Elisha Carter
Encyclopedia
Elisha Carter is a British chef who appeared in the BBC
television series Great British Menu
in 2008. He is Head Chef at the The Landau restaurant located in The Langham, London
.
, and got his love of food from his mother. He went to Pimlico School
where he studied Home Economics
at GCE O-Level
and for a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education (CPVE) in Hospitality
. As part of his CPVE studies, he went on a work experience placement for two weeks to Shell House
to work in the directors' private dining room, which prompted him to decide to be a chef.
Carter started his career with a two year apprenticeship at the Ritz Hotel
. He then became a commis chef at the Gleneagles Hotel
in Scotland
where he stayed for over a year, and in 1992, he went to work at John Burton Race
's two-Michelin-starred restaurant L'Ortolan in Reading, Berkshire
. Burton Race sent him to train with Raymond Blanc
at his two-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
in Oxfordshire and at Ledoyen in Paris
. In 1997, Carter returned to London
to work at Leith's
restaurant and then for Richard Corrigan
at Lyndsay House, Soho
, and at the Foliage restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. He came to prominence as head chef at Lola's in Islington
in 2003, where his signature dish was Duck Three Ways, a boned duck separated into three parts, with each cooked in a different way. He later became the head chef at the Silk restaurant at the Courthouse Hotel Kempinski in Great Marlborough Street
, and then head chef at the Sharpham Park restaurant at Charlton House hotel in Somerset
. He was awarded the "Somerset Life" Chef of the year 2007 and awarded the Silver Medal for Bath chef of the year 2007. In September 2008 he moved to The Landau’s kitchens and in October 2009 became Head Chef.
Giles Coren
, restaurant critic of The Times
, described him in 2005 as being "...a young chef of mercurial genius...". Carter featured on the BBC
television programme Indian Food Made Easy, and appeared in the BBC
television series Great British Menu
in 2008, where he lost to Chris Horridge, head chef at The Bath Priory hotel, in the South West region final.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series Great British Menu
Great British Menu
Great British Menu is a BBC television series in which top British chefs compete for the chance to cook one course of a four course banquet. The first series banquet was for the Queen on her 80th birthday. The second series was to cook for the British Ambassador to France at the British Embassy...
in 2008. He is Head Chef at the The Landau restaurant located in The Langham, London
Langham Hotel, London
The Langham, London is one of the largest and best known traditional style grand hotels in London. It is in the district of Marylebone on Langham Place and faces up Portland Place towards Regent's Park. It is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World marketing consortium.- History :The Langham,...
.
Biography
Carter was born in North LondonNorth London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
, and got his love of food from his mother. He went to Pimlico School
Pimlico School
Pimlico Academy is a secondary school in the Pimlico area of Westminster, London. The school is a specialist Arts College.-Architecture:The previous school building was designed by John Bancroft of the Greater London Council's architecture department and was built in 1967-70...
where he studied Home Economics
Home Economics
Home economics is the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community...
at GCE O-Level
Ordinary Level
The O-level is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education . It was introduced as part of British educational reform in the 1950s alongside the more in-depth and academically rigorous Advanced Level in England, Wales and Northern Ireland A-level...
and for a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education (CPVE) in Hospitality
Hospitality
Hospitality is the relationship between guest and host, or the act or practice of being hospitable. Specifically, this includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, resorts, membership clubs, conventions, attractions, special events, and other services for travelers...
. As part of his CPVE studies, he went on a work experience placement for two weeks to Shell House
Shell Mex House
Shell Mex House is situated at number 80, Strand, London, UK. The current building was built in 1930-31 on the site of the Hotel Cecil and stands behind the original facade of the Hotel and between the Adelphi and the Savoy Hotel. Broadly Art Deco in style, it was designed by the architectural...
to work in the directors' private dining room, which prompted him to decide to be a chef.
Carter started his career with a two year apprenticeship at the Ritz Hotel
Ritz Hotel
The Ritz London is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Piccadilly and overlooking Green Park in London.- History :Swiss hotelier César Ritz, former manager of the Savoy Hotel, opened the hotel on 24 May 1906...
. He then became a commis chef at the Gleneagles Hotel
Gleneagles Hotel
The Gleneagles Hotel is a luxury hotel near Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland.- History :The hotel was built by the former Caledonian Railway Company and opened in 1924, originally with its own railway station...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
where he stayed for over a year, and in 1992, he went to work at John Burton Race
John Burton Race
John Burton Race is a British michelin starred chef, television personality and celebrity chef, made famous by the Channel 4 series French Leave and its sequel Return of the Chef and I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.-Biography:John Burton Race, successful Michelin Star chef, television...
's two-Michelin-starred restaurant L'Ortolan in Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. Burton Race sent him to train with Raymond Blanc
Raymond Blanc
Raymond Blanc OBE is a French chef, born in Besançon, France. Today he is one of the Britain's most respected chefs. Blanc is the owner and chef at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, a hotel-restaurant in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, England. The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scored 9/10 in the...
at his two-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons is a luxury hotel-restaurant in the village of Great Milton near Oxford, in Oxfordshire, England. It is located in an historic manor house near the church that was visited by Oliver Cromwell.The restaurant has two Michelin stars and scores 9/10 in the Good Food Guide...
in Oxfordshire and at Ledoyen in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1997, Carter returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to work at Leith's
Prue Leith
Prudence Margaret Leith, CBE is a restaurateur, caterer, TV cook, broadcaster and cookery writer. She was born in South Africa, with her working life spent mostly in London, England....
restaurant and then for Richard Corrigan
Richard Corrigan
Richard Corrigan is an Irish chef born in Dublin but raised in Ballivor, County Meath.Corrigan achieved a Michelin Star in 1998 and has been awarded many other culinary accolades, including Outstanding London Chef at the London Restaurant Awards. He is Chef/Patron of Corrigans in Mayfair...
at Lyndsay House, Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, and at the Foliage restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. He came to prominence as head chef at Lola's in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
in 2003, where his signature dish was Duck Three Ways, a boned duck separated into three parts, with each cooked in a different way. He later became the head chef at the Silk restaurant at the Courthouse Hotel Kempinski in Great Marlborough Street
Great Marlborough Street
Great Marlborough Street runs west to east through the western part of Soho in London. At its western end it joins Regent Street. Streets intersecting, or meeting with, Great Marlborough Street are, from west to east, Kingly Street, Argyll Street, Carnaby Street, and Poland Street...
, and then head chef at the Sharpham Park restaurant at Charlton House hotel in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. He was awarded the "Somerset Life" Chef of the year 2007 and awarded the Silver Medal for Bath chef of the year 2007. In September 2008 he moved to The Landau’s kitchens and in October 2009 became Head Chef.
Giles Coren
Giles Coren
Giles Coren is a British food critic, television presenter and novelist. He is known for expressing controversial opinions, and for his television appearances with the comedian Sue Perkins.-Personal:...
, restaurant critic of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, described him in 2005 as being "...a young chef of mercurial genius...". Carter featured on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television programme Indian Food Made Easy, and appeared in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series Great British Menu
Great British Menu
Great British Menu is a BBC television series in which top British chefs compete for the chance to cook one course of a four course banquet. The first series banquet was for the Queen on her 80th birthday. The second series was to cook for the British Ambassador to France at the British Embassy...
in 2008, where he lost to Chris Horridge, head chef at The Bath Priory hotel, in the South West region final.