No British chef knows pastry like Calum Franklin. He learned his trade at One Aldwych and Roast, sobering up along the way. But Franklin made his name as the Executive Chef of Holborn Dining Room, where he turned Wellingtons, pithiviers and sundry things ‘en croute’ into an art form, with a whole separate space, The Pie Room, dedicated to them. In his hands, enclosing things in pastry was not merely a delicious way to eat, but a link to English food history. An award-winning cookbook followed, stuffed with recipes for sweet and savory treats. It was Jamie Oliver — a big fan — who christened Franklin the ‘pie king’, and the name has stuck. He says he loves the “discipline and craftsmanship” involved in a good pie; his are ornate, beautiful constructions, the detail on the outside matched only by the flavours within.

But after cooking in London for 20 years, Franklin was ready for an even more onerous challenge: opening a British restaurant in Paris, a city where the concept of English cooking is an oxymoron if not a punchline. Public House, a kind of super-pub, opened last year, on the site of an old nightclub near the Opera house, and after a couple of early bumps in the road — including a less than flattering Jay Rayner review — it has established itself as one of the most popular new openings of the year, with knowledgeable French diners piling in for those sausage rolls, Scotch eggs and, of course, pies galore. If Franklin can sell pastry to the Parisians, what can’t he do? More recently he has opened another new restaurant, turning his eye for detail and history to the Georgian restaurant at Harrods. He took some time out of his extensive Eurostar schedule to answer our questions.

Could you share a career highlight?

Opening a really successful British restaurant in Paris earlier this year.

And a lowlight?

Getting absolutely pummelled by a British critic in the opening month of said restaurant? [The aforementioned Rayner drubbing.]

Who was the greatest influence on you?

A great chef called Tony Fleming (now at D&D London). He taught me that the key to management was about understanding individuals. And Keith Floyd, cooking anything, anywhere.

What meal did you dread growing up?

My Dad used to make a veal schnitzel dish that could have been considered an arrestable offence. Soggy. Awful.

What is the most evil restaurant trend?

Taking a dessert or coffee order, and then saying you only have five minutes left on your table before you have to leave.

Desert island wine?

I stopped drinking 14 years ago! But I recently had a Nivers No. 5 fermented tea at a swanky restaurant in Paris and loved it for a sober option.

What is your go-to dinner party dish?

A large pie of some sort.

What’s the worst meal you’ve ever made?

I once cooked partridge in Lewisham for neighbours who had got them in from somewhere unknown. I was hammered (this was pre-sobriety). There were feathers everywhere and not enough meat for any of us.

When is the customer wrong?

When they say a restaurant is too dark. At night, most should be almost pitch black. Maybe with a little candlelight.

Can you recommend a restaurant I won’t have heard of?

19 Saint Roch, around the corner from me in Paris, where Pierre 'the Bear' Touitou is cooking up a storm.