Phil Keen - a Profile by Ed Bakker

I had the pleasure interviewing Phil Keen, the newly appointed Chef of Seagar's Cook school & Café in Oxford and in the company of Jo Seagar, well-known New Zealand cooking & entertainment celebrity, who is the driving force behind this new enterprise in Oxford, North Canterbury.

Ed: Phil, I am very interested to hear about your career and background prior to joining Jo in her new enterprise.

Phil: My career spans over a period of 33 years. I commenced training as an apprentice for the licensing trust at the Brydone Hotel in Oamaru. This followed by stints at the ski fields and Christchurch hotels. In my early twenties I decided to have my O.E. but I ended up in Sydney, Australia and applied for the vacancy of Executive Sous Chef at the Regent Hotel. Eventually I was interviewed by the concierge, who told me that I was a very brave boy applying ( 23 ). In the end and in spite of all the C.V.’s floating around of those, who trained in London and Paris I got the job as a Commis Chef instead. I moved on to the Sheraton Sydney and was then promoted to Chef Tourney at the Sheraton Brisbane hotel. This was a very interesting job, as the role of a Chef Tournant is to fill in everywhere where there is a gap in the various kitchen functions. I made it to Executive Sous Chef. Then back to New Zealand where I was involved in setting up the Cotswold Motels, from there I moved on to being the Executive Chef at the Travelodge and for 4 ½ years I have been a tutor at the Christchurch Polytechnic. Chef Andrew Brown of the Millennium Hotel is one of ‘ his boys’.

Ed: How did you meet Jo Seagar Phil? Or how did you meet Phil Jo?

Jo: I talked to Andrew Brown, who is in the Chef’s Association, as I was keen to get the word out amongst the Chefs that I was looking for Someone for my Cook School & Café .I knew Andrew, because I worked with him in ‘ Taste Canterbury’. In the end I heard about Phil from three different angles and put the planned newspaper advertisement on hold. In Phil I found Someone, who shared the passion for the whole idea of Seagar's Cook School & Café . As it is lifestyle job, I took the opportunity also to meet Phil’s wife and family, so that everyone knew where they were. I would also say that setting up a new business at an older age is ideal, because one draws on a life time of experience.

Ed: Phil, thanks, now I have an insight into your former career, you moved around from challenge to challenge and gained all this valuable experience. Now at Seagar’s Cook School & Café your are facing a different challenge.

Phil: It is definitely a different type of challenge, which I like very much. To start a business from scratch, just looking at the building plans and all this in perhaps a remote part of Canterbury. There is a lot of good food available in North Canterbury, the public does not know too much about it when they drive through the area. We plan to change this.

Ed: Would the emphasis be on local produce on the menu ?

Jo: Yes we will draw on the region. We are very seasonal and enjoy great variety at different times of the year. For instance we won't import mineral water, as we can source this in its appropriate season from our region and why import asparagus if you can draw on locally produced asparagus.

Ed: Phil, your family are they quite pleased with your move ?

Phil: Yes, they share my passion. My wife also loves to cook and takes great pleasure in entertaining others with good food.

Jo: For Phil this is a great opportunity to have a real piece of the action.We hope it will be Phil's final move in his career.The scope of making Seagar’s Cook School & Café into a thriving business is wide: e.g. catering at weddings & functions, the Café, a take home service for gourmet meals, we are here to supply the demand and we are excited about the possibilities.

Ed: Thank you both for your time.

( Ed Bakker is the webmaster for Seagar's Cook School &Café )

 

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