Paul Faulkner | Executive Chef
Paul isn't your stereotypical chef. He's not a loud or aggressive character. He doesn't shower expletives if something's not going right. He doesn't throw plates or pans. He is softly spoken, thoughtful and focussed. He is a different breed.
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Paul prefers to leave others to chat. In the past he would just let his food speak for him. He’s more authoritative and communicative now, in part because he is older, in part because of the success he’s had in creating and selling his own successful business, Brassica Grill in Heaton Moor. People respect Paul.
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He has been with The Victorian Chop House Company twice.
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Once we headhunted him. He opened the Albert Square Chop House for us and was instrumental in securing its food reputation. Albert’s has been in the Good Food Guide every year since 2013.
More recently Paul approached us to return as Head Chef of Mr Thomas’s as part of our plan to restore Tom’s to its place at the top table in the city. We want Tom’s to be recognised as one of the ten best places to eat in Manchester.
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He now fronts our fight for survival in CoronaGeddon.
This is his menu. These are his dishes. He has many favourite children, but he suspects the corned beef hash will be the winner.
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Paul trained at Stanneylands in Handforth under the celebrated Iain Donald. He made his name at The Modern in Urbis, where he won restaurant of the year in 2009, after a stint at Zinc and a spell in London, where he worked at the Harvey Nichols, OXO Tower and Knightsbridge restaurants.
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Outside work Paul used to play squash, but doesn’t any more. He follows Man City, but he’s not religious about it. Instead he likes to eat out with his partner Sarah. Partly as a date, partly as research. He likes to see what’s happening, what can inspire him. As he puts it, “I just like the food really.”
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That’s what you want in a chef really.
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Sarah works for the NHS at Wythenshaw Hospital which is why Paul is at the heart of the work we do to provide free food for hospital workers.