A conversation about Andy's life, which took him from being an actor, graduate of Mountview Drama School, performing plays in Vienna and Lagos amongst other places to being the head chef and founder of his own London restaurant, Alter, which specialises in vegan food done in a new and exciting way.

Episode index:

0.00-9.50 Intro, Andy's childhood in Yeovil and beginnings in drama

9.50-19.05 Drama School - Mountview

19.05-26.00 Leaving Mountview, life as an actor in the real world

26.00-29.53 First gig, Vienna's English Theatre and time in Austria

29.53-34.02 Doing a play in Nigeria, time in Lagos

34.02-36.48 Time as a struggling actor

36.48-41.23 Dropped by agent before going onstage, leaving acting and looking for ideas

41.23-43.33 Gravitates into kitchen, works for free

43.33-45:40 Takes plunge, starts from the bottom as a chef, Claude's Kitchen

45:40-50.09 The theatrical aspect of food

50.09-52.10 Rising up the ranks in Claude's Kitchen

52.10-53.24 Makes the move to a Michelin Star kitchen

53.24-54.27 Trial shifts

54.27-56.45 Culture of Michelin Star restaurants and comparison to West End theatre

56.45-1:03:31 Bullying culture in kitchens, where does that come from?

1:03:31-1:09:51 How did he start up his own project? Talks about inspirations for Alter including Simon Amstell's Carnage, veganism and Anthony Bourdain

1:09:51-1:12:41 Guessing he's not a believer in cultural appropriation of food? No, he isn't. Explains why his restaurant is more global than that.

1:12:41-1:15:35 I wonder will the world go vegan or is the vegan world an echo chamber? Andy thinks about this differently, it's about expanding our palette not competing with nostalgia.

1:15:35-1.23.30 Trace the steps from Som Saa to founding his own restaurant.

1.23.30-1.24.42 His style as a head chef in the kitchen

1.24.42-1.27.56 We go back to his time as an actor. Why does he think that career didn't work out? Creative fulfilment and how it comes in different guises.

1.27.56-1.28.53 His wife, actor Mona Goodwin, and their soon to arrive baby

1.28.53-1.31.29 Seems like he's reached a good point in life. The Swans legs are kicking hard under the water. Final thoughts.

1.31.29-1.33.01 Outro

Guest: Andy Hogben

Links to Alter and other media Andy has done:

https://www.alterldn.com/about-1

https://www.lockeliving.com/en/features/chef-andy-hogben-is-on-a-mission-to-make-vegan-vibrant

Host and producer: Donal Gallery

Recorded using Cleanfeed between our houses in North and South London

Artwork by Anna Obert https://www.instagram.com/annaobertillustration/

Music by Donal Gallery

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PathsPodcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PathsPodcast

Get in touch with stories of people who've had dramatic changes in their lives at [email protected]

Thanks for listening