Packing her only tools-of-the-trade — a tireless work ethic and an unshakable faith in her life’s destiny — the c.v.-less, non-Italian-speaking Watkins walked into a restaurant kitchen in Florence and secured herself an unpaid internship.

“I was so lucky I didn’t understand a word they were saying,” says Chef Watkins. “They thought I was tough as nails because I put up with their yelling and screaming at me all the time. But not understanding the language gave me the opportunity to get my head wrapped around what I was doing without being eternally damaged by what they were saying about me.”

Within three years, the now fluently Italian-speaking Watkins worked her way through the brigade to junior sous-chef and counts her mentors as steadfast friends to this day.

I ask Chef what was the biggest take-away from her time working in a Florentine kitchen.

Says Watkins, “Embracing what you’ve got around you and making the most of it. They are so proud of what they have in Italy. They will argue until they’re red in the face over whether the wine grapes on the left bank of the field are better than those growing in the right bank of the field. For Italian cooks, there’s really no need to take ingredients from the Far East to complete a dish.”

Back in the UK, Watkins further honed her craft under the watchful eye of Heston Blumenthal, one of England’s finest chefs, at the Fat Duck in Bray.

Today, Watkins is one of the UK’s fastest rising chefs. With her partner-in-crime, front-of-house maestro, Miles Watkins, this dynamic duo – aside from raising two small children; the eldest passionate about cooking and crackling — wow patrons with their “10 Mile Menu” at their pub-restaurant-inn, The Kingham Plough in Oxfordshire, England.

The much-lauded pub has been awarded a prestigious Bib Gourmand from the Michelin guide for three years running, as well as numerous other accolades, including two AA Rosettes and Dining Pub of the Year (Cotswold Life 2008 & 2010).

Watkins’ ever-changing menu embraces the season. Each plate through her pass reflects at least 85 per cent of what’s grown and raised within a 10 mile radius of the restaurant’s kitchen door, the ingredients transformed into unique interpretations of British cuisine. Watkins describes her approach to cooking as unfussy; simple, seasonal, earthy. As great ingredients deserve to be treated.

From January 23 through January 27, 2012, as chef-in-residence, Watkins will be on this side of the pond mentoring Stratford Chefs’ School students on nose-to-tail cookery with a decidedly Best of Britain menu.

As a prelude to her time at the School, last Thursday Watkins — sided by Stratford Chefs School well-seasoned students, Blair, Randi and Cortney — led a participatory class of about 20 Danforth Collegiate culinary students to put on a luncheon for media and industry professionals.

While the menu as a whole was unpretentious, each course did comprise three or more layers of flavour. Suffice to say Chef Watkins really put these kids through their paces. No doubt she designed the menu to give the students as much exposure to technique as could be squeezed into a two-hour prep session while navigating hot pots and sizzling pans past idle reporters and inquisitive gastrogeeks jockeying for a foothold back-of-house.

I don’t know how they managed it, but managed they did. Chef Watkins and her brigade delivered an incredible three-course lunch, on time and with impeccable flair.

The starter course was a crispy Panko encrusted poached egg — with the most perfect runny yolk — pan fried lardons set atop a watercress coulis. The dish was flawless.

An entree of pan seared duck breast, done medium-rare, as it should be, was served over a bed of tender lentils and a side of caramelized endive. The duck was moist and full-flavoured, the skin crackling beautifully rendered. Another homerun.

For “pudding,” Chef whipped up a rich dark chocolate mousse, topped it with candied orange peel, and presented it with orange-scented biscuits. In a word, divine.

In my last minutes with Watkins I ask her about the Japanese Panko used in her first course; not exactly local food procurement.

Chef doesn’t miss a beat. She says, “Back at the restaurant I make my own Panko.”

Watkins takes a loaf of locally baked bread, whizzes two-thirds in a Robot-Coup to create fresh bread crumbs and lets the other third dry out completely before pulverizing it.

Says Chef, “The two lots mixed together make for a pretty good version of homemade Panko.”

Enough said.