When he left school Peter Sidwell was given the choice of entering the army or going to catering school. Fortunately for all of us food lovers, he opted for a career in cooking. Since studying in his home county Yorkshire, Peter has shared his love of great food through his books, TV shows and other media ventures.
Inspiring a love of food
After working in prestigious kitchens in York, Peter moved to the Lake District with his wife Emma to set up their own café, deli and bakery and soon afterwards self-published his first cookery book. Not one to rest on his laurels, his latest business project is Keswick Cookery School where he teaches other budding chefs to find inspiration in the local landscape and how focusing on the quality of their ingredients is the secret to great food.
Peter explained: “I love cooking. I love eating it and thinking about it. I love chatting to people – particularly about food. I enjoy being on TV. I just try to be myself and it seems to work.”
His many fans can also log into his Facebook and YouTube live kitchen broadcasts each Saturday morning and cook along as he teaches us how to create culinary masterpieces using fresh seasonal produce.
Floor installed: English Character Oak RKP8115
Designing a creative kitchen
In his busy family kitchen, where he also tests out new recipes, Peter wanted to create a cooking and entertaining space that’s not only beautiful but also practical.
He opted for a modern farmhouse style kitchen with classic units in a contemporary grey. Units along one wall and a large island unit provide generous food preparation and cooking space with a practical white marble worksurface, while a pantry look has been created along a second wall with a wood worksurface.
When it came to choosing the flooring, it was key that it was hard wearing and easy to keep clean. For a natural wood look that is ideal for DIY installation, Peter turned to the Palio Express by Karndean rigid core ranges.
Floor installed: English Character Oak RKP8115
Easy-fit rigid core flooring
Peter told us: “I chose English Character Oak from the Korlok range to bring a cosy warmth to the grey palette of our kitchen and to tie into the other wooden elements. I was amazed by how quick and easy it was to fit myself. Our existing concrete floor was level and in good condition so I didn’t have to do any preparation – I simply clicked the new planks together over the top!”
With a rigid core construction that is designed to fit over most existing hard floors or uneven subfloors, Korlok flooring is easy to install with minimal subfloor preparation. The planks can be quickly fitted together with a 5G click-locking technique. Simply cut to size with a score and snap technique then click into place for a beautiful result in no time.
A kitchen for every occasion
Peter and his family have fallen in love with their new kitchen. He said: “I love how the warming colours of the floor balance the cool grey kitchen units and how the realistic grain patterns add heaps of country charm. Our kitchen is now the perfect place to spend time together as a family and with friends.”
We think this practical cooking space is bound to inspire Peter to create new modern culinary delights and we can’t wait to tune into Peter’s next cookery show to find out what he has in store for us to try out!