Lifestyle: Food for Thought by Dr Philip Friel

by Dr Phil Friel  

Dr Phil Friel in Gordon Ramsay’s, New York

FOOD! We all love food. From on-the-go workday snacks and microwave meals to dinners with friends or family, food is rarely off our agenda.

So we’re delighted that Glasgow-based implant and cosmetic dentist Dr Philip Friel has agreed to serve up some foodie words for our Lifestyle section.

A married father of four, Friel is clinical director of both Philip Friel Advanced Dentistry and the 11-clinic strong Scottish Dental Care Group. He will share stories, kitchen ideas, recipes and general chat about all matters culinary—and he’s happy to answer questions. (See note at end of article to learn how to submit yours.)

Why cooking is my stress-buster
Like any other profession, dentistry can be stressful, but it’s essential that we manage this so work doesn’t interfere with other key things in life.

Stress can be managed in many ways. For me it’s in the kitchen—anything food-related, be it reading about food, purchasing food, making food or, most of all, the pleasure of eating food. It’s motivational, delivering complete relaxation.

Set me a task of cooking dinner for six or eight at the weekend and I’m set, 100?percent immersed in planning to that same degree of intensive detail and precision as I tackle an hour of complex implant surgery.

Through these articles, my aim is to share some of what makes me destress. In addition, I’ll provide easy but impressive ideas from quick snacks, healthy meals and freezer meals right through to complete dinner parties.

How I got hooked on cooking
One of my best decisions ever was allowing myself to be lured into a friend’s restaurant in Glasgow to help him out. I say ‘lured’ because it wasn’t a path I’d thought about beforehand during my early days of University of Glasgow studies, but tempted by some deal-winning promise of a few beers as well as the cash, I shook hands.

That suggested ‘one-off’ shift turned out to be the start of a six-year-long stint learning the ropes as a chef and, consequently, a two-year stint as sous chef, second in command to the head chef, helping to manage the kitchen and all those in it. Those chef days funded me through university and my dental studies.

I always negotiated six weeks off in advance of any major exams, so I was clear of catering thoughts and not quite so physically and mentally drained while combining job and intensive studies.

Today I’m proud to say that I progressed from a popular pasta and pizza restaurant to a fine dining restaurant in the heart of Glasgow’s trendy West End.

There are a great many similarities in required skill sets between the kitchen and the dental surgery: deep knowledge, education, commitment, dedication, continued development, suppliers, sources, equipment, staffing, marketing, hygiene, inspection, compliance, governance and, of course, most importantly the customers—our patients. It was without question six years of hard slog. I loved every minute of the experience, which equipped me very well for my dental career ahead.

The best lesson? The importance of teamwork. In that kitchen, especially early in my cooking career, I realised that if a task some consider basic wasn’t done, then someone further up the line couldn’t complete the dish and tempers frayed. And don’t dare forget about any potential impact on diners!

My kitchen shifts drummed into me the importance and benefits of strong teamwork—something I see and need every day in our busy clinics. Each team member plays a vital part, and at the end of the day, everyone’s priority is our patient.

Since opening our clinic in 2010, our assembled team regularly works at a fantastic level, displaying professionalism, commitment and intimate dental knowledge to patients.

In both professions, planning is of paramount importance. Whenever I return to the stove, I carefully plan my menu well ahead of the big day; I suss out seasonal ingredients, and work out what I can safely prepare in advance to make life easier. I also consider what I can ask others to assist with, including my 7-year-old son, Hugo, who is a real ‘foodie’.

Timings are calculated to the last 30?seconds. I ensure every part of the cooking process fits in with the next, avoiding risks of recipe slip-up. It’s all called proper planning and it’s what I do in kitchen and surgery alike.

A favourite dish is lobster and langoustine ravioli and by the time I’ve worked with stock, fish, pasta and sauce and various accoutrements, it can take 8–10 hours.

Likewise, in the clinic, while treatment planning for patients I can devote whole days to carefully devising care plans to ensure processes go as smoothly as possible.Trust me, at weekends during downtime, these cooking sessions work wonders, allowing me to escape work mode for a truly culinary, creative mode.

I look forward to sharing my favourite recipes, and can hopefully inspire noncooks to use kitchen skills to help defuse professional pressures we face.

Input, questions and discussions are welcome! To post your comments and questions, click "Add Comment" below this article, which will take you to a message board for this issue of DentaltownUK. Now, what’s on the menu for tonight’s dinner?