At the age of 9 I wanted to be a Chef. My parents dined out all the time, and as kids, my sister and brother and I often accompanied them to the various restaurants they visited.

In the weekends, they hosted lunch and dinner parties, and the food served was largely influenced by the subscription they had to 'Cordon Bleu' magazine. Every month, when a new issue arrived, they would progressively cook every recipe in it so I knew the difference between a Profiterole and an Eclair by the time I was 13! Other times, my father would lock himself in the kitchen on a Sunday and just cook; the men in my family have always cooked.

I have lived most of my life on the Kapiti Coast and spent most of my working life in Wellington. I opened my first restaurant, with my wife Julia, at the age of 21. Giverny, in Upper Willis Street, was the first opportunity I had to truly express and develop my very strong beliefs about food and dining.

I still hold many of those beliefs today, after more than 10 years at Brasserie Flipp, 2 years at Ramses Restaurant in Auckland and 3 years in Port Douglas, Australia.

My very simple beliefs have resulted in more than just a few awards, and in a devoted group of diners who have followed me for the last decade.

My business partner, Gavin Bradley, and I searched for a location to create a largely seafood based restaurant that offered New Zealand's most unique dining experience.

I believe this very simple philosophy has never come to life in a more vibrant way than it has at the Yacht Club restaurant.