HEAD chef Troy Terrington has been at the helm of the kitchen at Newcastle restaurant, Blackfriars, for several years now. Troy, 25, moved to the North East in 2005 to pursue his culinary passions. He lives with his girlfriend Ruth Hall in Spital Tongues.

Blackfriars serves up gutsy, medieval inspired dishes – giving Troy the opportunity to get his teeth into delicacies and ingredients.

The restaurant was established as a Dominican friary in 1239 and is renowned for staying true to these roots, which means Troy and his team can experiment with different styles of medieval cooking.

Troy is preparing for Blackfriars’ new programme of events which launch this month, kick-starting with Burns Night on January 25, featuring traditional Scottish cuisine and a dram at each course.

What’s your first memory?
Being at nursery school, and not wanting to leave my dad ... a daunting prospect.

What were you like as a child?
I was stroppy, selfish, attention-seeking and prone to large tantrums if I didn’t get my own way. As I have gotten older the selfish part has gone away but I’m still known to strop and have a tantrum if I don’t get my way!

What childhood games did you play?
I grew up in Cambridge (as did Andy, the owner of Blackfriars), where we had a big garden and there was loads of space to run around. I played outdoors in fields quite a bit.

What music did you like and what was the first record you bought?
I used to like the music my mum would listen to: The Eagles, Meatloaf etc, but embarrassingly the first CD I bought would probably be Club Mix Ibiza 2000.

Did you have a family pet?
We used to have a golden retriever called Polly who lived until the age of 15, which I have been told for a pedigree is pretty old, and we also had four rabbits; Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter (my one).

Were your school days the best days of your life?
In terms of learning, no. I tended to pay attention to the subject material but got bored by the teachers themselves. I could learn a lot quicker on my own so I acted up quite a bit. My report would say “Troy has the ability but lacks enthusiasm” (My grades didn’t suffer!)

Were you ever bullied?
When I was in Year 4 at school a boy once hit me with a lunchbox but that was as far as it went.

What were your favourite TV programmes?
The Cosby Show, Saved by the Bell, Count Duckula and Bravestar to name a few.

What did you want to do when you grew up?
It varied. At first I wanted to fly a plane in the RAF, then I wanted to be a sports scientist, then I wanted to be an English teacher, and now I’m a chef which I never thought I would be, but I have the bug now and don’t want to give up. I wouldn’t mind studying physics or chemistry on the side though.

How did you spend your weekends?
Playing at friends’ houses, but we had to do our homework first. My mum was a teacher when we were growing up, so schoolwork was very important.

Do you remember your first kiss?
Yes, it was at a Christmas school disco, and her name was Charlotte King. She gave me a stuffed frog and a card the next day ... must have been a good one!

Who was your first love?
The first person I uttered the words “I love you” to was a girl named Hannah Matthews. She was a year below me at High School and I thought she was the bees-knees, but I messed her around because I was young and foolish and didn’t understand how relationships really worked.

What was the most important thing in the world to you?
My friends and family – without those I had nothing. I suppose I was pretty protective over my PlayStation too.

What did you wear then, that you would never wear now?
A black, pink and green Reebok shell suit. It was great then and you would probably describe the look as “cool” then, but now, no thank you.

How have you changed from your teenage self?
Less arrogant, easier to talk to, certainly not as spotty, a lot less worried about how other people perceive me – though, if someone doesn’t like me, tough, I won’t lose sleep. (Less arrogant?)

Where did you go on holiday?
We went to France once and Spain a few times, but during the holidays we used to spend a lot of time with relatives.

Would the young you be pleased with the adult you?
Probably not. When I was younger I would have been obsessed with making loads of money, having a big house and driving a sports car. The present me is happy with what I have, which is worth more than all of that and then some. I have a job which I am incredibly passionate about, great friends and a girlfriend who I love deeply and who loves me back.

If you could go back in time what would tell your 15-year old self?
Persevere with science and start cooking a lot sooner ... this way I would have my own El Bulli at age 16 or something.

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