He's the Forest hotel head chef who once worked with Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck. 

Alex Whitwam from Burley Manor talks eggs benedict and cleaning plates with cotton buds in our meet the chef column. 

What first inspired you to become a chef?

"My mother was a chef, so I was always around cooking. I knew from an early age that I wanted to work with food. The idea of putting a smile on someone’s face with something as small as a plate of food excited me, and still drives me to this day.

What was the first meal you cooked for someone else?

"Eggs benedict for my mother, when I was 10 - it was a complete disaster! Clearly, I needed to study Jamie Oliver's recipe far more carefully!

"At 16, during my apprenticeship at Cliveden House, chef Paul O'Neill challenged me to create a dish for the Sunday menu. I spent an entire Friday night developing what became 'Orkney Scallop and Onion'. It was a turning point. A refined version of this dish still features on my menu."

Tell us a bit about your career so far…?

"My culinary journey has been marked by exceptional opportunities, including being placed at Cliveden House under Paul, a Roux Scholar.

"After graduating, I had the privilege of working at Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck. The kitchen's precision was awe-inspiring - chefs meticulously cleaned plates with cotton buds. The culinary creations there transcended mere cooking, venturing into the realm of gastronomic science."

(Image: New Forest Collection) What is your proudest career moment to date?

"Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Specialised Chef Scholarship. It was an incredibly intense time but the feeling of graduating and joining a group of alumni that run the best restaurants in the UK was immense."

What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?

"Either our Beef Wellington main or Mushroom Parfait starter. Derivatives of some of my favourite early career dishes, but with a little twist."

Where is your favourite place to eat in Hampshire?

"Les Mirabelles, the food is incredible. Classic French cookery in the New Forest. The wine list is also amazing. A go to for me and my girlfriend."

(Image: New Forest Collection) What is your favourite meal to cook at home?

"Carbonara. Done the real way! It’s simple but a crowd pleaser!"

What do you like to drink with dinner?

"It depends on the meal, but I love a good quality ale."

What is your culinary guilty pleasure?

"A real dirty smash burger. Give me four of them and I will eat them all!"

What is your favourite local ingredient?

"Isle of Wight tomatoes. When they are in season, they are incredible."