AN enthusiastic chef has worked his way up through the ranks and secured a promotion.

Eight years ago, then aged 15, Dan Lay cycled from his Bridgwater home up to The Bower Inn eight years ago aged just 15 to ask for a job and was employed as a pot washer.

Now 23, the young chef has been promoted to senior chef de partie at the award-winning restaurant after working to achieve level one, two and three qualifications in catering from the Bridgwater and Taunton College.

Dan said: “It really couldn’t have been better and wow, how fortunate was I to have naively come along that day in my world cup football shirt and asking cheekily for a job.

“I’d always been keen on cooking and I wanted to find out more, and what better way to do that than by working up from the very lowest role in the kitchen to one of the highest?

“Candida and Peter (Leaver, owners of the Bower Inn) have invested significantly in me and my training, and have helped me gain the skills required to succeed in this environment.

“Anyone looking for a career in the industry really ought to think about working their way up as I did, it’s really worthwhile and you learn so much.

“Now I’m the senior chef de partie, I’m third in line in the kitchen.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to be so highly thought of.”

The budding chef worked his way up from the pot wash by assisting with numerous kitchen duties, including developing new dishes and undergoing in-house and external training.

Candida, who co-owns The Bower Inn with her husband and business partner Peter, said: “It was rather sweet when he biked up all those years ago with his mate Rob James, who incidentally is now our trainee manager too, and we had to admire him for his work ethic and his willingness to do anything.

“I said: ‘go away and come back with a CV’ and he did that.

“It wasn’t a very good CV, but we believe everyone has to start somewhere, and you have to admire people for trying.

“We didn’t really have a job going, but we found him one.

“Anyone who gets off their backside and makes an effort to go looking for work ought to be rewarded, and now look how far he has come.

“We’re all very proud of him here and what he has achieved.

“We’re delighted to have promoted him now to the role of senior chef de partie, making him one of the most senior members of our kitchen team.

“He has thoroughly earned it.”

For details, call 01278 422926, or visit thebowerinn.co.uk.