Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Embracing the Hospitality Industry: A Conversation with Chef Laura Kimber

Posted On November 2, 2022

Michelin Star Salt Stratford Upon Avon

breaking bread Birmingham food podcast cover with chef Laura Kimber

Listen to our Breaking Bread Birmingham food podcast episode with Michelin Star Salt head chef Laura Kimber. Press play on the player above. Alternatively, listen on your favourite podcast app, just select from the list on this LINK

Who Is Chef Laura Kimber

Hello & a warm welcome back to the Breaking Bread Birmingham food podcast. Co-hosted by food-obsessed mates Liam & Carl, Breaking Bread gives you long-form interviews & discussions with the incredible people that make Brums food scene so unique. This week we break bread with Laura Kimber, the head chef of Michelin Star Salt in Stratford upon Avon.

While eating at Nathan Outlaw’s restaurant. Laura became inspired to take up cooking as a career. From there she worked her way up to head chef of a Michelin Star restaurant that she helped open. Laura is a phenomenal talent.

Chef Laura Kimber Career

Like so many in the industry, Laura got started in a part-time job in her local town. Before long she went from washing pots & pans to cooking in them. She fell in love with the excitement of presenting a plate of food to a diner & them enjoying it. The experience of a meal with her family at Nathan Outlaw’s inspired Laura to work in restaurants of this level.

It was not all plain sailing for the talented young chef. Laura struggled in the intense kitchen of aBode in Chester and left to re-evaluate if cheffing was the job for her. Thankfully it didn’t take long for the chef to get back into it taking up a training program which placed her in a variety of roles in different venues all over the country.

As part of the training, Laura went to work in the kitchen at Mallory Court. The head chef at Mallory Court was the mega-talented Paul Foster. He instantly recognised Laura’s potential, & promised her a job when he opened his own restaurant.

Salmon dish from Michelin Star Salt photographed by Breaking Bread Birmingham cooked by chef Laura Kimber

In March 2017 Paul opened his fine-dining restaurant Salt. A beautiful restaurant located in a listed building in the heart of historic Stratford Upon Avon. True to his word Paul gave Laura a job as Sous chef. The small team flourished. Salt’s reputation for seasonal, exciting & modern cookery brought the restaurant huge success., resulting in a Michelin Star to add to the three AA Rosettes in the AA restaurant guide.

In her time at Salt, Laura’s cooking has gone up a level. To add to this she has taken a keen interest in the business side of the restaurant, which resulted in her being promoted to the role of head chef.

Breaking Bread With Chef Laura Kimber

As a chef with over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Laura Kimber is no stranger to the pressures that come with the job. In our recent podcast episode, she sat down with us to discuss her journey in the industry, including her experiences with imposter syndrome and anxiety.

Laura’s love for cooking and the hospitality industry started at a young age, and she credits her passion for food to her mother’s influence. She describes how the positive energy and instant reactions from people in the industry motivated her to pursue her dreams. “Whenever somebody says to me, ‘You can’t do something,’ it just makes me go, ‘Oh, I’ll show you,'” she says.

However, Laura also reflects on her experiences with imposter syndrome and anxiety in the past. “A few years ago, when my anxiety was really bad, I’d be like, ‘Nah, I shouldn’t be here. I’m crap. I’m just here to sort of fill a gap for somebody else before they come in and take my job and stuff,'” she shares. Laura emphasizes the importance of recognising that it’s okay not to be okay and not putting too much pressure on oneself.

The discussion delves into the pressure that the industry can put on individuals and how it can contribute to anxiety and depression. However, Laura highlights the amazing experiences and possibilities that come with being in the hospitality industry. “It’s an amazing industry to be in. It can take you all over the world. There are so many opportunities, so many different paths you can go down,” she says.

Laura encourages listeners to consider a career in the hospitality industry and challenges the notion that catering is seen as a lesser profession. “Why not come into hospitality? It’s great,” she says. She emphasises that there is support available for those who may be struggling and that it’s important to develop coping mechanisms.

In conclusion, Laura’s conversation with us offers valuable insights into overcoming imposter syndrome and finding joy in pursuing one’s passions in the hospitality industry. With her years of experience and positive outlook, she is an inspiration to aspiring chefs and those in the industry alike.