He's the chef behind Hampshire's top rated cafe on Trip Advisor.

Tony Michael, from Melleford in Milford on Sea, talks comfort food, eggs and buddhist nun chefs in our meet the chef column. 

What first inspired you to become a chef?

"My gran, she was Austrian and loved cooking for other people. As a child I remember her always putting on parties and cooking for family gatherings.  I can still remember her apple strudel."

What was the first meal you cooked for someone else? 

"Chicken stir fry with hoisin sauce!"

Tell us a bit about your career so far…?

"For numerous years I worked in restaurants and hotels but I always wanted to own my own site, which in 2016 I was lucky enough to achieve when we first opened."

(Image: Melleford) What is your proudest career moment to date? 

"Opening our first site Saltwater back in 2016, and getting to number one cafe in Hampshire.  The opportunity to move to our current site came up, with a rename and a different look we achieved the number one spot again with trip advisor reviews for Melleford."

What is your signature dish? 

"Salmon hollandaise on brioche with avocado, I love the look of this dish, the flavour of hollandaise with the salmon just pairs so well and the colours look beautiful."

What is your favourite dish currently on your menu?

"Korean chicken. I love the flavour and it’s a family favourite too!"

(Image: Melleford) Where is your favourite place to eat in Hampshire?

"Verveine fish restaurant in Milford on Sea. David is a remarkable chef and the dishes he produces are incredible."

What is  your favourite meal to cook at home?

"Good old comfort food, nothing beats a favourite like classic sausage and mash with red onion marmalade. To be honest though I don’t really do any of the cooking at home!"

What do you like to drink with dinner? 

"Mainly just water, but I do enjoy a glass of red or white wine either Australian or South African. I’m always looking to try different wines to put on our menu."

What is your culinary guilty pleasure? 

"Kung po chicken with noodles, I love the flavour."

Which key ingredient is always in your fridge?

"Eggs. I know for some they aren’t very exciting, but with a few additional ingredients you can create a variety of dishes.  We use a huge amount of eggs each week which come fresh from Fluffetts Farm in Fordingbridge."

(Image: Melleford)   What is your favourite Hampshire ingredient?

"Lusso leaf micro herbs. They are a fantastic product that can add colour and subtle taste to any dish. They have a fantastic range to choose from."

Which chef do you most admire?

"On Netflix there is a series of programmes called Chef's Table. They focused on a chef called Jeong Kwan, a buddhist nun. The food she produces is phenomenal."

What’s your career ambition?

"Moving forward with Melleford, we will be opening in the evenings, offering evening dining of fresh, made from scratch food.  Our food and cocktails will be made using locally sourced products where possible."

(Image: Melleford)