Justin Miller, now 26, holds the Guinness World Record title for becoming the world’s youngest chef at the age of 12. He tells us the secret behind a successful restaurant and a good chef
Q How long have you been cooking professionally?
I have cooked in many restaurant kitchens since 1995, when I made pizza with a famous chef named Wolfgang Puck in his restaurant, Spago, in Los Angeles. Since then I have cooked on television more than 250 times and in many restaurants near my hometown in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
Q How did you get interested in cooking?
I have always had a natural calling towards the kitchen. When I was three, my idol was celebrity chef Graham Kerr. I loved watching his television show, ‘The Galloping Gourmet’.
Q Where did you train to cook?
When I was seven, I was introduced to Johnson and Wales University in Providence Rhode Island, thanks to my mentor, Chef Rick Tarantino. I received training at Johnson and Wales. They taught me things like how to handle a knife properly, the technique of flambé... We also used the kitchen to create some dishes that have appeared in my cookbooks, such as mushroom mountain.
Q What is the secret behind a successful restaurant?
The food has to be of a high quality. Consistency is also very important so the customer knows what to expect when he visits the restaurant the next time. A children’s menu is crucial as it makes families feel at home . Size of portions and nutritive value are elements that I believe are very important.
Q How would you describe your style of cooking?
In a word, I would say, ‘basic’. I would like to encourage children to get into the kitchen with their parents. I believe cooking is essential for the education of kids.You learn things like maths, science and art. Take it from me, I hate fractions, but cooking has helped me learn to appreciate fractions.
Q What's the key factor every chef should have?
When dealing with food in the service industry, you have to be passionate about it, or nothing will ever work out.
Q Any advice for someone wanting to become a chef?
I would tell them to go for it. If it is your dream, chase it. There is hard work in being a chef, but that smile from someone who was satisfied by your food is all the reward you need.