Josh Eggleton on Michelin stars, working with his family and the booking deposit epidemic

Considering you run and are involved in a whole hoard of restaurants, you’re obviously obsessed with food. Where did it begin?

I’ve always enjoyed cooking and started at a young age. I used to sell cakes to my neighbours and then eventually I got a job in a chip shop and then a gastropub. It all stemmed from there. I love learning about food and always ask the question “can we do this ourselves?” and the majority of the time the answer is yes!

What’s it like working so closely with your family every day?

We all get on really well; I’m used to it as I started working with my dad from young. We all have a really strong work ethic and love food.

You now run a gastro pub, a restaurant, a Mongolian yurt bistro and fish and chip shops, how on earth do you manage the variety and to such a high standard?

It all comes down to the amazing people I work with, from chefs to managers. It’s so important to surround yourself with people you trust.

What was it like to be a Gordon Ramsay scholar?

It was good fun and a great prize to win; it led to lots of amazing opportunities. I never expected to do so well, I had never even entered a competition before!

When you turned down offers from some of the country’s best chefs, such as Gordon Ramsay, Angela Hartnett and Marcus Wareing, to follow your own dream was there ever a time you thought you’d done the wrong thing?

Absolutely, for years I thought I should have gone to London. It’s only in the past five to six years that I’ve truly been happy with the course I took; so much has been achieved by me and my team. I developed my own style and taught myself a lot in that time by reading various books.

What drew you to Chew Magna, a tiny village in Somerset? Or have I already answered my own question?

I’ve lived in Bristol and the surrounding areas all my life, I took the bus to my school in Chew Magna every day and even remember going to The Pony and Trap when I was younger, even back then I knew it had potential. Also the views around here are amazing; it truly is a perfect location.

What do you think of the term gastropub and do you think that summarises what you’re doing at The Pony & Trap?

I think if it’s good it’s good, it doesn’t matter what the name is, as long as you enjoy it.

How important is your Michelin star status at Pony and Trap to you and did you strive for the pub to gain one?

I think I was probably the most shocked when it happened. We’ve achieved so much but there’s still so much more to accomplish and improve on.

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Would you ever consider taking a booking deposit for your pubs for all bookings as a way of avoiding no-shows?

Absolutely. It’s a huge epidemic and has a massive impact on businesses, especially when you’re trying to do something special and have lots of costs to cover.

Seeing as you’re a huge advocate for food sustainability, what do you think the food industry as a whole could do better to be more sustainable?

I think every business should be striving towards improving sustainability, even if it’s just one thing at a time. Each business is different; it’s all about the little changes that will make a big difference in the long run.

How and why did the collaborative Eat Drink Bristol Fashion festival happen?

It was a brilliant festival. We did it to promote Bristol’s local food and drink culture and we had some of the West Country’s best food including a fine dining restaurant which rotated guest chefs, a tapas bar for 300 as well as free live music. I would like to bring it back!

Where did the inspiration for your Yurt Lush bistro – food served in Mongolian yurts – come from?

Well, we originally wanted shipping containers but we didn’t get the planning permission. We had some spare Mongolian yurts, and then Yurt Lush was born! It has a real festival feel and our menu relies on locality and seasonality, our dishes are no nonsense, straightforward and big on flavour.

Why did the Chicken Shed close last summer so soon after opening?

The original idea was to serve high quality organic chicken across the whole menu, chicken that was sustainable, of the highest welfare and sold at a fair price. However we had to keep changing our model and supply chains to cater for the fast food concept which countered the initial idea of an organic, guilt-free chicken shop. It just wasn’t the right message we wanted to put out, so we went back to the drawing board and came up with Root.

Why was it important for Salt & Malt to have so many gluten-free options?

I’ve always loved fish and chips as it’s where I started my career. The reason I wanted to offer a gluten-free option is to make it simpler for families with food allergies to eat the same product all together. Our gluten-free recipe actually produces a better product than a wheat based batter, it tastes great and is easier to digest.

How were you convinced to get involved in the Kensington Arms? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t do another pub as they’re so much hard work?

Times change! The Kenny came along at the right time and I had the right people in place – It’s always been one of my favourite pubs in Bristol.

Where’s your favourite place to eat at the moment?

In Bristol its Paco Tapas and Wallfish Bistro, in London it’s Kiln.

What do you think of clean eating and other food trends?

Some are here to stay and some aren’t, some do work and it’s always good to look at and challenge current business models.

Who do you look to for inspiration?

I look at others in the industry, people I work with, and people who love food.

Considering you’ve quite literally conquered Bristol and the surrounding area – what could be next for you in 2018 or 2019?

We’re constantly evaluating and thinking about changes we could make. The Pony’s garden is really exciting at the moment, we want to grow even more produce and extend our micro farm. We also want to introduce accommodation at The Pony and continue experimenting with food products and providing apprentice schemes in Bristol.

Can you say which of the restaurants you’re involved in is your favourite?

The Pony & Trap! It was the first one and the possibilities are endless.