Thomas Greig, who spent many years honing his skills in Gordon Ramsay’s esteemed restaurants in London, is the new Head Chef at The Swan at Loddon. Folk Features catches up with him before the lunch service.
Having spent several years working in Gordon Ramsay restaurants in London, Chef Thomas Greig has swapped the long hours for a completely different pace of life in Loddon, South Norfolk, having recently taken up the role of Head Chef at The Swan. Thomas’s culinary career began in Nottingham, where he trained as a chef at Nottingham Trent University before moving to London. His first job was working at Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, a lively bar and brasserie close to St Paul’s cathedral in the city of London, working his way up from an entry level commis chef.
Sitting in the upstairs dining room at The Swan in Loddon, Thomas recalls: “I think it was a culture shock, when I moved down there. Being 27, I already thought I was good but during my first week I was down there, I phoned my dad and said, ‘I’ve got to learn to cut chives again.’ I had moved from being a head chef where I was in Nottingham to a commis chef.” But Thomas knuckled down and got on with the job in hand. “I re-learnt the basics when I was at Bread Street and that gave me confidence.”
Next, Thomas embarked on a journey to Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay, a Michelin-starred gem in London’s Belgravia. “I really enjoyed it, but it was really hard with very long days – I’d miss the last Tube so would have to take the bus home.”
Thomas then joined Michelin-Starred Maze by Gordon Ramsay, a French Asian fusion restaurant in London’s Grosvenor Square, as senior sous chef for 18-months. “I loved it – that gave me the fine dining bug and showed me how to run a busy kitchen. On a Saturday night there would be 200 covers. There would be a massive team and there would be a lot of spinning plates going off.” He says of Gordon Ramsay: “He’s still relevant. He is probably the most famous chef in the world, I would say.”
Beyond Ramsay’s kitchens, Thomas went on to work at Frenchie, a modern French brasserie in Covent Garden, blending traditional French cuisine with contemporary techniques, global influences and bold flavours. “That really showed me how to use ingredients I hadn’t used before from the Mediterranean.”
After a year, Thomas joined Craft London in North Greenwich, as head chef. Here he picked up much experience using seasonal ingredients, pickling, and fermenting. “It really showed me that we’ve got more than four seasons in the year – we’ve got five or six seasons in England. I introduced my small plates there.
Then came a turn at The Princess of Shoreditch, as head chef where Thomas displayed his skills for a year, introducing small plates to the menu with success. “I got the attention of the Michelin Guide there which was very exciting.”
Having worked in several restaurants, he makes the point: “I didn’t know how long I was going to be in London for, so I wanted to get as much experience as possible while I was there. You realise how different everywhere is in terms of styles of food which is amazing.”
Although by the end of his time in the capital, Thomas openly admits: “I had a breakdown – it was hard and I did struggle – I left London a few months later.”
However, he proved his resilience during the pandemic by establishing a fine dining takeaway service back home in Nottingham, working from his mum’s kitchen during the week. His mum passed away in 2020.
Thomas pivoted again, teaching students Food Tech for three years. “I loved teaching people. Don’t get me wrong, it was easier running Maze on a Saturday night than it was teaching 20 kids!”
Last year he started looking at moving to Norfolk. A couple of years earlier he had married his partner Cassie and they both wanted to settle down in a part of the world they both loved.
“We’ve been here a few times before and we got engaged on a romantic break on the Norfolk coast. Since meeting, we’ve always wanted to live in a nice town by the coast.”
They now live in Long Stratton with their French bulldog. “We are only 45 minutes from the coast whereas in Nottingham we were an hour and a half away. Everyone is so nice – I think it’s the sea air! I don’t mind the farm traffic now – it doesn’t bother me!” And, perhaps most importantly, he adds: “We are not as stressed.”
Fortune came Thomas’s way when he was introduced to Andrew Freeland, patron at The Loddon Swan, a freehouse pub with restaurant and boutique rooms. Andrew was seeking a new head chef to bring something new to and the new partnership was formed.
For the last couple of months, Thomas has been working closely with his team to introduce a dynamic small plate menu alongside its established large plate offering.
“When I showed Andrew the menu it was so different, but I am trying to break boundaries, flavour-wise. He tasted it and he loves it. I’ve never had a boss who is so optimistic about the food.
“I’m doing what I’m good at. The small plates element is fun – you don’t have to worry about ordering a big meal by yourself, you can share. The standard we have got now is very much of a Michelin standard, but you don’t have to pay through the nose for it.
“Something I’ve shown in these last few weeks is how to think outside the box a little bit – rather than having to think of a whole new dish you are changing one element – to make that dish more seasonal.”
Vegetarians are well catered for (think ‘roast rainbow carrots, sunflower seed hummus, peanut gremolata’). Thomas says: “I love working with vegetables and I love making sure that the vegetables are the main part of it. Vegetables are more seasonal than anything else so why would you not make a dish all about corn or squash or carrots, using the best produce and the best ingredients?
What is the vision? “I’d love this to be like an institution where people come to learn,” says Thomas, before adding: “Ultimately, like every chef, I’d love a Michelin Star, or I’d love a Michelin Green Star, because I’m very much zero waste – anything I can use I’ll use. I’m 40… I need to have an aspiration – something to aim for.”
Having honed his craft in several Gordon Ramsay restaurants, Thomas says: “People may think ‘Why is that person here in Loddon?’ but I think ‘why not?’”
The Swan, 23 Church Plain, Loddon, Norfolk NR14 6LX, is open 7 days a week, serving lunch Wednesday to Sunday 12pm to 2.30pm and dinner Wednesday to Saturday 6.30pm to 9pm. Call 01508 528039 and visit theloddonswan.co.uk.
Featured image of Thomas Greig by Folk Features
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