07 May 2024
We ask a different figure from the local community to choose 10 questions to answer from a list of 50. This week: Phil Thompson, chef and restaurateur, and the owner of THOMPSON St Albans. Awarded a third AA Rosette at the end of 2017 – the only restaurant in Hertfordshire to have this prestigious honour – THOMPSON St Albans has always held an impressive score in the Good Food Guide.
What’s the first thing you do after you’ve woken up in the morning?
Probably the nicest thing for me is a coffee in bed, if I’m in the good books me fiancée, Marianne brings me one, drinking that and thinking about my day ahead.
Who was your first best friend?
When I was four a family moved two doors down from us in Dagenham, their son James is still my best mate 42 years later, there isn’t much we haven’t done together.
What’s your worst habit?
Marianne would say not answering a question or wiggling my feet when watching TV, I’d say sticking my tongue out when concentrating, as a kid when I played snooker with my dad he would say “You’re supposed to pot the balls not lick them clean!”
If you could have a conversation with someone who had died who would it be?
My Mum, I lost her just over a year ago, she loved to know how my week was or what famous person I’d cooked for.
If you could travel back in time and offer your younger self some advice, what would it be?
Be more confident, don’t be scared to take more risks and don’t let people take advantage of you.
What’s your favourite meal?
Family roast served family style at the dinner table, NO MOBILE PHONES!!!
Have you ever had a nickname?
Coming from Dagenham, working in kitchens in London as a kid I was called Daggers or Dags; even now at 46 I’m still known as Dags.
Which three people, living or dead, would be your ideal dinner party guests?
Sir David Attenborough as I could listen to him talk all day long, Billy Connolly as his stories would have us all in bits plus my Mum Loved him and Ray Winstone #Legend.
Do you have any phobias? This is a bit of a weird one but penguins, they fully freak me out.
Where in St Albans would be your preferred choice for a sandwich?
I’ve got to say the Reuben at Hatch is a naughty sandwich.
