As Head Chef of Bohemia at The Club Hotel & Spa in St Helier, Jersey’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Callum Graham has become known for his modern European cooking, showcasing fresh, seasonal ingredients from the surrounding islands.

With over a decade of experience, Graham cut his teeth at the then Michelin-starred Le Céladon in Paris as well as Auberge du Lion d’Or in Geneva, before spending time in the kitchen at London’s prestigious The Lanesborough. Here, he reflects on his early memories of cooking, the chefs who have made the greatest impression on his career so far, and his favourite place to enjoy a bowl of French onion soup.

When did you first fall in love with cooking?

I first fell in love with cooking in my early teenage years, which was a relief to my parents as I was quite a fussy eater as a child. I took Food Tech as a GCSE and always enjoyed that lesson whilst getting good grades so I thought to myself this might be the one for me. It was also around the time where being a chef had become ‘cool’: there was a cooking show on TV every night back then, which further added fuel to my ambition, whilst realising it would be hard work.

How would you describe your culinary style?

I would say that my culinary style has always been respectful to the classic techniques and focused on making food that the customer can relate to, yet I try and add an unexpected twist to it. For example, that might come from a texture, temperature or technique or flavour combination.

What is your culinary vision for the menu at Bohemia?

At Bohemia we believe in crafting original seasonal modern European dishes, that where possible highlight Jersey’s finest local ingredients. We strive on giving our guests an unforgettable dining experience so that they enjoy a truly memorable meal, which blends the freshest island produce with French influences right in the heart of St. Helier.

Part of this means we are always looking to evolve the food and refine it to take it to the next level. We are also always looking at how we work in the kitchen and even looking at where we can evolve our front-of-house service.

Do you have a favourite dish on the menu?

Jersey White Crab Meat, with Red Thai Brown Crab Curry panna cotta and roasted salted peanut and Kafir lime leaf. This is my favourite dish of the current menu as it was a long time in development. I think I first had the idea/vision for this over 18 months ago and have slowly worked on it to get it right.

You get a lovely taste from the red Thai curry paste in the panna cotta mix with a little hit of heat that tickles the back of your throat as you’re eating it, then the cold refreshing sorbet cools the roof of your mouth down. The dish almost confuses your senses as you are eating a cold dish, but because of the controlled level of spice, it’s almost like you are eating a warm dish.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned during your career?

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. From your biggest mistakes you learn the most, evolve and grow. You have to make mistakes to get better.

What are the biggest challenges faced by the hospitality sector at the moment, and how are you tackling them?

I think the biggest challenge in hospitality at the moment is keeping the customers’ trust and confidence in eating out, as a lot of people in the world are feeling the pinch now. I think you have to make sure you have menus that are accessible to every budget.

For example, at Bohemia we have three or four different priced menus, and we also have a bar menu offering two courses for £19.95.

Which chefs have inspired you?

I would say that the chefs who have inspired me the most are the chefs that I have worked for in the past, as I have gained invaluable knowledge from the time spent in the kitchen with them. These chefs include Paul Gayler MBE, Gilles Dupont, Tommy Byrne, Christophe Moisand and Steve Smith. Each of these chefs left a little bit of their cooking philosophy in me, which I have then in turn used to create my own unique idea of what cooking should be from their foundations.

 What is your approach to sustainability in your cooking?

We try our best to source our food as locally as possible and by changing with the seasons, we just aren’t interested in cooking something that is out of season and dragging it across half the world. We spend a lot of time with local suppliers to get a better understanding of what we have in Jersey and how best to use it. You’ll see Jersey crab, Jersey mackerel, Jersey royals, Jersey beef, Jersey oysters and Jersey vegetables on our menus throughout the year.

 What would you like your next project to be?

Something that would be a natural evolvement and refinement of my cooking philosophy and style.

 What is your favourite dish, and who cooks it?

French Onion Soup from Bofinger in Paris. It is a hug in a bowl and will always put a smile on my face when I eat it or even think about it, as it reminds me of fond memories from when I lived in Paris.