London calling for young chef

Andrew Craig, senior chef parti at Derry's renowned Beech Hill Country House Hotel, has turned up for work at Gordon Ramsay's Grosvenor Square restaurant, The Maze. His Beech Hill boss, head chef Trevor Hambley, thought it would be a good idea for Craig to experience life in one of London's busiest restaurants and since Trevor once worked with Gordon Ramsay it took just one phone call to fix it.

After a few days at The Maze Craig will move on to The Square, celebrity chef Philip Howard's restaurant in London's Mayfair. There he will see the great emphasis that is placed on presentation of the stylish dishes it serves.

Said Craig, of Clooney Road in the Waterside: "Visiting these two top class London restaurants will give me the sort of experience it is just not possible to get here at home. "

Trevor Hambley said: "In an ideal world every young chef would have the chance to see how meals are prepared and served in a capital city's top restaurants, but it's rarely possible. Here at Beech Hill Craig is part of our small team. But at Gordon Ramsay's place and at Philip Howard's he will be working in a big kitchen along with 20 other chefs and there will be a lot of pressure on everybody.