This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan sit down with the godfather of North East hospitality - Terry Laybourne. From washing prep boxes on his very first day in a kitchen to opening Queen Street in 1988 and helping shape the region’s dining scene, Terry shares the story of how a working-class lad from the west end of Newcastle became what he calls a “food engineer.”

He talks about the moment he truly fell in love with food (a life-changing staff curry in Jersey), the insecurities of cooking for the ultra-wealthy in Switzerland, and why curiosity - not ambition - drove his career.

They dive into team culture, leadership and longevity: building restaurants that last decades, the importance of the people around you, and why the kitchen works like a rigid 4-4-2 football team - talent matters, but everyone still has to track back.

Terry also reflects on the realities facing hospitality today, rising costs, post-COVID pressures, and the responsibility of looking after a team of more than 180 staff. There’s a debate over the perfect boiled egg, stories from unforgettable meals in Provence, the perfect last meal before he reveals his very specific Greggs order when the kitchens are closed and hunger strikes.

A funny, honest and thoughtful conversation about graft, humility and building something that lasts.

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