Elisha Carter

Elisha Carter (born 6 October 1969) is a British chef who appeared in the BBC television series Great British Menu in 2008. He is head chef at the "Sharpham Park" restaurant at Charlton House hotel in Somerset.

Biography

Carter was born in North London, and got his love of food from his mother.cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-114934242.html|title=My journey from Brixton Market to haute cuisine|last=Calman|first=Barney|date=April 5, 2004 |publisher=Evening Standard, The (London)|accessdate=2008-10-05] He went to Pimlico School where he studied Home Economics at GCE O-Level and for a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education (CPVE) in Hospitality. As part of his CPVE studies, he went on a work experience placement for two weeks to Shell House to work in the directors' private dining room, which prompted him to decide to be a chef.

Carter started his career with a two year apprenticeship at the Ritz Hotel.cite web| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chef_biogs/a.shtml#elisha_carter |title=Elisha Carter| work=Chef biogs|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-10-05] He then became a commis chef at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland where he stayed for over a year, and in 1992, he went to work at John Burton Race's two-Michelin-starred restaurant "L'Ortolan" in Reading, Berkshire. Burton Race sent him to train with Raymond Blanc at his two-Michelin-starred restaurant "Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons" in Oxfordshire and at "Ledoyen" in Paris. In 1997, Carter returned to London to work at "Leith's" restaurant and then for Richard Corrigan at "Lyndsay House", Soho, and at the "Foliage" restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. He came to prominence as head chef at "Lola's" in Islington in 2003, where his signature dish was "Duck Three Ways", a boned duck separated into three parts, with each cooked in a different way. He later became the head chef at the "Silk" restaurant at the Courthouse Hotel Kempinski in Great Marlborough Street,cite news|title=Local Eats|last=Campion|first=Charles|date=October 28, 2004 |publisher=Evening Standard, The (London) "The beginning of November also sees the opening of the Courthouse Hotel on Great Marlborough Street. As well as a bar making use of the original cells for private tables, the Carnaby Brasserie will be serving modern Italian food. Then in December a fine dining restaurant called Silk opens in what was Number One Court, with Elisha Carter in charge of the kitchens."] cite news|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-234444-details/Silk/restaurantReview.do?reviewId=17893776&blockStart=0|title=And the verdict is...|last=O'Loughlin|first=Marina |publisher=Evening Standard, The (London)|accessdate=2008-10-05] and then head chef at the "Sharpham Park" restaurant at Charlton House hotel in Somerset.cite news|title=Go west for the good life|date=September 12, 2007 |publisher=Evening Standard, The (London) "The talented chef [at Charlton House] is Elisha Carter , who since my visit has been featured on BBC2's Indian Food Made Easy, creating a healthy curry menu."]

Giles Coren, restaurant critic of The Times, described him in 2005 as being "...a young chef of mercurial genius...".cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/giles_coren/article388585.ece |title=Silk| last=Coren|first=Giles|date=May 7, 2005|publisher=The Times|accessdate=2008-10-05 "Elisha Carter is a young chef of mercurial genius who cooked to a stunning standard at Lola’s for a while..."] Carter featured on the BBC television programme "Indian Food Made Easy",cite news|title=Spice girl dishes it out|last=Ed. Civil|first=Charlotte|coauthors=Matt Baylis|date=July 24, 2007 |work=TV Express|publisher=Express, The (London) "We have to give the dal a tarka, " [Anjum Anand] declared, later on. And when her long-suffering pupil, organic chef Elisha Carter , asked what she meant by that, she just replied "Tarka", again - as if only an imbecile could have reached Elisha's age without having learned enough Punjabi to understand her."] and appeared in the BBC television series "Great British Menu" in 2008, where he lost to Chris Horridge, head chef at The Bath Priory hotel, in the South West region final.cite news|title=Chef Chris makes the final seven|date=May 21, 2008 |publisher=Western Daily Press (Bristol, England) "Mr Horridge, head chef at The Bath Priory hotel, restaurant and spa, is the South West finalist in the BBC competition, having beaten Elisha Carter , head chef at Sharpham Park Restaurant in Shepton Mallet, in a bitter kitchen duel."]

References

External links

*cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/giles_coren/article1145602.ece |title=Lola's |last=Coren| first=Giles| date=June 28, 2003|publisher=Times, The (London)|accessdate=2008-10-05 A review of Carter's cooking at "Lola's".
*cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/reviews/silk-courthouse-hotel-kempinski-london-w1-526519.html|title=Silk, Courthouse Hotel Kempinski, London W1|last=Durack|first=Terry |date=May 1, 2005|publisher=Independent, The (London)|accessdate=2008-10-05 A review of Carter's cooking at "Silk".
*cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/eating_out/giles_coren/article1294199.ece |title=Charlton House|last=Coren|first=Giles|date=January 20, 2007|publisher=Times, The (London)|accessdate=2008-10-05 A review of Carter's cooking at Charlton House.