In 2020, John started his current business, Penman Catering where his first job was working on an independent film set for the Indie production: Wild Bones, providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a group of up to 12 for 30 days straight. Since then he’s gone on to cater for numerous events across the country ranging from 2 to 35 people, covering intimate tasting menu experiences to informal deli-style catering!
John started his cheffing career working in Rushton Hall's 3 AA Rosette Fine Dining restaurant, following which he went onto work at Pickett's Deli, a modern charcuterie focussed rotisserie/cafe in Melbourne. He returned to the UK after and carried on working at Rushton Hall before the pandemic hit. During the second lockdown running up to Christmas 2020, John worked at the gastro pub The Sun Inn, where he ran their pastry section and takeaway operation. In 2020, John started his current business, Penman Catering where his first job was working on an independent film set for the Indie production: Wild Bones, providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a group of up to 12 for 30 days straight. Since then he’s gone on to cater for numerous events across the country ranging from 2 to 35 people, covering intimate tasting menu experiences to informal deli-style catering!
My Mum has always been a great cook and I guess it was growing up trying to experiment and imitate what she was doing for our family. I re-count early memories of making dodgy bolognaise with every spice in the cupboard.
I worked in Melbourne for a year at Pickett's Deli, a hatted Rotisserie Café. We made everything from scratch from smoked bacon to pastrami and even cheese curds. The two highlights of this time were 1) driving a van out to the international wholesale market at 3 in the morning to buy our weekly fruit and vegetable order (imagine Smithfield market but way bigger and with golf buggies), and 2) running our weekly street food offering at the Victoria night market in front of crowds of thousands of people.
I grew up in a large family with four brothers and one sister. My Mum, the cook of the house, is of American Italian/Spanish descent, so we're often eating Mediterranean-led cuisine and would go on holiday to Spain or Portugal - eating in tourist restaurants that would further my love for this style of cuisine.
It's a toss up between learning a new technique for the first time, writing new menus, and vicariously enjoying events through clients, which these days is much higher up the order now I work in private dining.
Couldn't choose one, but here we go in no particular order: Baker, gardener, physical trainer or lamp designer (I really do love lamps)
Back yourself
Here’s a list: St John, Bao, Manteca, Kiln, Sabor, Vermuteria (vermouth is also one of my favourite drinks)
It's got to be situationally dependent, you can't favouritise thyme in pomme puree or foamy butter over fresh mint in an ice cold mojito…
Phil Howard when I staged at Elystan Street. His natural plating style and wholesome cooking philosophy are a big inspiration, not to mention the man is still grafting at 56 after everything he's done and been through.
It's got to be chicken, it's great in so many forms and you can do so many things with it and it's various parts.
