Meet our Executive Pastry Chef
Our executive pastry chef and master of all things sweet, Daniel Pearse, joined the Rhubarb team at the end of last year. With a career working in some of London’s most prestigious hotels and restaurants, he joined us in November 2022 with a wealth of experience and expertise, adding the deliciously different flair to RHC events.
WHO INSPIRED YOUR CHEFFING CAREER?
Many factors contributed to me becoming a chef. I always found food exciting from a very young age. I enjoyed the process of growing our own fruits and vegetables in our gardens at home and then picking it and cooking and enjoying It as a family.
I was fascinated by the idea of being able to mix different ingredients together that you could create so many different and wonderful things. Not to sound to cliché but I also used to cook a lot with my mother and grandmother at home as a young boy. It was something I always looked forward to doing and I enjoyed seeing my family’s reaction to eating the food that we had prepared for them. Still to this day it gives me great satisfaction to see our customers enjoying what we have created for them.
WHERE DID YOUR CAREER START?
I started my career back working in the west country in country house hotels and small restaurants. Then I moved to London in 2005 and got my first big job working as a Pastry Commis Chef at the Mandarin Oriental on Knightsbridge.
WHAT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HAS SHAPED YOUR CAREER?
Every job that I have done weather it be an enjoyable experience or not so, it has helped to shape me into the chef that I am today.
I have worked in some fantastic companies and beautiful hotels and restaurants and had the pleasure to be able to travel to other parts of the world with this job and I’ve learnt so many valuable lessons along the way. The beauty of this job is that the opportunities are endless, and they are what you make them. Always try to go above and beyond where you can, and it will open new doors for you each time.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT WORKING AT RHC?
What I really love is that the team are great and supportive of each other also that every day and every event that we do is different and challenges us in a positive way.
The briefs that we get are creative and exciting and it makes the job fun to do especially when you get to go to some amazing locations around London and the rest of the country to send them from.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO COOK?
I love to work with chocolate, so anything related to that excites me and its something that I’m really passionate about not only to work with but also to teach others around me.
ANY TOP CHEFFING TIPS?
Never stop learning it keeps you motivated. Read as much as you can and teach others what you know it makes them stronger which effectively will only make you stronger in the long term.
Strive for perfection but don’t be afraid to fail. All great chefs fail but the difference is that too many give up before they reach their full potential.
The journey will be hard at times but always have a clear goal in mind.