James spent his formative years in the kitchen of some of the best known names in the British restaurants, including The Savoy Hotel, Le Caprice and J Sheekeys. 

Through his work as Group Chef Director at THE PIG Hotels & Fellow of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, he has worked to raise interest in where his food comes from and how it Raised & how it tastes. He has done this through working closely with his head Kitchen gardeners, His Head Chefs, and is now Food Ambassador for the New Forest Marque & Dorset food & drink. 

Through his position, television appearances and relationship with local suppliers and producers he achieves and delivers his vision with respect to the Environment, to taste and to animal welfare. He trains the next generation of chefs through THE PIG apprenticeship programme that has won multiple awards since its launch with over 20 students chefs working & learning across the group.