John Lounton is the Communications Manager at PSU based at our southern office in Camberley. He joined the company in January 2000 and was instrumental in the creation of the telecoms department. John’s main role is managing the engineers and sales support team at the Camberley office. However John hasn’t always worked in telecoms, he is one of the lucky people to have reached the top of one career then embraced a complete life change to learn new skills and improve his quality of life. In this article we’re going to focus on John’s original career as a chef.
D- Firstly can I thank you for agreeing to do this piece as I know it’s something that you don’t often talk about. In fact there’ll be many staff within PSU who’ll be surprised to learn about your life before telecoms. How did you get into catering?
J- After two years at catering college in the north east, I ended up in the big smoke where I started my career as a commis chef in 1976 in the Royal Garden Hotel overlooking Kensington Palace.
 
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D- How did your career progress?
J- Three years later after progressing through the ranks to Chef De Partie I was asked to join the brigade at the prestigious Chester Grosvenor Hotel. I then returned to London where I worked at the Park Lane Hilton for a short period where I then obtained a position as Sous Chef at the Dorchester Hotel Park Lane.
Half of the Brigade at the Dorchester. Mosimann seated front. The Sous Chefs were also allowed to sit. (Large Image)
 D- You’ve mentioned to me before that you’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the best chefs in the UK. Who would you say was the most influential?
J- The most influential by far was Anton Mosimann who I was privileged to work closely with for many years and travel extensively around the world. We still continue to meet up at the Dorchester reunion party, held every summer at his Mayfair Club. He was one of the first influential creators of Nouvelle Cuisine in the mid eighties and is still a highly regarded chef in the industry to date.
During my career at the Dorchester I was very fortunate to take part in the Culinary Olympics on two occasions. I won a silver medal on my first attempt but four years later and after 12 months intense preparation I achieved an individual gold and a total of four gold medals for the three man team.
John and his team's winning display at the Culinary Olympics
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D- You must have cooked for many famous people over the years. Are there any that you can mention here?
J- During my time at the Dorchester I was fortunate to meet and cook for many famous people. The best kept secret was the “Chefs Dining Room” situated within the kitchen where regulars like Jack Nicholson and Michael Douglas would join the chefs for lunch.
On many occasions state banquets would be held when many of the Royal family would attend along with heads of state. We would often cater for Prince Charles and Lady Dianna at the Sultan of Brunei sponsored “Dorchester Polo Cup”, held at Smiths Lawn in Windsor Park. Not only did the 30 chefs provide for the 200 guests we also catered for the other 70 Dorchester staff in attendance.
 
Top - Catering for 200 guests and 70 staff at the "Dorchester Polo Cup" held at Smiths Lawn. John fourth from right. Middle Left - Ponies and a royal carriage. Middle Right - Prince Charles collecting the winners trophy. Bottom - The Dorchester Team hard at work, John third from left.
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D- Working abroad must bring with it difficulties not experienced within a UK kitchen. How are these planned for and worked around?
 J- One unique occasion does spring to mind when I was asked to prepare a birthday banquet on board the Orient Express whilst travelling through the Swiss Alps.
Imagine trying to get 6 chefs into a six by three foot kitchen while doing 70mph and the train rocking back and forth. It was a very hot, claustrophobic but rewarding experience. The banquet was concluded in an alpine top castle with a champagne breakfast for the one hundred guests, whilst dancing to a Dixie band until the sun appeared over the mountain tops.
On another occasion I was asked to organise and prepare a wedding celebration in Hampton, New England for a Dorchester regular. This was pre email times and I had to rely on fax and snail mail to liaise with the customer and the catering suppliers in the US. Although it was difficult being on the other side of the Atlantic after 6 months preparation it was a great success.
John Lounton (R) pictured with Paul Reid (L) and Paul Bocuse, the unofficial French Ambassador of "Nouvelle Cuisine" (Large Image)
D- Many years ago Keith Floyd revolutionised the presentation of cookery programs on TV and from those humble beginnings the viewing public have been inundated with this genre across all channels. It now seems that the viewing public have a hunger for hybrid programs embracing both cookery and reality, the latest of which seem to have all been hosted by Gordon Ramsey. Do you choose to watch this type of TV, and if you do, does it accurately portray life in a busy kitchen?
J- To a degree some chef’s programmes are very accurate. It can be at times a stressful and unforgiving environment as it is a highly regimented industry. “It’s not for the faint hearted!”
 D- Do you admire Gordon’s management style or do you think he plays it up to make entertaining TV?
J- Ramsay achieves his impeccable standards through his own unique management style but, my managent skills were influenced by Mossiman who was a gentleman at all times and achieved the same high standards.
Mark Kirk (L), John Lounton (C) and Willi Elsner (R) in the Dorchester's Penthouse and Pavilion. Willi (R) succeeded Anton Mossiman as Head Chef and is now Director of Catering, Restaurant & Bars, Jumeriah International, Dubai. Mark (L) is now the Director of Food and Beverages at the Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel in Taipei. (Large Image)
D- Heston Blumenthal, media personality and Head Chef at the Fat Duck in Bray (and incidentally a client of PSU) promotes a style of cookery that many of us would regard as more at home in a chemistry laboratory. His current tasting menu offers diners snail porridge, salmon poached with liquorice and bacon and egg ice cream . Do you regard this fusion of unexpected flavours and textures as improving the British public’s palate?
 J- This Michelin starred chef is very innovative in his approach to cooking and is known in the industry as “The Professor”. Any help in improving the British palate has to be a good thing and it’s refreshing to see his unique combinations being offered at the world renowned Fat Duck.
  D- Finally, if ordering three courses and wine ‘a la carte’, what would you choose?
J- Anything with Foie Gras and Louis Roederer Cristal.
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