The Common Stove’s chef, Ben Kersley, has been named one of the Top 30 under 30 award winners within the hospitality industry by Kostuch Media Ltd.
The annual awards recognize the food service and hospitality industry’s top young performers. The native of Southwest England says being honoured with the prestigious award means a lot to him.
“It’s pretty crazy because the pool of talent is quite large. I honestly did not expect to win,” Kersley said.
“Winning this award while being away from the big city where most of the other winners are located, and instead being in a small town, is incredible.”
Kersley has spent the last 10 years travelling the world while learning all the ins and outs of being a chef.
“It’s an industry that is always constantly changing when you are working with the seasons and small farmers. It’s very hands-on work that challenges you to be constantly learning,” he explained.
“When I was working in London, I learned that you can read all the books you want, but truly there are no rules. Everything is meant to be broken and there is a lot of experimenting.”
Kersley enjoys bringing his experience to Orillia where he can provide unique meals that most local residents have never tried.
“We do quite a few things differently at The Common Stove. We work with local produce and bring a more refined dinner setting to Orillia,” he said.
“Orillia does roadhouses really well, and I think we do rustic refined dining really well.”
The 28-year-old chef is hoping to build on his early career success, and he wants to enjoy his prime while serving the Orillia community.
“I want to make the menu at our restaurant better and better and just keep going. I want to keep pushing myself and the team. I also have a few side projects planned for next year that I’m really looking forward to,” Kersley said.
Another goal for Kersley is to help make those around him better.
“Being able to train cooks that have little to no experience and then bringing them up to this level is pretty incredible,” he said.
“We have people here who had never cooked a burger before, and now they are running the grill line by themselves, which I think is amazing.”
Click here to see the list of winners and to find out more about the Top 30 Under 30.
