her wellbeing
From the Greasy Spoon to the English Channel, one Kiwi chef is making a mark of delicious proportions
Fiona's World
FIONA WERE, HEAD CHEF at The Greenbank Hotel in Cornwall, is testimony that a little goes a long way. After training at Christchurch Polytechnic back in the early 90s she has been in the United Kingdom for 14 years, having met her partner, Iain while he was working and travelling in New Zealand. He then took her back to his beloved West Country. Her career to date includes being
Training and Development Chef for Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall in its inaugural year and she has been named as one of the top 10 female chefs in the United Kingdom in the Independent on Sunday. Fiona's style of cooking focuses on
fresh, local and seasonal produce with international twists. She is passionate about only using free range poultry and fish caught using ethical methods from sustainable resources, and will be ensuring this ethos is continued wherever she works. True modern, British cuisine is Fiona's
signature. She fuses styles, techniques and flavours to shape an irresistible menu. Bursting with innovative touches every dish promises to fire the imagination and palate.
What was your first job in a
commercial kitchen? I worked as a kitchen hand at a 'greasy
spoon' cafe in Napier. My boss was a Malaysian woman and she was very strict. I worked hard on my holidays from university. When we moved to Christchurch, I started as a kitchen hand at the Hotel Russley then moved on to Michaels and the Park Royal while I was at college doing my chef training.
Are you now a citizen of the Photographer: Iain Grant
United Kingdom? No, I have residency, which means I
74 | February/March 2012 | HER MAGAZINE
