IT’S my role as head chef at wine bar and bistro 1855 which led to me getting involved with Oxford Castle Unlocked’s Valentine’s lock-in event.

Twelve couples (in two sittings) will get the opportunity to dine in their very own prison cell or in the incredible crypt of Oxford Castle on Valentine’s Day. Whilst taking in the unique surroundings, they will be served three courses created by me, using seasonal vegetables and locally sourced produce wherever possible.

The idea behind the menu was to deliver something a little bit different. One of the options for the main course is a bowl of pulled beef (or vegetable) chilli. The heat from the chilli symbolises passion – perfect to serve on Valentine’s Day! The simple one-bowl serving style of this course is a small nod to the prisoners who once dwelled where the food will be delivered – they too would have received meat and carbohydrates to keep them going.

Rest assured though, the quality of the food will ensure that this is the only small similarity with prison food! Dessert options include some indulgent favourites with chocolate brownie, apple tart and passion fruit tartlet all on the menu, promising to be a real treat for your loved one.

My journey to becoming a chef is not what you might expect. I became a chef later in life, hence the Late Chef name.

I started my career in IT and back then I used cooking primarily as a way to relax and to escape from the business world for a while.

I took the plunge as I was approaching my 50th birthday and having completed my City and Guilds diploma, I completely changed careers, launching The Late Chef in 2009.

My most memorable experience during training was working with Gary Jones and his team at the Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. I learnt so much from everyone there and it helped me decide what aspects of being a chef I liked and how I wanted to develop my own business.

The beginnings of The Late Chef saw me selling at local food markets, getting a really good gauge of what was available from Oxfordshire suppliers. Going to these markets inspired me to focus on local produce. Food sustainability is so important – building and supporting the local food industry is a key part of achieving that.

With that in mind, in 2011, I launched the Wallingford Food Festival. There wasn’t a food festival in the town and with the popularity of Thame Food Festival, I felt it was needed. Organising the festival played to my strengths with opportunities to communicate, educate and demonstrate the importance of local produce to our visitors.

Five years on, the festival is still going strong and we have three Tourism South East Beautiful South awards under our belts!

I have my fingers in a lot of pies, sharing my skills as a WI Cookery School teacher, voicing my opinions and giving tips on BBC Radio Oxford as well as formulating menus for Oxford Castle’s independent wine bar and bistro 1855.

My favourite part of my job is the time I spend in the kitchen!

With the level of client interaction, menu formulation and admin involved in my work, the proportion of time I actually spend in the kitchen is limited. But I love the opportunity to get creative and generate new ideas.

I also particularly enjoy sharing my knowledge with others.

To see my students at the WI Cookery School develop and grow in confidence is amazing – the key to being a good chef is being confident in your work.

To book a table for the Valentine’s Lock-in at Oxford Castle 
Unlocked, visit oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk or call 01904 261262