John Gater, previously boss of Ma Potter's before its sale to Cafe Rouge owner Tragus in February, is aware how important first impressions are.
He's currently pulling out all the stops to promote his new concept, Coal, and with a site in London's Wimbledon trading, and sites in central London and Manchester close to being signed, his current charm offensive seems to be working.
But that's not to say Gater hasn't in the past turned a blind eye to the odd inaccuracy when trying to build up his profile.
Kitchen Rat hears that when a young Gater, pre Ma Potters and Coal, was launching a restaurant near Guildford in Surrey, Chaumiere, he was more than happy to let a misunderstanding go by the by.
The then recently graduated Ealing hospitality management student gave an interview to the local rag, the Surrey Express, over lunch and some wine.
However, with the alcohol creating perhaps too convivial an atmosphere, by the time the article appeared the self-confessed kitchen stranger had - thanks to a stint of work experience at London's Dorchester hotel cleaning freezers out - been transformed into a chef to rival Anton Mossimann, with the headline in the next edition of the paper proclaming: "Ex Dorchester chef opens new restaurant in Shear" . Nice.
For any of the 500 guests at London's Guildhall that sampled Gater's attempt at coated veal escalopes many decades ago on another work experience stint while at Ealing - think more breadcrumbs on the individual than the produce - Kitchen Rat believes this to be quite amusing indeed.
Thankfully the Challenge item on Coal's menu is not to eat something cooked by Gater but rather a 20oz rump steak, with a heap of onion rings, spicy jalapeno sauce and double portion of chunky chips.
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