Tom Kerridge - Kitchen Trauma, Alcohol Abuse & How I Won 2 Michelin Stars For My Pub!

This week on The Go-To Food Podcast, we sit down with one of Britain’s most recognisable chefs, Tom Kerridge, for a refreshingly honest conversation about the journey from wild, hard-drinking kitchens to becoming a household name with multiple Michelin stars. Tom opens up about the early days of The Hand and Flowers, how he went from not even knowing what a Michelin star meant to becoming the first pub in the UK to earn two. He reflects on the sacrifices, personally and professionally, that came with success, including a traumatic kitchen accident that left a young chef with life-changing injuries, forcing him to confront the pressure-cooker culture of hospitality. We dig into the pivotal moment he quit drinking, and how that transformed not just his lifestyle but his leadership style. He talks about managing fame while still pulling 18-hour shifts, and how the restaurant robbery that left his team devastated became a lesson in resilience. There’s plenty of lighter stuff too; like an epic story of when Liam Gallagher came for a long lunch to the Hand & Flowers, the story behind his dream food weekend in Singapore, and the three-course meal he’d serve his mates (including a controversial soufflé just to wind up Sat Bains). From building a people-first kitchen culture to his thoughts on where British food is heading next, this episode is Tom Kerridge as you’ve never heard him before: candid, self-aware, and full of hard-won wisdom. -------------- Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show. If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it. Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours. Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/ 00:00 – The Legend Arrives: Tom Kerridge in the Hot Seat 00:41 – Hospitality in Crisis: Costs, Pressure & Passion 02:10 – Running Multiple Restaurants: Juggling to Survive 03:45 – London vs Marlow: The Brutal Economics of Location 05:06 – Barbecue Revolution: Tom’s Take on Outdoor Cooking 06:58 – Allergic to Shellfish, Still Cooking with It 08:53 – From Chef to Author: Making Cookbooks for Real People 10:16 – 20 Years of The Hand & Flowers: No Compromise Cooking 12:19 – Still in the Kitchen? The Shift from Chef to Leader 13:48 – Building a Legacy: People First, Always 15:20 – Understanding Michelin: It's About You, Not the Guide 17:30 – Corned Beef & Lillet: A Childhood Meal Reimagined 20:35 – The Origin Story: How The Hand & Flowers Was Born 24:59 – Winning a Michelin Star in 10 Months 26:56 – Consistency Over Flash: The Two-Star Mentality 30:26 – Partnership Power: Beth & Tom’s Shared Vision 33:43 – Temptations Abroad: Why Tom Says No to Dubai 35:14 – Food Roots: Gloucester Upbringing & Corned Beef Nights 36:43 – Youth Theatre, Acting & Miss Marple Cameos 38:58 – White Heat & Kitchen Dreams: Finding Culinary Purpose 40:09 – First Time in a Kitchen: Chaos, Knives, and Adrenaline 42:23 – The Capital Years: Brutality & Bench-Sleeping 45:53 – Keep an Eye on My Carrots: The Vanishing Chef Story 48:47 – Pastry Nightmares & Protein Instincts 50:02 – Finding Confidence: From Apprentice to Party Chef 51:53 – Gary Rhodes’ Influence: Precision & British Pride 54:45 – The Boozy Years: Chaos, Culture, and Control 57:59 – Why I Stopped Drinking: Escape, Reflection & Fitness 1:01:03 – No Day Drinking, But Nights Were Wild 1:02:15 – Real Friends, Real Change: Support in Sobriety 1:02:44 – Liam Gallagher’s Visit: Moonwalking Through the Kitchen 1:04:45 – Worst Day at Work: A Horrific Kitchen Accident 1:07:15 – Every Mistake Is a Lesson: The Philosophy of Progress 1:09:04 – From Shouting to Leading: How Tom Changed as a Boss 1:11:48 – When the Customer Is Too Rude: Knowing When to Say No 1:13:41 – Creating a Michelin Experience—In Flip-Flops 1:14:12 – Tom’s Go-To Food Spots: From Curry Houses to Singapore 1:18:43 – Final Course: Tom’s Dream Three-Course Meal 1:20:49 – Wrap-Up: Blink Offer, Barbecues & Oasis