars. You test-drove the Audi Q4 e-tron, but do you have an Audi that sticks in your mind?
I once sat in my old boss's Audi RS 6 which was very different to my Volvo C30. He asked me to move it for him and it was like getting into a spaceship. His teenage son saw my panicking and offered to help and until now, that was my very short-lived Audi experience.
What were your initial thoughts when you drove the Audi Q4 e-tron for the first time?
I really enjoyed it and thought the car was really intuitive. The car functions in a way where it has thought of the answer before you need it, so when you think about wanting to do something, the car is ready for you. I got to grips with it quite quickly and enjoyed the driving and the experience of working the car out. I’m interested in electric cars, and it is probably the next step I would like to take when I purchase my next vehicle, so it was good to test drive and picture myself in the car.
You've mentioned that this is your first time driving an electric vehicle, how did you find it?
The electric engine is far more responsive than what I am used to which is nice. It has a good level of power compared to what I am used to. At first, I found myself keeping a good eye on my battery range but quickly realised it didn’t go down as fast as I was expecting. It was interesting to see how much of the interior features could impact the battery, but my anxiety range quickly went the more I drove. There are charging points everywhere we go, and I actually found charging it really easy. I have solar panels at home, so I imagine it wouldn’t cost much for me to run at all.
Was there anything you didn't like about the Audi Q4 e-tron?
The only thing I needed to get used to was the reverse camera, but that wasn’t specifically to this car. Other than that, everything made sense and was easy to drive. I felt very comfortable whilst also excited to drive something new.
You have mentioned that you want to go down the electric vehicle route, why is it important to you?
As a chef, I am conscious of sustainability and what we do to make an impact. We are far more responsible for our footprint than we realise, and the way we overmilk our resources. Anything we can do to be kinder to the planet and make the right steps to help make an impact. I would love to learn more about the life expectancy of electric vehicles and the servicing side before I move forward with an electric vehicle, however, I know that Yeovil Audi would be available to answer any questions I have.
Now that you have driven the Audi Q4 e-tron, are you looking to learn more information about the car or the Audi electric range?
I am looking to get a new car at the end of the year, and the Audi Q4 e-tron ticked most of my boxes for me. I need one car suitable for the family, which the Audi Q4 e-tron would be perfect for. Space is important to me, and I was able to get everything I needed in the car. I want to be proud of the car I am driving, and I know I would feel this way when driving an Audi. They are a good quality, well-known and respected brand.
For more information on The Clockspire, visit here.
For more information on the Audi Q4 e-tron, visit here.