An interview with Clare Smyth

The following interview was conducted by Tess N, one of our Grade 6 media captains. We hope you find it as fascinating as we did. Well done Tess on an excellent and thoughtful interview. 

Clare Smyth is a world class chef, holding 3 Michelin stars for her debut solo restaurant in London ( Core by Clare Smyth). She opened Oncore in Sydney’s Crown at Barangaroo, which was recently awarded 3 chef hats here in Australia, making her the second ever chef in the world to hold both of these accomplishments. In 2018 she was voted World's Best Female Chef. She appears as a judge on Netflix Top Chef and guest chef on Masterchef across many countries. She also did the food for Harry and Megan’s wedding.

Q: On your Desert Island Disc, you talk about how much more you learnt in the workplace than in college. What would you say to aspiring chefs or your younger self, about how to take the first steps into a career in professional kitchens?

A: My advice would be that an apprenticeship is a good avenue for young chefs as you get to gain experience in a professional kitchen at the same time as getting a college education and qualifications and both are very important and valuable.

Q: You have been Involved with the big hug at the Grenfell kitchens, Donated a thank you burger to 4,000 NHS workers and are a Patron to support families with children with disabilities. and more. Having been a part of so many great organisations, have you ever considered starting one with Core? How does it make you feel making a difference in the world as well as people's lives?


A: I would love to do something at Core one day however there are so many great organisations to work with that need help and support. I very much like to support people within our local community and help the people around us that are in need and I try to commit to making a good difference to a select few charities rather than spreading myself too thin. Operating a charity would be a huge commitment and I feel like for the time being adding value to the charities that we support at the moment is very beneficial to them.

Q: Was there a specific teacher or mentor that inspired you to become a chef?


A: Not really, I gained interest through working in my spare time at local restaurants and found that I had a real love for food and the creative side and then I started to buy books from chefs with Michelin stars and became inspired through those books and started to become obsessed by them and with cooking.



Q: You talk about how trying to lose your accent whilst studying in England to fit in. What would you say to young people to make them feel more confident in themselves?


A: I was not really trying to lose my accent but I would say I was happy to lose it. Being a female in the kitchen was already something different let alone being a Northern Irish chef. I would say one of the ways to feel confident is by being good at something – putting work into something and becoming very good at something will build your confidence as you will be proud to show off your skills.

Q: Who supported you the most throughout your decision to move away at such a young age?


A: I was lucky enough to have friends that lived in England that I was able to stay with and they also helped me find my apprenticeships.

Q: Was it your love or horses that led you to do ‘Core On Course’? Or was it just a coincidence?


A: It was a coincidence but a happy one and because I love horses it was a natural fit.

Q: Do you still get to ride much?


A: Not at all unfortunately but its something i'd like to do again in the future. 

Q: What do you feel is your greatest achievement to date?


A: Opening Core and winning 3 Michelin stars

Q: What are your goals for the future? How do they compare to your goals a year

or two ago?


A: I would like to open more restaurants and I look forward to continuing to evolve Core even more.

Q: What were your biggest challenges throughout your career and how did you overcome them?

A: Opening my own restaurant and running my own business. Putting your reputation on the line is a big challenge. Just keep moving forward everyday no matter how big or small the steps and you’ll find yourself somewhere.