Name: John Carlo Arrojo
Role: Head Chef in the Ozone Restaurant
How long have you worked at Seaham Hall?
Three years
What are your favourite parts of working at Seaham Hall?
Working at Seaham Hall is always exciting, two days are never the same. The best parts of being at Seaham Hall is that I get to cook every day, explore, create and use my imagination and passion to build new delicious dishes that feature on the menus every day.
When did you first start cooking and why?
My very first professional cooking job was when I was 17 years old. Believe it or not I never knew how to cook anything before that. I was a Commis Chef back then.
Ever since I can remember I always knew I would become a Chef. I come from a family of chefs you see, my father, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters are all chefs. Like them I always knew I would end up in the kitchen. I always tell anyone who asks that cooking is in my blood and the kitchen is my comfort zone.
Where do you find your inspiration to create such amazing dishes?
My inspiration when I create my dishes firstly comes from the vast number of spices and flavours of South East region of Asia. Secondly is the colourful culture of the region, how the flavours of different spices and colours can blend harmoniously is a true work of art.
Those are my two main inspirations every time I begin a new dish, this is what we strive to achieve in the south east region of Asia.
What is your cooking process from creation to completion?
I always have the same mentality every time I creating my menus. If I can imagine it, I can do it. Firstly I will create my dishes in my imagination and then I will visualise it and sketch out what it will look like.
From that point I will begin the trial and error process. It will take a couple of trials before we achieve the flavours and consistency that we are looking for. Once we are happy with all the components of the dishes. That’s the time when we put all components together.
My final process is to look at it through the customers eyes, after all we are cooking for them.
What was your inspiration behind your Nutrition & Hydration menu?
When I created the Nutrition & Hydration menu, my ideas were created as I wanted to inform, inform guests to the Ozone Restaurant about the true and healthier alternatives of Pan-Asian cooking.
Within this set of dishes I incorporated ingredients such as pak choi, scallops and seaweed. Healthy, hydration, nutritious and packed full of flavour!
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Which dish from the menu is your favourite and why?
My favourite dish from the Nutrition & Hydration menu is the steamed chicken. It resembles the dish back in my country and is what I grew up on.
Want to try a vibrant dining experience at The Ozone Restaurant? Take a look at our taste bud tingling menus right hereÂ