| I would have liked to write an epitaph for
Alan, but his sister Annette’s, read at Alan’s funeral, and
is better than anything I could do. |
| There is much I could say about Alan, but
to keep it brief, all I can say is Alan was a wonderful support
to me when I arrived at The Fieldhead in 2006. He was the most
loyal, timely, honest and obliging, not only person but particularly
Chef I have ever had the pleasure to work with. |
| Best of all, guests loved his food for which
he never received the professional accolade he deserved. |
| I miss him. |
| Julian Peck |
 |
| Alan was the first of five children born
to Fred and Margaret Jeffery. |
| He was born on the 2nd February 1953 at Tavistock. |
| He grew up at Norton Farm Bere Alston. |
| 1958 when he was 5 he attended Bere Alston
primary school until 1964. |
| From 1964-1969 he went on to attend Tavistock
Comprehensive. This was like a great adventure as it meant having
a taxi pick us up from home to take us to Bere Alston train
station and the train would take us to Tavistock. The most exciting
part of this was when Goose Fair had been in town and left,
it was like a stampede of children running down to the car park
to see who would find the most money on the ground. If we found
enough it was spent in the school tuck shop, it never made it
home. |
| Tavistock was the place where he discovered
his passion for cooking. He was one of two boys who choose cooking;
he took a bit of teasing about it but took no notice only excelling
in it. |
| From 1969-1974 he attended Plymouth catering
college, this incorporated day release each week to work at
the Bedford Hotel in Tavistock. He gained a credit in catering
and on the job training progressed from trainee chef to second
chef. He then went on to work at The White Hart Hotel at Okehampton
as Head Chef from 1974-1975. |
| In 1975 he moved to Pelynt where he worked
at the Jubilee Inn as Head Chef where he stayed for twenty years
before he went to work in Looe. |
| Again working as Head Chef he got a job in
the Sail and Loft Restaurant. He was here from 1995-1998. |
| From 98 -2001 he was at the Archdeacon Restaurant
in Looe. |
| In between all this he found the time to
marry three times and have two girls. |
| So this brings us to the last chapter of
his life. |
| In 2001 he started to work at the Fieldhead
Hotel in Looe, he never minded working, even when he got ill
he still worked this was when he was at his happiest. When I
was sorting out his paper work I came across a letter. It was
from someone who stayed at the Hotel. They said: The
chef: I’ve hade a room with a view. I’ve also had wonderful
weather during my stay here. But, the thing I’ve enjoyed the
most is your cooking. I’ve really not experienced anything quiet
like it. The only down side to this, I could easily get used
to it. Thank you so much!!! Room 16. |
| He also found here a great friend in Julian
Peck and even when he was really ill he still wanted to work
as this was normal to him and being ill wasn’t. |
| You will be greatly missed Alan by every
one who knows you. God bless. |
