Meet the Chef: Alex Aitken from The Jetty in Christchurch

Having opened his first restaurant, Le Poussin, in 1983, Alex taught himself to cook – a fact that Gordon Ramsay noted when he named Le Poussin one of his top 11 favourite places to eat in The Times.

Alex’s culinary journey began on the seas, where he worked as a trawler man, giving him unparalleled knowledge of fish and seafood and how to make the most of the ocean’s bounty. Championing simple, seasonal and local produce from the very beginning – Alex has received multiple awards and accolades to support this philosophy.

As Chef Patron for The Jetty, Alex is committed to creating menus that showcase the region’s finest flavours: “I started my career as a trawler man and this ‘raw’ fishing experience proved invaluable and a culinary asset during my career as a chef. I spent twenty five years of cooking within the New Forest, including many years running my own highly-acclaimed restaurant, Le Poussin in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, which led to my Michelin Star in 1995.

…and now I am here, at The Jetty, celebrating over 30 years in the business, producing the locally sourced sustainable food I love, for you all to enjoy with me!”