Wiltshire


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor.jpg" alt="The Great Bustard chef Jordan Taylor" class="wp-image-39137" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The Great Bustard has rapidly become one of Wiltshire’s most talked-about restaurants since opening last year (check out <a href="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/home/review-the-great-bustard-great-durnford-salisbury-hotel-near-me-wiltshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muddy&#8217;s review</a>), and chef Jordan Taylor is a serious star of the show. When it comes to fine dining credentials, his are certainly impressive – he’s wowed diners in Michelin-starred hotspots including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Moor Hall and The Pass at South Lodge. We caught up with him at The Great Bustard in Great Durnford to talk top ingredients, cooking for A-listers and what he <em>really</em> eats after a long shift.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-first-job-in-a-kitchen"><strong>Your first job in a kitchen?</strong></h2>



<p>My first job in a kitchen was, like many chefs, washing dishes. I worked in a busy cafe in Brighton scrubbing pots and plates on the weekends while I was still at school.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-your-career-highlight-so-far-nbsp"><strong>Tell us your career highlight so far?&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>The Great Bustard has been a highlight for me. I’m incredibly proud of everything the team has managed to accomplish here in such a short time.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/09/The-Great-Bustard-exterior-Dave-Watts.jpg" alt="The Great Bustard Great Durnford " class="wp-image-34453" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/09/The-Great-Bustard-exterior-Dave-Watts.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/09/The-Great-Bustard-exterior-Dave-Watts-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2024/09/The-Great-Bustard-exterior-Dave-Watts-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sum-up-your-food-philosophy"><strong>Sum up your food philosophy?</strong></h2>



<p>It&#8217;s driven by nature and what is in season, outside the front door, growing and grazing in the fields and woods. I am also a firm believer in using every part of the produce. At The Great Bustard we strive to reduce the amount of waste, and come up with creative ways to use what we would otherwise throw away. For example, we get a lot of vegetable trim and peelings from our Sunday roast vegetables. We heavily char them in the woodfire oven and cook them down to make a roast vegetable ketchup, then serve it with our lamb croquettes. Delicious!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-memorable-moment-at-work"><strong>Most memorable moment at work?</strong></h2>



<p>I have many great memories and a lot of tough moments too. I won&#8217;t forget my first services at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. Being exposed to that level of cooking and service was tough but very inspiring.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-have-you-ever-cooked-for-anyone-famous"><strong>Have you ever cooked for anyone famous?</strong></h2>



<p>I am very fortunate that I&#8217;ve cooked for a lot of famous people in my career, from big movie and music stars to famous footballers. The ones I remember being most nervous to cook for are chefs like Pierre Koffmann, Albert Roux and Gordon Ramsay.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-Great-Durnford-chef-Jordan-Taylor.jpg" alt="The Great Bustard chef Jordan Taylor" class="wp-image-39136" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-Great-Durnford-chef-Jordan-Taylor.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-Great-Durnford-chef-Jordan-Taylor-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-Great-Durnford-chef-Jordan-Taylor-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-Great-Durnford-chef-Jordan-Taylor-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-chef"><strong>Favourite chef?</strong></h2>



<p>That&#8217;s a tough one, because different chefs inspire me for many different reasons. Gordon Ramsay inspires me for his dedication and drive, Yannick Alleno for creativity and craftsmanship, and Ferran Adrià for the impact he has had on modern cooking.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-re-tired-starving-and-impatient-what-do-you-cook-for-dinner">You&#8217;re tired, starving and impatient. What do you cook for dinner? </h2>



<p>I almost never cook for myself. I’m very fortunate to have a wonderful wife, who always makes sure there is dinner for me to re-heat when I get home after a long day. A classic omelette or scrambled eggs on toast with a spoon of creme fraiche and whatever good cheese I have left over in the back of the fridge can&#8217;t be beaten. Or just a couple of Weetabix.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-share-your-top-three-cooking-tips"><strong>Share your top three cooking tips?</strong></h2>



<p>Keep it simple. Season. Taste.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-failsafe-meal-to-impress-a-date"><strong>Your failsafe meal to impress a date?</strong></h2>



<p>Fresh stuffed pasta with a simple sauce of whatever is in season is always good. Cook it all in one pan, so you don&#8217;t waste time cleaning up afterwards.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts-3.jpg" alt="The Great Bustard chef Jordan Taylor image credit Dave Watts 3" class="wp-image-39135" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts-3-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Great Bustard. Image: Dave Watts</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ever-had-a-disaster-in-the-kitchen"><strong>Ever had a disaster in the kitchen?</strong></h2>



<p>Yes, a lot! But I take any disaster as a massive learning curve.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-cookbook"><strong>Favourite cookbook?</strong></h2>



<p>I have a lot of cookbooks, but one book that I go back to time and time again is <em>Core: A Romance</em>. Clare Smyth is a true legend of the industry and the book is a beautiful insight into the level of skill and finesse that goes into every dish.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-food-to-eat-when-on-holiday-nbsp"><strong>Favourite food to eat when on holiday?&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>I eat pretty much anything, so whenever I go on holiday I try to find the best local spot and eat the regional dish. This could be grilled fresh fish on the beach or raclette cheese in the mountains, or a big bowl of noodles on the streets of South East Asia.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-ingredient-and-why"><strong>Favourite ingredient and why?</strong></h2>



<p>I love honey. I have a real sweet tooth and use it lots on desserts and with cheese. We also make a burnt honey gastrique, which we use to glaze our crispy sweetbreads on our lamb dish.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts.jpg" alt="The Great Bustard chef Jordan Taylor image credit Dave Watts 3" class="wp-image-39134" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/11/The-Great-Bustard-chef-Jordan-Taylor-image-credit-Dave-Watts-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Dave Watts</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-most-overrated-ingredient"><strong>Most overrated ingredient?</strong></h2>



<p>I think vegan cheese is overrated. It definitely has its place, but for me there’s no comparison to actual cheese. I feel this about most faux items. I’d rather not put cheese in a pea risotto than use a coconut or hemp cheese alternative that will taint the subtle flavour of fresh English peas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dish-you-re-most-proud-of-creating"><strong>The dish you’re most proud of creating?</strong></h2>



<p>One dish I’m most proud of was our Estate Lamb with sweetcorn, Girolles and Moreaux Sausage. It was a showcase of our lamb with each part of the meat cooked in a different way.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-favourite-dish-you-ve-ever-cooked"><strong>Favourite dish you’ve ever cooked?</strong></h2>



<p>One of my favourite dishes I ever cooked was braised beef and smoked eel ravioli, with beef and eel consommé. Great flavours, subtly smokey and a real crowd pleaser.</p>



<p><a href="https://thegreatbustard.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Great Bustard</a>, Great Durnford, The Great Bustard, Salisbury, SP4 6AY</p>



<p><strong>IN THE MOOD FOR MORE? </strong></p>



<p><a href="The Great Bustard, Great Durnford" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Review: The Great Bustard, Great Durnford</a></p>



<p><a href="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/my-wiltshire-tv-presenter-james-may/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">My Wiltshire: TV presenter James May </a></p>



<p><a href="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/matteo-romeo-head-chef-at-the-duke-hotel-hilmarton/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What&#8217;s cooking? Matteo Romeo, The Duke at Hilmarton </a></p>



<p></p>


What’s Cooking? Jordan Taylor, The Great Bustard

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