WORK AT INCE / BUSINESS SERVICES / HEAD CHEF
Ally Dale, Head Chef
I came to Ince & Co as head chef in 2006. Something just clicked when I came for interview. I was shown around, met some of the people and saw the kitchen facilities, and I was immediately impressed.
I have the freedom to cook whatever I want, which is a dream for a chef. The days are varied and can involve anything from providing a buffet for 45 people, to cooking Christmas lunch for 300.
We normally plan about a week ahead, unless we’ve got a major function coming up.
I tend to plan the menus according to the season, and depending on what the suppliers have available. We try to keep it interesting by not repeating anything. I think we’ve served about 200 salads to date, some more successful than others!
Our team has grown since I joined, but managing it is easier because unlike most kitchens, we work to set hours, Monday to Friday. There’s also plenty of training and development support available to help me manage my workload and develop my skills. I’ve been on some IT and computer training courses, as well as specific kitchen training, such as hygiene and health and safety.
There’s a personal, welcoming atmosphere at Ince. Everybody is friendly and makes you feel at home. The firm is very non-hierarchical, you really feel like part of a team, like a valued contributor – no matter what your role. There’s a good social side, too. I play football and cricket when I can, and go to the monthly ‘Ince drinks’. It’s always well attended, which says a lot about the firm and the people who work here.