{"id":37017,"date":"2017-11-27T13:03:47","date_gmt":"2017-11-27T13:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=37017"},"modified":"2017-11-27T13:03:47","modified_gmt":"2017-11-27T13:03:47","slug":"cardiff-character-steen-kokborg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/2017\/11\/27\/cardiff-character-steen-kokborg\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardiff Character: Steen Kokborg"},"content":{"rendered":"

This chef marries youth work with cooking, and he\u2019s just getting started<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"After

Steen has been working since the morning and now it is dark. There is smooth music playing and an array of artwork displayed on the walls. Combined, these make a relaxing and warm atmosphere for his customers. However, when his customers have left and the cafe is clean, Steen\u2019s day has not ended. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just cooking some more roasties to give to the homeless outside,\u201d he says with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

This extra effort is normal for Steen. He has been cooking since the age of 12, and 34 years of experience has done nothing but fuel his love for food and people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to be a part of society haven\u2019t you?\u201d he states. \u201cYou have to give to receive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This philosophy underpins every move Steen makes, and it shows. His life has been spent flipping between youth work and cooking, but now the combining of the two has given him a new direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\u201cShall

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You can\u2019t be a community on your own<\/b><\/h2>\n

Steen already offers cooking classes to all walks of life, but he wants to expand on this. A youth restaurant is one of his ideas for the future.<\/p>\n

The restaurant will be a chance for young people to get a feel for the food industry before committing to catering college. He faces issues with funding and candidates, but this does not faze him. \u201cYou can\u2019t be a community on your own,\u201d he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n

Steen is waiting for characters \u201cwith integrity\u201d so he can start his teaching. He already has some ideas on who will be suitable.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDealers work well in the\u00a0kitchen. They deal with\u00a0pressure and can do maths.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In addition to the future classes, Steen rents his restaurant out on Saturday evenings to aspiring chefs. He joked that the reason for this was because he no longer wanted to work on Saturdays. Although this may be true, his drive to share his knowledge and give back to his community shines through in his actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Peasant food with polish<\/b><\/h2>\n

Although Steen has many future ambitions, it does not mean he has nothing on his plate. The day-to-day running of his cafe and the buffets he caters for customers take up a lot of his time. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you are wondering how he has the energy to keep taking on new projects, he\u2019ll tell you he\u2019s \u201ca bit crackers maybe.\u201d But Steen\u2019s cooking is fresh and healthy and he wants to share this with others.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to get people thinking a bit more about what they\u2019re consuming. Someone once asked me if they could have risotto with chips\u2026 no you can\u2019t!\u201d said Steen. <\/span><\/p>\n

He strives to offer healthier alternatives because of the rise of processed and microwaved food served in restaurants nowadays. He explained that in his last cooking class, they made four sauces in two hours. \u201cIt really is simple when you know how,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, he does not want to go too far in the opposite direction. \u201cFine dining is boring,\u201d said Steen, \u201cit\u2019s like working in a factory. There\u2019s too many egos in the kitchen. We serve peasant food, with polish.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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