Following on from the success of The Moody Cow in Apperley Bridge, the team opened up a sister site in the idyllic town of Ilkley. Tapping in to the laid back flow of this rural town, The Moody Cow is the perfect place to sit back and watch the world pass you by while also tucking in to some seriously good food! (check out our review at the end of the post) Steak lovers will be delighted by the selection of cuts available and if you’re not sold on the idea of meat, they also offer some great house specialities such as charred squash salad, buttermilk strips and chicken fajitas. The in-house team at The Moody Cow has been specifically selected to ensure that the service is as up to scratch as the food. One of the mainstays at The Moody Cow is Florin who was taken on from the previous inhabitants of The Moody Cow. Florin has an eye for impeccable food and standards which is highlighted by the fact he’s worked his way up from Kitchen Porter to Sous Chef Here’s what he had to say… Meet Florin – The Moody Cow Ilkley Q – Where are you originally from? A – Hi, I’m originally from Bucharest, Romania where I lived most of my life. Q – When did you first become interested in cooking? A – My first contact with a professional kitchen was roughly five years ago, I was toying with the idea of University but decided that path was not for me and viewed the hospitality industry as a direction I wanted to explore in greater detail so started looking for a job at Commis Chef level Q – Who was your biggest inspiration? A – I don’t have specific source of inspiration or a chef that inspires me really, I try to borrow ideas from anyone or anything. Then back in the kitchen I look to put my own signature to the dishes I create. This is a principle I carry with me through all of challenges and conquests in my life. Q – What changes have you seen, if any, in the way the restaurant world has changed? ie have peoples tastes changed, do people expect more nowadays etc..? A – Having only been in the professional kitchen for five years I feel I can’t really pass an accurate opinion, having said that I can there are two distinct customers a) the ones who enjoy their favourite foods and tend to order the same dishes time after time b) ones who like to explore different tastes and cuisines to excite the palate. Neither is right or wrong but I certainly find myself in the latter as I always look to expand my knowledge of foods from around the world One definitive I can say for sure… everyone is looking for tasty food. Q – What has been your biggest success to date? A – Personally I believe a full restaurant of happy and well fed customers is the biggest satisfaction and success for me so far. I have a long way to go with my career so I hope my biggest success is yet to come. Others have described me as a person who is never satisfied and happy to stand still, I continually look to do better, learn more and have more Q – What’s the must try dish on your menu? A – I have a few favourite dishes at the moment but I’m going to be bias and choose my Confit Belly Pork with Pan Fried King Prawns and a Beurre Noisette, a simple dish with big flavours Q – What would be your tip for upcoming chefs? A – Any advice I quote can only come from my personal beliefs Do what you like, be a Chef because you want to be and not just to pay bills and have a job Always look to learn, expand your knowledge and understanding of food Never believe there are limits Q – Finally, If you could summarise, what do you believe good cooking is all about? A – Good cooking is all about tastes and flavours. It’s not just about plaiting fancy food which is flavourless as this not going to bring the customers back, I have seen to many instances where a lack of seasoning has killed the dish and I step back and ask myself why? Salt is the most basic and irreplaceable ingredient in a kitchen and should be used with respect to bring the flavours of a dish to life. If you want to see what we thought of the food when we reviewed The Moody Cow click here