S2 Ep13: Ben Marks - Quitting School At 14 To Work In Michelin Star Kitchens - The Hardships Of Noma's Workload & Co-Owning Restaurant's With Phil Howard!
Today we pay Ben Marks a visit at his neighbourhood restaurant Perilla in Newington Green, sadly it was closed for Lunch on the day so we couldn't sample any of his creations, but we did get to hear about his incredible career so far. As a young boy, Ben Marks loved food and enjoyed cooking with his father in London. At 13 years old, he was already working in professional kitchens. and at 15, on the advice of his bosses, he moved to Sweden to become commis chef at the Michelin-starred Operakällaren in Stockholm. A year later he was back in the UK, at a formal apprenticeship with the Academy of Culinary Arts, which landed him at Claridge's, followed by working at Noma for over a year and then rounding off this incredible hattrick of establishments by becoming Phil Howards right hand man at The Square. Ben now co-owns & is head chef at both the award winning Perilla & Morchella.