“SPK is just great. From the time we first spoke to him about working with us, he has given us passion, verve and creativity in bucketfuls. And it always tastes fantastic. He brings together combinations of flavours and ingredients which challenge and enthral, while feeling completely natural and unpretentious. His Bacon Naan Roll has become the source of a cult following (described by Marina O’Laughlin, food critic at The Metro, as “GAWJUSS!”). We love working with SPK. And he’s a top bloke too.”
“I have worked with SPK for over 10 years asking him to support me on innovation projects at Greencore Sandwiches, EAT, Trito and more recently Greencore Prepared meals.
SPK is an ingenious chef who constantly challenges himself to ensure his knowledge is at the forefront of trends to give him that edge and va va voom over other consultant chefs!
He is the most positive, inspiring, passionate chef who will push you to think differently whilst ensuring his work delivers against your brief , balancing innovation against manufacturing capability.
I would highly recommend using SPK you won’t be disappointed!
“Spk is a joy to work with. Whilst working as a senior product developer for M&S, I asked him to work on numerous projects for me and subsequently recommended him to suppliers and other colleagues on the back of the superb work he done for me. His key attribute is his fabulously warm and down to earth personality. Whilst many a chef has the ego the size of a house…Stephen has an innate and learnt expert knowledge of food and all its connotations. His expertise along with his ability to work so well with teams in development kitchens and to quickly interpret a brief, sets him apart from many development chefs. His enthusiasm and passion for the job in hand is boundless.”
“Spk and I have been working together since the very inception of KALIMERA. More than just coming with ideas and a menu, Spk has been instrumental in shaping the concept and creating a strong culinary identity that made us stand out of the competition and become a reference in the market. On the top of that, he has always been present and very reactive whenever we need him.”
“SPK will walk through your door with abundance of energy and creativity. He clearly puts time and effort in to all aspects of your offering before the first meeting. The dedication and tenacity he gave to working with us was beyond expectation and we couldn’t have asked for better ideas, service or professionalism”
“To be honest, when I was first referred to Spk, I was concerned that he would decline our brief in developing our Korean food concept. At the outset, I was somewhat intimidated by his extensive experience as a retail and food expert to the major players. Nonetheless, he has proven to be a consummate professional, and also a guiding force in my personal growth as an aspiring entrepreneur. Spk is naturally talented and very much the Willy Wonker of recipes. He has exceptional knowledge, passion and flair for Asian cuisine and his creativity is unmatched. The man also has charm and a great sense of humour, which makes him an absolute joy to work with.”
“I have worked with SPK for a couple of years now. I have not met a chef more passionate about what we do than SPK. He is amazing to work with and a true Professional. He always has a can do attitude with making sure the end consumer is happy. He is SPK what else can I say.”
“Spk and I have worked together on numerous food development projects as briefed by leading food retailers. As an experienced product developer it is my job to think out of the box to deliver strategic innovation. Stephen’s skills as a Chef and as a highly creative individual have always been a huge asset to all the projects that we have worked on together. He is always able to take my ideas and turn them into a “food reality”. During our time working together Stephen has always been completely dedicated to ” getting the job done” even when this has meant working long into the night. Stephen is very kind and supportive and can engage with junior colleagues allowing them to gain in confidence. He is equally at home presenting to senior colleagues and customers and is happy in challenging situations. I have no hesitation in recommending Spk.”
“I had the pleasure of working with SPK while facilitating a three day ideation in Chicago for a large Nation chain account. My impressions of him are as follows; I find him to be a passionate professional, highly skilled in his craft and willing to do what’s necessary, (with a smile on his face), to get the job done. I would call him a leader who leads by example, one that’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. In summary, he has my respect and admiration, and I look forward to working with him many times in the future.”
“I have known Spk for many years, and we have worked on a number of projects together. He is a highly skilled individual, creative, professional, passionate, and extremely talented. His expertise is varied from creating and developing concepts for some of the best known multiple retailers, creating dishes and menus for new and existing start ups to food styling. He doesn’t just think outside the box, he doesn’t even know there is a box. He is a perfectionist, uncompromising and also great fun.”
“I have known and had the pleasure of working with Spk in a number of different product areas over the years. Spk brings a wealth of in-depth knowledge and very relevant experience from time working in retail, classic kitchens and manufacturing. Highly reliable and professional, Spk always delivers against the brief and beyond, creating great tasting food but with an appropriate acknowledgment of commercial reality. A true food ambassador, who always adds to the team and with a great network into culinary trends both at home and internationally.”