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[title]Social media and technology have democratised a lot of previously hidden arts, one of them being food and cooking. Where before you might have had to step into the kitchens of prestigious restaurants to find out the tricks of professional recipes, now you can simply open a social media app and be instructed by world class chefs on everything from chopping technique to ingredient selection.
One chef who really makes the most of technology in her work – on social media and beyond – is 44-year-old New Zealand native Chantelle Nicholson, whose Mayfair restaurant Apricity is lauded for its low-waste approach, which never sacrifices flavour or ingenuity. Originally a Law graduate, Chantelle eventually managed to turn her part-time jobs – cooking in cafés and restaurants alongside her degree – into her full-time career. To give you an idea of exactly how she did it, we’ve partnered with Samsung in order to bring you her story (and those of other creatives who’ve successfully turned their hobby into a hustle), and show you how Samsung technology can help you make the leap too.
If you’re interested in learning more about how tech can help you take your hobby to the next level, be sure to sign up to our Side Hustle Sessions, where you can join chef Chantelle – and other creatives – at Samsung KX in Coal Drops Yard to gain some exclusive insight. Expect expert cooking tips and advice on moving into the world of food, plus an understanding of how Samsung tech’s full ecosystem of products can ‘Power the Possible’, by giving you the tools to make your goals a reality. Join Chantelle at her zero-waste cooking workshop on Thursday October 10 at 6.30pm – secure your spot here.
Hi Chantelle! Can you tell me a bit about what you do at Apricity?
Apricity was created to do things a little bit differently from the traditional restaurant model. I don’t really like the word sustainability, but we are concerned with circular economy and trying to minimise any form of waste, whether that’s waste from food or drink, or even time or power. We work with local producers where we can, so we work with some amazing small farms in East Sussex, and we work on a daily basis, so we see what our suppliers have and then work backwards – a very circular relationship there as well.
How did you turn your cooking side-hustle into a career?
I finished high school and didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I went to university and did a double degree in Law and Management. Part way through that I obviously needed a job, because my expenditure was rapidly increasing, and I thought, ‘Well I’ll do something that actually interests me, that maybe I can learn something from’. So I approached a local café, and asked if they had anything coming up, and they needed a weekend cook, so I thought I’d give it a go. So I was baking and doing all that stuff, and that was my summer job. And then I applied for a restaurant job, which was as a kitchen porter, but I started working with the chefs straight away, so that was my initial restaurant experience.
I finished my degree and then got a job in Law, much to the relief of my mother – I said, ‘Ah, we’ll give it a go!’ – so I did that, and actually while I was working I just off the cuff entered a cooking competition, that was held in New Zealand, and ironically it was actually a Gordon Ramsay competition, so I made it to the final of that competition, and one of the judges was actually the Head Chef at the Savoy Grill here in London, and said to me ‘Well, there’s a job for you in London whenever you want one’. So 20 years ago I jumped on a plane and thought I’d come for two years! You’ve got to trust that the universe knows what it’s doing!
Sustainability is a huge part of what you do, and technology really helps you achieve those particular goals. Could you tell me a bit about that?
It’s in every aspect of everything we do, in terms of how we order, that’s all done electronically now, there’s an app that we use for that. Our kitchens are digital only, so we use tablets in the kitchen for the recipes. Anything that would normally be on paper is digital – all of our event management documents, induction documents, our menus are all only online, we don’t print any menus at all. Literally everything is online!
Technology is also a big aspect of your work in terms of capturing social media content. How important has that been to your business?
Instagram is probably the biggest outlet we have, so it’s something we do put time and energy into. It is very much of the moment and the intention is that the personnel here at the restaurant and in the team shine through, and we can talk about all the great suppliers we work with, all the great produce, and just trying to have that presence.
Smartphones and social media have helped you to build a community around your business. What does that mean to you?
That’s a big part of it, and a lot of people know of us because of our ethos, and because they want to taste the things we talk about. A lot of people generalise, and assume that sustainability means giving things up or doing without, and I think what we’re saying is, ‘No actually, you can do all this while eating really delicious food and without giving anything up’. That’s something that is really important to us, and that’s also what social media allows, because of course you’ve got your geographical community, but then you also have an online community, and it allows that reach to go much, much further. It creates more accessibility for everyone.
If someone wanted to turn cooking into a side hustle or even a full-time career, what three pieces of advice would you give them?
The thing I’ll always be grateful for was my naivety. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I came to London, and I think if I had known I’d have been too scared. So, don’t overthink. I’d also say, be proactive. Right now there are so many different and welcoming places that would embrace you spending time with them to see what it’s like, and get a little taster. And also, remember that you won’t have lost anything by doing it, rather than waiting or worrying that you’re not good enough. So just jump in and do it!
What is next for you and your business – what do you hope to accomplish in the coming months/years and how is technology going to help you to achieve these goals?
Technology is changing so rapidly every day, and even something like actual induction technology, cooking technology, transforms what we do – for example, it makes the kitchen a much more pleasant place to be, because it’s not as hot. That kind of stuff helps us especially when we’re making considerations like, “How can we become more energy efficient?” We’re also always looking to partner and connect with interesting people, plus we’re constantly innovating to find ways to repurpose things, whether that’s food or ingredients, the bits that normally go in the bin!
Power the Possible with Samsung
If Chantelle’s story has you feeling energised to both get cooking and consider your environmental impact, you can start with a Samsung tablet which you can use to keep records, write ingredient lists and research recipes with ease, to reduce waste and paper. Not only that, but Samsung’s suite of smart kitchen products can make preparing and cooking easier than ever. The Samsung Family Hub AI vision refridgerator can manage your food lists and suggest recipes. Its AI Vision Inside function uses an internal camera to identify fresh food items when they’re put in or taken out – and can even tell you when an ingredient is reaching its ‘use by’ date! Similarly, the internal camera in the Series 7 Oven with Dual Cook lets you check on your cooking without having to frequently open the door. It can even alert you if burning is detected, so each meal comes out perfect every time.
And when it comes to capturing that all important social content once you’ve conjured up your works of foodie genius, Samsung’s Quick Share function means that you can seamlessly send images and videos to your Galaxy phone, Tab or Book. Easy.