Shamed chef comes clean about his bogus CV

May 25 2008 By Steve Smith

A TOP chef who quit his five-star restaurant over lies on his CV last night broke his silence to admit: "I didn't tell the truth and it has destroyed my life."

Rising star James Stocks - hailed as Britain's hottest kitchen talent - resigned from Balbirnie House, Fife, for spicing up his application.

Stocks, 25, had claimed to be a protege of celebrity chef Marco Pierre White but says he was left "shattered" when White claimed never to have heard of him.

In an exclusive interview, he said: "I did embellish stuff on the CV but it was just how long I had worked at restaurants and I beefed up the positions I held.

"I wish I hadn't done it because it's costme everything but I stand by that I worked where I said.

"I have a fiancee and a two-year-old son and this has just destroyed my life."

Despite only joining Balbirnie in December, Stocks - who has three Michelin stars tattooed on his arm - had already been awarded Scotland's 2008 Hotel Restaurant Of The Year.

He had been lined up for a book deal, a TV show and an ad contract - now all on hold.

Leeds-born Stocks claimed he worked for White at his famous Oak Room in London, before taking a senior role at Gordon Ramsay's Royal Hospital Road restaurant.

He said: "When Marco Pierre White said he wouldn't recognise me in the street, I was shattered.

"I'm sure he knows me because I worked for him at the Oak Room. I had a pretty hellish childhood and lived on the streets of London for a bit as a teenager, so cooking is my life.

"I was so driven I did everything I could to be the best.

"When the job came up at Balbirnie, it seemed perfect. I love Scotland. But I was worried if I put downmy previous employers, it would look bad.

"I had moved around 30 restaurants, soaking up the recipes and techniques, then leaving some after two weeks without saying goodbye - which upset people."

He admitted he was horrified by a photograph of his messed-up room at Balbirnie.

It showed an unmade bed, food on the floor and was littered with empty drinks cans.

He added: "I stayed in the room three nights a week and the cans were there for recycling."

Stocks is desperate to secure a backer to open his own restaurant.

He said: "I'll let the cooking do the talking now."

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