Andy Bradbury, head chef at The Cotton Mill, Warrington, shares his influences.

The essential ingredient every kitchen must have is...

A good quality olive oil.

When I spent time in Spain, I had it drilled into me as it’s essential in Mediterranean cooking.

The first kitchen I worked in was...

The Hatton Arms in Hatton. As it was on the Daresbury estate, I had the pleasure of learning how to butcher and cook fresh game regularly while picking the brains of the gamekeepers on the different seasons and how to check for quality and freshness.

My first professional job was...

As junior sous chef at Paddington House. It was really hard work setting the wedding, buffets and functions up while also doing daily table d’hôte and bar menus.

But it kept my mind fresh while advancing my skills to produce new dishes all the time.

The first dish I prepared for service...

For the opening of the restaurant ‘Passion’ in Spain, I did bouillabaisse – a type of fish stew – but I changed it slightly to a more Catalan style and used what I found in the fish counter. I had some real foodies in and managed to pull it off.

The key was the freshness and vibrancy of the dish and explaining my twist to the customers.

The signature dish which people associate with me...

Before it became popular again, I did slow roasted pork belly with a butterbean fricassee and topped with tomato jam – this one’s a real winner.

The key is getting the crackling spot on, it should be able to break with tapping it with the back of a spoon.

My biggest kitchen disaster was…

At a barbecue in Spain. I decided to do paella, not a good idea when your guests have been cooking this dish day in day out for years. Let’s just say I stuck to the grill and let the lovely ladies do what they do best!

My favourite chefs are...

Firstly Gordon Ramsay as he showed the importance of fresh local produce and the seriousness of getting everything right from top to bottom, then Jamie Oliver for his sheer quirkiness and getting the nation to enjoy cooking.

Away from the restaurant my favourite meal is...

Mixed grill from a little restaurant in Ibiza. The chef has all the meats hung up and the meat is cut to order. He then grills it with a little garlic and serves with sautéed potatoes. The meat is so tender you can put a butter knife through it.

Simple, but delicious.