Halley's chef...Richard Turner

Richard has the task of preparing meals for staff at Halley Station. During the summer months, Richard cooks for approximately forty people. He works singlehandedly in planning the menus, preparing the ingredients and cooking the meals. He is also responsible for stocktaking the food stores, thus ensuring that there are adequate supplies for the next year. Recently, the station ran low on certain items so Richard went on a hunting expedition to the summer building and food containers, where extra food is stored. He man-hauled the items back on a sledge, certainly a unique option to visiting the supermarket.

It is no easy task to prepare food for sixteen hungry people in the winter months. It is even more difficult to produce a gastronomic delight when there is no fresh produce available, but Richard consistently surprises us with the quality of the meals. The greatest challenge is coming up with a variety of meals to keep the wintering team well nourished and to prevent repetition. Each year boxes of food arrive by ship, stored in large containers. At the beginning of the season, there were some fresh vegetables and fruit, mainly from South America. This supply has gradually dwindled over the months, although there is a decreasing supply of frozen vegetables. We have a good store of frozen meat but the bulk of the meals are made with tinned and dried ingredients. Admittedly, they do not taste the same as fresh products but Richard has devised concoctions of tasty sauces which manage to fool the most cultured palate.

Richard displays his versatility by producing a wide range of food. This includes Morrocan lamb, Nepali dhal, Tuscan ravioli, Thai noodles, birthday cakes and and roast lamb to name but a few. There are few that would dare to add mint or tomato sauces. Standing 6"6', Richard presents a formidable presence in the kitchen, particularly when brandishing a knife to a tender sirloin. Food is an important source of morale and Richard is probably the only member of the station whose performance is judged consistently, twice a day.

Richard hails from Sunderland, where he trained at Monkwearmouth College from 1984-1986. He has worked as a chef in a number of hotels in Sunderland and Northumberland, most recently at the Golden Eagle Hotel in Cleveland, where he was Head Chef. He sailed south on the RRS Ernest Shackleton, where he worked in the galley as an assistant chef. After Richard has cooked and cleaned his office he can be heard boxing in the gym. He is a firm supporter of Sunderland Football Club. In the summer, Richard was fortunate to have co-piloted a Twin Otter aircraft flight to as far as 84 degrees south, which was a highlight, as he has a keen interest in military aviation.

Richard is currently in his first of two winters at Halley.

Richard, searching for cornflakes and evaporated milk