Success story London - Meet Simon Rogan

"My passion for cooking began when I was a teenager, working in a fish and chip shop. It was a simple job, but it made me want to go to school and pursue a career in catering. I then had the chance to work in Paris, at Lucas Carton, but my heart remained British. That's why, in 2002, I moved with my partner Penny Tapsell to Cumbria, in the north of England, to open the restaurant L'Enclume (editor's note: two Michelin stars). It was there that I began to use the technique of 'foraging', which involves making the most of local ingredients. The region is full of fresh produce that inspires my cooking, and we have our own five-hectare farm near Cartmel, which supplies us all year round with vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit. At L'Enclume, my chefs and I have set up a sort of 'research and development' kitchen where we invent new dishes and think up new flavours. At Claridge's, where I've been working since last spring - a real privilege to be working in one of London's most iconic hotels - we're developing a similar project. Le Fera has the same ethos as L'Enclume: our menus are as 'British' as possible and the ingredients come from small producers or from our farm. Of course, we add a touch of luxury to the dishes, because it's a prestigious venue, but we're strict about the choice of produce. This rigour allows us to remain creative.