Sous Chef, The French Laundry, California
Winner of the Roux Scholarship 2022, Jonathan Ferguson took time out of his busy schedule at the world famous, three-star Michelin restaurant, The French Laundry to talk to us about this exciting stage in his career.
What attracted you to The French Laundry?
The French Laundry is an iconic restaurant, so many great cooks and service professionals have passed through its doors and gone on to become hospitality industry leaders in their own right. For me, and most others, it began with The French Laundry Cookbook (which celebrated its 25th Anniversary in November of this year). I became infatuated with everything about the book, the recipes, the produce, the photography, the stories about the long list of purveyors and artisans the restaurant was connected to. I’d always wanted to visit, and when the opportunity given through The Roux Scholarship presented itself, it became an easy decision as to where I wanted to go. Flash forward 18 months from that initial experience and I’m back but in a full time capacity as Sous Chef. The biggest draw to me was finding a position in a kitchen where I could grow as a Manager, which has proven to be a great move so far.
Is there added pressure to working in a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars?
It definitely isn’t easy! Every restaurant job is tough for their own reasons, but in a 3 Michelin starred restaurant it is about relentless consistency. That isn’t just about the food on the plate, it’s things like how we cook, how we clean, how we conduct ourselves with our peers, how we sharpen a knife, how we carry ourselves when we speak to guests, even how you fold your dish towels on your station. Everything is carefully considered.
Do you find there are differences between working in a professional kitchen in the USA and in the UK?
Culture is a huge thing here, there is definitely a big emphasis on looking after the staff in the USA in terms of their welfare. I’m sat typing this outside in 20C weather in early December, and that California sunshine definitely makes a difference! The restaurant teams (and restaurants) are definitely bigger in the US too, I moved from a team of around 6 at Glenturret serving 24 covers per day, to a kitchen team of over 40 serving up to 140 guests per day.
Do The French Laundry approach cooking with a sustainable view?
I think any restaurant that has been around as long as The French Laundry has to display some kind of sustainability. It’s incredibly important, we definitely work with what we can get in California when it is at its best, which really does show. I was blown away by the stone fruits and melons this summer, they were very special.
Do you dream of having your own restaurant?
It’s too hard a profession to not be aiming for that longer term. I’ve always said I would love to operate somewhere right in the heart of Scotland, and that is absolutely still an aspiration one day. I love the idea of a property so remote and peaceful that people have to travel to get there, and as part of a package you have to stay overnight too. I think hospitality should extend far beyond just the dining element of it.
Do you live in the Napa Valley?
I do! I live in downtown Napa, which I love. It can be peaceful and relaxing if you want it to be, or a great night out. There are loads of iconic wineries very nearby too, which is something I’m enjoying learning more about on days off work. The golf is great too, but I do miss Scottish courses…
San Francisco is always a great time, and LA is an hour flight away which is pretty cool. North of Napa there is a town called Healdsburg which has some of the best driving roads I’ve seen, through the Redwoods. Naturally most day trips revolve around food or wine for me, but sometimes I like to just get in the car, drop the roof down and drive. I’m still not taking the lack of rain for granted.
How do you feel being a Columban has prepared you for your career?
Confidence. I don’t mean that in the arrogant sense, but the culture of the school definitely helped me to realise my own potential, once I discovered how much joy I took from cooking it became easy to back myself. That confidence is what allowed me to pack my bags and move to the other side of the world from a lot of friends and family. I feel it would have been significantly more daunting without that level of self-belief.
Thank you Jonnie!
