Terry Laybourne deserves the freedom of Newcastle, he helped me progress as a US chef
Back in January Tyneside chef Terry Laybourne was awarded the Freedom of Newcastle for his contribution to city's restaurant scene.
The Lemington-born chef was the first to bring a Michelin star to Newcastle, achieving the coveted prize within three years of opening 21 Queen Street in 1988 alongside wife Susan and brother Laurence.
As well as the since-rebranded 21, his portfolio of popular eateries also includes highly-regarded venues like the Broad Chare, St Vincent, and both the Saltwater Fish Company and Porterhouse Butcher and Grill in Fenwick’s Food Hall.
However, it isn’t just local residents who have benefited from his success.
Chef Oliver Hale, from Michigan in the USA, credits Laybourne with widening his knowledge of the craft - skills he still uses today.
Hale, also known as Chef O, is a retired multi-award-winning healthy lifestyle chef who had his love for athletics bring him to the North East.
“My passion for athletics led me to join the USA Transplant Games Team” he says.
“My journey began in 1987 at the World Transplant Games in Innsbruck, Austria, where I met Lynne Holt, the UK Transplant team manager.
“We've remained close friends since, and she's been instrumental in helping me achieve my dreams. One of my bucket list goals was to work in a restaurant abroad.
“Thanks to Lynne's connection with Chef Terry, I sent a resume and everything can together. So the next time that I was going to be in Newcastle, we will do it. I had the opportunity to shadow him and his crew in September 2023.”
Chef O spent time in the North East, learning about the ways of the North East as well as new ways of cooking.
“My 52 years of culinary skills just added a new chapter in my life after talking with him. He is like an artist painting a palette pleasing picture of his food, his restaurants and other ones in the Newcastle area.
“I enjoy going down to the beaches. My biggest thrill is going down to the fish market to get fresh fish!
“I have never experienced getting real fresh fish. The place where I stayed had me pick seafood to prepare while I stayed with them. These are some of the many highlights that I have enjoyed when I visited Newcastle.
“With the little time that I got a chance to spend with him was very uplifting even at my age and years as a chef.
“After working the hours in the kitchen with his employees, his teaching, his standards of cooking is shown by their professionalism. I just wished that I could have spent time working under someone like him.
“I have met many owners, chefs, but not like the caliber of Chef Terry Laybourne. All I would like to do is to smile, shake his hand again and say, ‘keep climbing that ladder of success and remember when you do, reach back and bring someone up with you!’