'My first cookbook pays tribute to my family'

A chef who taught himself to cook before gaining Michelin and AA accolades says the release of his first cookbook is one of the most emotional moments of his career.

Thom Bateman, who owns The Flintlock at Cheddleton - where he had worked as a teenager - said the significance of the book is not just in its recipes, but the journey and the people behind it.

"There's a lot of personal recipes in there, sort of tributes to wife, mum, daughter, dad, brothers," the Staffordshire chef told the BBC. "[That is] combined with restaurant secrets which I thought I'd never let go of."

Home Made: Comfort Food - published on Friday - brings together 130 recipes, as well as revealing those trade tips.

Bateman, who appears on TV show The Great British Menu, said the book would have been "impossible" without the right support.

"My wife and young daughter don't see me as much as they'd like to, and equally I don't see them as much as I'd like to," he said.

"We lost my mum at the end of last year, and she was pivotal to everything that I do and have done and achieved."

Appointed a head chef at 18, he later burned out and left hospitality altogether, spending a decade working in his family's business.

However, he began posting recipes online, slowly building an audience, and now has nearly four million followers on Instagram and TikTok.

It helped him rebuild his confidence in the career he loved, before he decided to taking the chance to buy The Flintlock - the same restaurant where he worked as a teenager.

The restaurant re-opened in 2020, and just three years later it was featured in the Michelin Guide and has now also received three AA Rosettes.

Speaking about the book, Bateman said: "It's pretty bonkers, It's quite surreal and very emotional.

"There's so much lead‑up, so much work involved, and then all of a sudden it's in your hand and you can touch it and feel it."

Bateman said "utter dedication, utter commitment and obsessive nature" is how he taught himself to cook.

Among his recipes is a local favourite.

"Why would I not put the Staffordshire oatcake in?," he laughed, revealing he fills his with cheddar, Cheshire, bacon and brown sauce.

The book, he says, is "more than just recipes".

"It's taken a lot of energy and emotion," he said. "It's something I've done myself and I'm very proud of it."

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