Michelin star for former Keith pupil turned top chef
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A FORMER Keith pupil turned top chef had a Burns Night to remember last night when his restaurant was awarded a prestigious Michelin star.
Justin Sharp (44) is head chef at Pea Porridge, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, which he owns alongside his Lithuanian wife, Jurga (43), who runs front of house.
The taste of success comes for the couple after 11 years of hard graft – and also earns the region its first Michelin Star in four decades.
He and his Moray-based family were "proud as punch" when the top accolade was bestowed on his restaurant on Monday, January 25, during a virtual ceremony hosted by TV personality Davina McCall.
And his mum, Sheila Sharp, who lives off Keith's Land Street with husband Eric, said: "He certainly didn't learn it from me – I can burn sausages."
It's a well-earned high point for dedicated Justin, who left Keith aged 15 to pursue his passion, fine-tuning his skills as he progressed from some of the north-east's top hotels to Wales, London, Mallorca and finally Suffolk, where he and Jurga spotted the property that they transformed into their restaurant dream.
The accolades started to come in for the couple in 2010 after their first year in business when they were awarded a Bib Gourmand, an award they've held on to over the past decade.
Justin described the Michelin star award as "totally surreal". He added: "As we'd had the Bib Gourmand for 10 years, I'd been asked to speak at the ceremony and I thought they wanted me to talk about that. But I was wrong.
"The win still hasn't really sunk in.
"Pea Porridge is very laid-back and rustic. It's not a starched tablecloths and linen type of establishment. For us, it's a triumph of simplicity, produce and flavours.
"During lockdown one, we decided to take stock and re-evaluate the restaurant's offering, as we'd been running for 10 years and we never want to get stuck in our ways.
"We changed everything: an old colleague, James Karm, came back to join me and we changed the food focus to Moorish flavours, taking influences from the Middle East, Africa and the Mediterranean and utilising Suffolk ingredients.
"It was a massive gamble, but we've managed to win people round when we've been able to be open."
Justin, whose brother, Nathan (41), lives in Fochabers, paid tribute to his parents. He said they had sacrificed many evenings and weekends to ferry him between college and hotel jobs as he learned the trade in his teenage years.
His cooking finesse first became apparent during a week's work experience as a Keith Grammar School pupil at the Waterside Hotel, in Peterhead. Picking up and completing an apprenticeship there, he then spent several years between Ardoe House Hotel and the Marcliffe at Pitfodels.
Justin got his first taste of Michelin standard cuisine when he moved to work at a Welsh rural eatery owned by Laura Ashley co-founder Sir Bernard Ashley.
However, after two years the bright lights of London were calling. Sheila said: "Justin came home, borrowed his dad's suit and took off to London to find another job."
Justin said: "My plan was to suck up as many ideas as I could in London. I took my first head chef's job there and met my wife."
The couple left London after seven years to gain experience in managing a restaurant, The Hillside, in Hertford, before heading for sunnier climes, spending a season catering for top-end villas in Mallorca.
On their return to the UK they began their hunt for the perfect restaurant location. After being let down on a couple of properties they had pinned their hopes on and close to giving up on their dream, they came upon the former bakery and restaurant in a quiet residential area of Bury St Edmunds, which had sat empty for six months.
Justin said: "We scraped together what we could back then to get ourselves off the ground – and here we are today with a shiny Michelin star above our heads."
Back in Keith, the champagne was popped as the chef's delighted parents celebrated Justin and Jurga's success. Sheila added: "We haven't been able to see each other since last March and it's a shame we couldn't be with them. We are absolutely proud as punch – they have worked so hard."
