Exeter chef appears on ITV’s new cooking competition, aged 21

A chef from one of Exeter’s best-known independent restaurants has appeared on national television after taking part in a new ITV reality cooking competition.

Tom Lodge, Creative Director at Crave, features in The Heat, which launched on ITV2 and ITVX on Tuesday 24 February at 9pm.

Originally from South Wales, Tom began cooking professionally at the age of 16. He went on to gain experience at renowned kitchens including The Hardwick in Abergavenny, Lucknam Park in Wiltshire and The Savoy in London, where he staged under Gordon Ramsay.

The series, hosted by broadcaster Olivia Attwood, places chefs from across the UK into a high-pressure competition designed to test their technical skill, creativity and ability to perform under intense scrutiny.

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Throughout the series, contestants are mentored by multi-Michelin-starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, who is opening an exclusive summer restaurant at Port Vell Marina and is searching for a standout culinary talent.

Speaking with Exeter Today, Tom said the opportunity to appear on the programme came about unexpectedly.

“I had a message from someone who Sameer has now employed – a TV producer called James,” he said. “I thought, ‘yeah, let’s give this a go’, and Sameer encouraged me to do the show.”

Despite the pressure of the competition, Tom said the experience differed from the realities of working in a professional kitchen.

“Obviously it’s television – we filmed for three weeks and you see 45 minutes of service,” he said. “Crave’s kitchen is actually more intense because we’re constantly developing new dishes.

“At Crave it’s all about innovation and development, and changing the way diners view restaurants.”

However, he said the presence of mentor Jean-Christophe Novelli still brought its own pressure.

“Of course you have the pressure of Jean-Christophe Novelli,” Tom said. “But I’d say the pressure from Sameer is pretty much the same.”

Tom described working with Novelli during the competition as a memorable experience.

“He’s very flamboyant and has his own style of cooking,” he said. “We got on really well and still talk now. He’s a great guy and I’m sure I’ll work with him again.”

Before joining Crave, Tom spent time developing his cooking style in some of the UK’s most respected kitchens.

One of the most influential experiences came during his time at The Hardwick under chef Stephen Terry.

“That was probably the biggest influence on my style,” Tom said. “There were no recipes and the menu changed constantly.

“Stephen was always the first in the kitchen and the last to leave. At one point it was just me, Stephen and another chef trying to run a Michelin restaurant. I was 17 at the time, so it made me grow up very quickly.”

Tom now brings that philosophy of creativity and constant development to Crave, where he works closely with owner Sameer Shetty.

“What we try to do at Crave is create new dishes so everyone can have their own ideas,” he said.

He also hopes the restaurant can help strengthen Exeter’s food scene.

“In my opinion there isn’t a huge food scene here yet,” Tom said. “There are a lot of chain restaurants and not as many small independent bistros.

“With Crave, we want to help change that and hopefully grow the food culture in Exeter.”

Sameer agreed, saying the restaurant was created with the aim of offering something different.

“There are so many chain restaurants in Exeter and we wanted Crave to stand out from the crowd,” he said.

Sameer said Tom has had a significant impact on the restaurant since joining as Creative Director.

“When I first started the business, I wanted a menu with something for everyone – pasta, tacos, burgers,” he explained.

“But we realised that was difficult to maintain consistently. Tom helped change my mindset. Now we focus on doing fewer dishes but doing them really well.”

He added: “Tom’s input into the menu has been massive. He’s helped shape how we grow the business.”

Sameer said he was proud to see the young chef representing the restaurant on national television.

“Seeing someone who is 21 on national television is amazing,” he said. “Tom is flying the flag for our restaurant in Exeter.”

He believes the city’s food scene has strong potential but could develop further.

“The food scene is getting better,” he said. “But for a place with so much incredible produce on its doorstep, Exeter should be doing even better.

“We want to help change that and be pioneers in improving the food scene here.”

Crave has built a loyal following since opening 18 months ago, with the restaurant regularly full at weekends.

Looking ahead, the business is preparing to expand with a second site planned in Bristol.

“We’re hoping that one day it could reach Michelin-star level,” Sameer said.

The new venue will include a basement cocktail bar, an outdoor terrace and a more relaxed food concept.

“We want it to be a unique, quirky space,” he added. “There will be a basement cocktail bar, an outdoor terrace and even an indoor food truck where people can grab coffee, brunch or dinner.”

The long-term ambition for the business is continued growth while maintaining quality.

“The biggest challenge will always be consistency,” Sameer said. “Every detail matters – every dish has to be plated perfectly.”

Reflecting on the experience of filming The Heat, Tom said the show also changed how he communicates with younger chefs in the kitchen.

“Being on the other side of criticism was interesting,” he said. “It made me think more about how I speak to younger people in the kitchen and how feedback can affect them.”