LISTEN: 'I'm never out of the kitchen': The incredible international chef from Sunderland on podcast

And he gets our thanks for reliving it all in an interview for our Wearside Echoes podcast series, sponsored by Tony Clarke Funeral Directors.

A meeting which would change his life

The Whitburn man told us all about his illustrious career which included working as a chef at some of the most renowned hotels in the Wearside and County Durham area, including the Ramside in Durham and the Seaburn Hotel.

He ran the brand new Century Per Cent Hotel in Roker in the early 1980s. He won more than 20 awards and met someone who would change his life.

They told him about a catering opportunity overseas and before long, he was running part of the restaurant for a huge airport development in Saudi Arabia which had more than 20,000 workers.

From Saudi royalty to Sunderland College

He was there for six years, met Saudi royalty and loved his time there, before he came back to Wearside and became a lecturer and cookery demonstrator at Sunderland College.

A stint followed as a troubleshooter for Vaux, before he eventually decided to retire.

Alun served up fruit scones with strawberries and cream on the day the Echo visited and played down how good it was, in typical style.

‘We all have to eat!’, he told us. ‘I’m a feeder. Everybody says it and I can’t help but thinking ‘I’ll do a bit of this and I’ll do a bit of that.

Listen to the full episode

“I am never out the kitchen. It is the best room in the house’.

Even after retirement, Alun has won awards thanks to another of his passions, for gardening.

But to find out more, you will have to listen to our latest podcast episode, sponsored by Tony Clarke Funeral Directors.

Few people have packed as much into their lives and you can hear Alun’s interview in full here.