Saint Pierre ex-head chef poised to go solo

BEHIND every successful chef is - the No 2 chef, faithfully executing the master chef’s vision, but not without yearning for the right moment to strike out on his or her own.

The latest to do so is Steve Lancaster, who spent the last 3 years by the side of Emmanuel Stroobant of the 2-Michelin-starred Saint Pierre, and on May 17 cooked his first meal as chef-owner of his own restaurant Poise.

Just about every chef starts out with the dream of being a restaurant owner, and for the British-born Lancaster, the path is paved with excitement but also the pressure of creating a unique culinary identity after years of cooking for others.