Chef Name: Justine Murphy
Age: 37
Title: Founder and CEO of mymuybueno.
Awards: Seven Great Taste Awards.
How old were you when you started cooking professionally?
26.
What’s your earliest and fondest first memory of food?
I worked at a shellfish bar in Newquay, Cornwall when I was 14 and it instilled in me a love of beautiful ingredients and their preparation. It’s also where I learnt I was severely allergic to crab.
Which chefs inspire you most and why?
There are so many, all marching to the beat of their own drum. Daniel Humm is hugely inspiring, as is René Redzepi. They are both delivering new and exciting techniques as well as fearlessly pushing up standards in the industry, fuelled by their absolute passion and respect for their ingredients. Their work is inspiring so many chefs worldwide and their influence is clear to see when chefs around the globe are tagging their new dishes #mymuybuenochefs and so many of these dishes contain elements inspired by these great talents. Their work ethic, as well as their dishes, are to be admired.
What are your two favourite cookbooks and why?
I first started cooking when I was 16 and living on my own, I trusted and relied heavily upon Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course. It guided me through many years of cooking and provided the confidence to experiment once I had grasped the foundation of cookery. I’ll still pick it up now, dog-eared as it is, if I want a trusted go-to recipe. Thai Food by David Thompson has become a much-loved favourite in recent years.
Which two ingredients could you not live without?
Salt and chilli.
What is your favourite comfort food to cook at home?
A roast dinner with all the trimmings every single time. It signifies comfort and family for me.
If you could eat at any Michelin star restaurant in the world today, where would it be and why?
Gaggan in Thailand. As a lover of spice, Chef Gaggan Anand’s menu both excites and intrigues me. I’d like to try to visit before he closes to move on to Japan.
And who would you take as your guest?
It would be my husband Paul or my best friend Michelle. Both are big foodies, and both are people I would want to share the experience with, as well as the precious quality time. I’d love to be able to spoil them.
What do you look for in a good chef?
Whether it’s in my Private Chef Agency, Deli or Cookery School, I look for individuals who showcase these five core values. Pride, Integrity, Ambition, Passion and Love.
What advice would you give to chefs starting their career paths now?
Work hard and let your passion and love for what you are doing drive you. Everything is possible by doing just that.
Justine Murphy is the Founder and CEO of mymuybueno.
mymuybueno is a luxury food and lifestyle brand with multiple divisions within the group, based in Mallorca and London.
mymuybueno: www.mymuybueno.com
mymuybueno Private Chefs: www.mymuybuenoprivatechefs.com
mymuybueno Deli: www.mymuybuenodeli.com
mymuybueno Interior: www.mymuybuenointerior.com
mymuybueno Luxuryware: www.mymuybuenoluxuryware.com
mymuybueno Lifestyle: www.mymuybuenolifestyle.com
mymuybueno Cookery School: www.mymuybuenocookeryschool.com
Showcasing top talent by Chefs posting globally. Featuring your best plated work as to excite and inspire others. #mymuybuenochefsto tag your images.
Instagram:
Justine Murphy: @mymuybueno
mymuybueno Chefs: @mymuybuenochefs
mymuybueno Deli: @mymuybuenodeli
mymuybueno Cookery School: @mymuybuenocookeryschool
