Su Carroll finds a familiar face at the pass of a popular Devon restaurant
Many people are giving James Checkley, head chef at the family-run The Galley Restaurant in Topsham, a second glance these days. ‘Being on MasterChef: The Professionals has been a strange and surreal experience,’ he admits. ‘People will recognise me when I’m out. I’m so proud of what I did and I’m truly humbled by it. But it’s not about fame or recognition. All I’m doing is putting my food out there for people to see.’
The Michelin Guide has noticed James too, awarding The Galley a Bib Gourmand this March for great quality food at a reasonable price.
James, 35, has worked his way up in kitchens and his CV includes working with Michael Caines at The Royal Clarence in Exeter and Kentisbury Grange, at Exeter’s Harry’s Grill Bar, the Arundell Arms and Paschoe House where he was head chef before moving to The Galley last October.
The Galley has been a restaurant in Topsham’s High Street for more than 30 years. Nigel Mitchell, who bought it 12 years ago, has now handed the reins over to his son Patrick. An upstairs space was recently renovated to offer private dining and more covers and it is in the Michelin Guide and Hardens 2022.
James is excited about working there because it offers a chance to stay in his beloved Devon. ‘This is my home and I want to stay where I am from,’ says James, who grew up in Chudleigh. ‘I love Devon produce and markets. I came from a very humble background – my mum was a Wren and my dad was a submariner. When I was 12 they left Devon and moved to Somerset where they bought a pub. Mum was always a great cook and she was in charge of the kitchen. She came from North Yorkshire and there would be casseroles, roasts and lasagnes.
‘On Saturdays I would help out in the pub with peeling the spuds and getting the veg and it taught me about good quality ingredients.’
When an early ambition to be in a punk band failed (‘I couldn’t carry a tune in a wheelbarrow’) and his hearing ruled out a career as a chef in the Navy, he turned to catering college after a chance meeting with Gordon Ramsay. ‘I didn’t know what a Michelin star was, but it was food that attracted me the most.’
It’s his attention for detail and passion for produce that shapes the food James serves up at The Galley. ‘We do have a loyal customer base and people come back week after week, so we change the menus more. We want to make sure the guests leave happy. When they leave happy, they will come back and tell their friends. The main focus is on what they want.
‘It’s honest cookery and very seasonal. We are a fish restaurant and I love fish. I’m very proud of our fish dishes. We get our fish from Brixham or Cornwall and put our spin on it. We aren’t going to put 20 different elements on the dish. We will have three or four main elements. We have a poached pollock dish with stem broccoli which I also pickle so there is no waste.’
There are plenty of chefs James admires – part of the appeal in going on MasterChef: The Professionals was an opportunity to put his food in front of Marcus Wareing. ‘Scott Paton at Boringdon Hall in Plymouth is an inspiration to all of us,’ he says. ‘I really admire Michael Caines - he was the first fine dining chef I worked for - Paul Ainsworth, Simon Hulstone and Fred Clapperton at Coast in Saundersfoot. These people have achieved so much.’
After the Bib Gourmand, would James like to win a Michelin star for The Galley?
‘It’s a dream, not a goal. I have a great team and I want to make really good food to the best of my ability.’
