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Food Industry News

Interview with Shauna Froydenlund representing N.Ireland on Great British Menu


Interview with Shauna Froydenlund representing N.Ireland on Great British Menu


"Props are a tough one. For me its always about the food, but you have to tell a story on the plate. I did not go too prop heavy and made it personal. "
Shauna Froydenlund



Shauna Froydenlund, joint chef patron and business partner of Marcus, returns to Great British Menu for the second time to represent Northern Ireland. Women In the Food Industry spoke to Shauna about her experience.

Originally from Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Shauna comes from a family of restaurateurs. Her father and her aunt have had restaurants her whole childhood and her father remains a great source of inspiration to her. While studying the business side of hospitality at Sheffield Hallam University Shauna had a  placement year at Petrus with Marcus Wareing. Shauna said "It was the first professional kitchen I walked into. I cooked for the whole time I was there and went back to Sheffield to finish my degree. When I had graduated, I had the bug for cooking, so I returned to London as I had kept in touch with Marcus Wareing & Chantelle Nicholson (who I was closely working with). Marcus had moved on from Petrus and was now at the newly opened Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley."

Shauna is now joint chef patron of Marcus with her husband Mark, who she met at the restuarant. The couple have a two year old daughter and always have a family day together outside of the restaurant which they never miss. Shauna is proud of her work at Marcus which has changed immensely since she joined: "I think about what that restaurant was like, when I walked in as a 19 year old, to what it’s like now, and it’s is like chalk and cheese.  It’s an amazing place to be, we’ve got a massive team and a committed team and I am really most proud about how its moved on."

When asked if she thought there was extra pressure to represent Northern Ireland on Great British Menu as she had been on the show before. She said "The first time I did it was nerve wracking and I was kind of terrified when I look back on it. I took it too seriously I think. The NHS  brief was serious, but they do want it to be fun as well as you are showcasing your personality. This time round I felt more relaxed. But there is huge pressure, when you’ve done it before as people expect you to know what you are doing."

"The old kitchen was quite tough to work in. It was much smaller and unbelievably hot and this kitchen is luxury in comparison. It’s an amazing set up. There is loads of space and you actually forget the camera is there as a result.  With an extra chef in the kitchen, I thought it might be cramped, but it wasn’t it created more of a buzz, which was great."

On preparing for this year's Great British Menu theme of children's literature, Shauna said  "My sister is a primary school teacher and my mum was a primary school teacher, so books and bedtime stories were always big in our family. I am one of four children and my mum still has all our old childhood books at home. Also having a young daughter, I read to her every night."

You can read the full interview with Shauna Froydenlund on Great British Menu here and find out more about her background, which dishes she found most challenging and who inspires her in the food industry. 

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