Fernando Stovell
Demo: Saturday 2 September, 2pm
Fernando was born and grew up in Mexico, his mother from Farnham and his father from Mexico City. Following a degree in International Relations in Mexico City and a period as an officer in the Mexican Army, he came to London at the age of 22 and, unknown to his family, enrolled on a catering course at Westminster Kingsway College in 1997.
This set him on a new career path, and positions followed in various leading London kitchens, including the Michelin-starred Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge, before the Wellington Club and then the Cuckoo Club.
He scoured Surrey for the perfect restaurant site for several years before finding what is now Stovell’s – a 16th Century Tudor Farmhouse, a wonderfully quirky setting for his very contemporary European cuisine. The restaurant opened in October 2012, and quickly gained recognition for the quality of the cooking.
His many culinary accolades include: 4 AA rosettes (AA Guide 2016), a listing in the Michelin Guide 2016, Top 100 restaurants in the UK (Sunday Times Food List 2015), Top 50 Restaurants 2015 (Square Meal UK), runner up Best Restaurant (Observer Food Monthly Awards 2015), Restaurant of the Year 2014 (Surrey Life Food and Drink Awards), shortlisted for Restaurant of the Year (Food & Travel Magazine Awards 2014), Restaurant of the Year 2014 (South East) (Waitrose Good Food Guide Regional), Chef of the Year 2013 (Surrey Life Food and Drink Awards) and finalist Menu of the Year (Cateys 2013).
Fernando also regularly appears as a guest chef on BBC One's Saturday Kitchen Live, as well as on UKTV's Market Kitchen.
