by Sarah Crocker
Kerryann Dunlop was among the 15 trainees who made it into Jamie Oliver's kitchen - and survived! Channel 4 is re-broadcasting Jamie's Kitchen, about the celeb chef whipping out-of-work kids into shape, starting Tuesday 5 August, 10pm.
The first time it aired, millions followed the project - the setting up of a non-profit making restaurant in east London where he trained 15 underprivileged youngsters to become chefs in just four months.
We winced at some of the students' antics - when they turned up late for class, sulked, swore, or even quit. But one of the trainees who didn't give up is Kerryann Dunlop. She was the star of the show, loud and boisterous and sometimes downright cheeky, but she stuck with it. Now, this talented trainee is running her own section at Jamie's Fifteen restaurant.
Fifteen has just won Best Restaurant at the Tatler Restaurant Awards and is fully booked for the next few months. We spoke to Kerryann while she grabbed a break at the busy restaurant ...
iVillage: Thanks very much for chatting to us on a Friday night, it's probably your busiest time. What section are you working on at the moment, or do you tend to do a bit of everything?
Kerryann Dunlop: We're all doing little bits of everything really, but at the moment I'm running the pastry section. I'm on desserts, which I like because you get to make loads of nice stuff!
iVillage: How has Fifteen been going?
KD: Everyone's still really excited, we're all still really enjoying everything. We do get tired, but the happiness of working in the kitchen and stuff, and seeing everyone enjoying our food, kind of makes up for it.
iVillage: Have you found being in a working kitchen a lot tougher than the training you went through?
KD: No it's not, actually. As long as you know exactly what you've got to do and you don't miss anything out, you can make it as easy or as hard as you like really. The late nights and early mornings are tough. I've left here at 1.30 in the morning sometimes and had to be back in by 7.30am.
iVillage: Now that you've been doing it for a few months, do you think you want to stick it out as a chef?
KD: Yes, definitely. I'm going to be a chef!
iVillage: What's it like being a woman in the kitchen?
KD: The only women in the kitchen are trainees. It's alright though, we don't get treated any differently - it's very equal in our kitchen.
iVillage: What were you doing before you joined the course?
KD: I was training at Butler's Wharf Chef School, but it closed down. I was a bit disheartened about it because I was really enjoying it there and when it closed I thought, "Maybe this isn't for me". So then I was just doing bits and pieces for a while, helping out a friend part-time in a second hand TV repair shop and things. And then I got the application form for this. I filled it in and sent it off, and here I am!
iVillage: What's the most important lesson you've learned so far from your experiences as a trainee chef?
KD: Always be prepared, like when you're ready to start service for example. Don't be afraid to ask questions about where food comes from, and that sort of stuff. And also try new things - I've eaten things now that I never would have eaten before. I mean when we went to Italy and I ate a whole baby red mullet! I was like, "What? No way!" but I ate it - bones and everything! It's important to try new things, and just to experience them, even if you don't like it, nobody's going to force you to eat it again!
iVillage: How does it make you feel that Fifteen has been shortlisted for Best New Restaurant at the Carlton London Restaurant Awards?
KD: It makes us feel really proud, and not only that, but it's exciting as well because we know how hard it was to open the restaurant and get it done on time. It's a really big achievement for all of us.
iVillage: You had a few run-ins with Jamie - do you get on now?
KD: Aww, he's great. He's like a big brother or best friend to me now.
iVillage: Do you still swear at him?
KD: Hmm, do I still swear at him? Do I have to answer that one? No I don't swear, I'm too scared to - the newspapers might say I'm getting sacked again!