Greig Young is a seasoned chef with nearly 20 years of culinary experience. After training in Scotland, he broadened his expertise by working across Australia and New Zealand before settling in Suffolk, which he has called home for the past decade.
Greig joined The Crown in Bildeston in 2024 and creates genuine, unpretentious dishes that bring The Crown’s estate-to-plate ethos to life, using seasonal produce grown in the kitchen garden at Nedging Hall. He was recently named a Suffolk Magazine Chef of the Year finalist and an Eat Game Chef of the Year 2025 finalist.
We sat down with the talented chef to find out more about the ‘estate to plate’ ethos, his genuine and unpretentious cooking style and why elderflower is a top ingredient.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, including where you are today professionally, and what got you here?
I’ve been working in the culinary industry for nearly 20 years, having started out at just 15. I trained in Scotland before travelling to Australia and New Zealand, which really broadened my experience and shaped the way I approach food today.
Despite the travelling, I’ve found my home in Suffolk and have been settled here for the past decade. I joined The Bildeston Crown last year and was excited by the opportunity to revitalise it while working within such a well-established and successful business. My cooking is rooted in creating dishes that are genuine and unpretentious, with a strong focus on flavour. I’m passionate about continuing The Crown’s legacy while bringing it forward into a new chapter and putting my own stamp on it.
The ‘estate-to-plate’ ethos here is something I truly believe in. Having access to the kitchen garden at Nedging Hall and being able to cook with produce we’ve picked ourselves is incredibly inspiring. The team’s passion for ethical dining is music to my ears, it keeps our menus fresh, seasonal and exactly what people want today.
I was also honoured recently to be named a finalist for Suffolk Magazine Chef of the Year, as well as Eat Game Chef of the Year 2025.
What or who inspired you to become a chef?
No one person, really. I’ve always had a genuine love of food and enjoyed making things. Becoming a chef felt like a natural progression from when I first started out as a kitchen porter, and it quickly felt like the right path for me.
Who has been your biggest influence?
The first chef I worked with, Daniel Galmiche, had a huge influence on me early on. He instilled strong foundations, discipline, and a respect for the craft that have stayed with me throughout my career. Those early experiences really shaped the way I approach cooking today.
What’s your signature dish?
I wouldn’t say I have a single signature dish, as my cooking is constantly evolving with the seasons and the ingredients available. What I do think is recognisable is my style – it’s consistent in its focus on flavour, simplicity, and letting the ingredients speak for themselves.
What are the most important considerations when crafting your menu?
For me, it starts with seasonality and the quality of the ingredients. I want dishes to feel effortless on the plate, simple on the eye, but full of depth and interest. It’s about striking that balance between creativity and restraint, ensuring every element has a purpose.
Do your personal preferences influence the menu?
You can’t help but bring your own preferences into it. That said, I always try to cook with the customer in mind. However, it’s important that the chef’s style aligns with the venue – it creates a much more cohesive and enjoyable experience.
How would you describe your cooking style?
I’d describe it as genuine and unpretentious, with a strong focus on flavour. I like dishes to feel honest and thoughtfully put together – interesting without being overcomplicated.
Do you have a favourite time of year or ingredients to work with?
Spring is a particularly special time. The kitchen garden begins to come back to life, and there’s a real sense of energy and possibility. Walking through the gardens and seeing what’s coming through naturally sparks ideas – it’s one of the most inspiring parts of the job.
What is your favourite ingredient to work with?
Elderflower is a favourite of mine because of its versatility. It has a delicate, floral quality that can work beautifully in both sweet and savoury dishes, which gives you a lot of creative freedom.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a chef?
I’d definitely be a carpenter.
What is your favourite dish to cook at home?
I love cooking lasagne for my children. It’s something comforting and familiar, and it brings everyone together around the table. Those moments of sharing simple, hearty food as a family are really important to me.
When are you happiest?
I’m happiest at home with my kids. As much as I love the kitchen, it’s those quieter, more personal moments that mean the most.
What is your favourite piece of kitchen equipment?
A good knife is essential. It’s the one tool you rely on constantly, and having one you trust makes all the difference in the kitchen.
When you’re not in the kitchen, where can you be found?
I like to spend time exploring the local food scene, particularly in Bury St Edmunds. There are some fantastic restaurants there, and it’s always inspiring to see what others venues are doing.
Where is your favourite place to dine?
Taco in Bury St Edmunds is a favourite. It’s relaxed, full of flavour, and does what it does really well.
What do you think is the most over-hyped food trend?
Overly fussy, tiny, pretentious food. For me, it should always come back to flavour and enjoyment, food doesn’t need to be complicated to be good.
What differences do you find working with local produce?
Working with local produce shapes both what we create and how it tastes. At Nedging Hall Estate, ‘estate to plate’ is key, ingredients are picked at their peak and used immediately, so they retain far more depth and vibrancy than produce that’s travelled long distances.
It also encourages a more seasonal, responsive approach to cooking, where dishes are built around what’s available on the estate. That connection to place not only reduces food miles, but results in fresher, more expressive flavours.
How do you go about menu planning?
It always begins in the gardens. We look at what’s growing, what’s in season, and what’s at its best, and then build the menu around that. It keeps things grounded, creative, and constantly evolving.
How would you describe the food at The Crown to someone new?
We create dishes that are genuine, unpretentious, and led by the seasons. We’re fortunate to have access to incredible Suffolk produce – from wild game on the estate to fresh fish from the coast.
It’s the kind of place where you can enjoy a relaxed long lunch, a memorable dinner, or a special celebration. Ultimately, we want to be the first place locals think of when they’re looking for a really good meal.
What’s your favourite flavour combination?
Fig leaf, pickled melon, and tomato. It’s an interesting balance of sweetness, acidity, and freshness that works really well together.
What is the USP of your restaurant?
Our ‘estate-to-plate’ approach. The dedicated team of gardeners at Nedging Hall provide us with exceptional produce year-round. The venison you’ll find on the menu is supplied by the estate.
Anything we don’t grow ourselves, we source as locally as possible, whether that’s Suffolk gin or wild mushrooms from nearby Hadleigh. It’s all about celebrating the incredible ingredients we have right on our doorstep.
What do your future plans entail?
We’re continuing to expand the kitchen gardens, which is really exciting. We’ve also recently introduced a butchery unit at Nedging Hall, allowing us to process our own meat and make even greater use of the game from the estate. It’s a big step forward for us.
Factbox
Address: 104 High St, Bildeston, Ipswich IP7 7EB
Phone: 01449 740510
Website: thebildestoncrown.com
All imagery credit: The Crown
