AN INSPIRATIONAL Irvine dad is plotting a new venture to help inspire the next generation of chefs after drastically turning his life around.

Chef Gary Difolco battled drink and drugs and had a few brushes with the law.

Problems began for 26-year-old Gary at school where he endured a ‘torturous time’ and became a troubled teenager.

But now, a decade on, he’s the head chef in three kitchens across Ayrshire and has turned his life around, and then some.

Working alongside North Ayrshire Council’s Youth Support workers, who he calls his life-savers after transforming his life, the dad of four is now giving something back to the community.

Gary has already set up cooking classes for parents to prove that healthy eating can be affordable for everyone and now the Irvine man is looking to help future chefs gain official qualifications with funding and support from North Ayrshire Council and their Young Person Support team.

Gary said: “Things are great now and I’m trying to give something back. I know how lucky I’ve been. Without the youth support team, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Through all my bad times, they’ve believed in me. My youth workers have been more like father figures to me.

“The Parent Cooking programme is going great and in it’s third year. I can’t tell you how much I love it. Helping others is the biggest buzz you ever get. Just seeing the class become better and better cooks over the weeks is fantastic.

“I want to do more and help people that are just like me. I’m working with North Ayrshire Council’s Throughcare Team to try and give budding chefs a real helping hand. I don’t want any money from it. Any funding I’d get will go back into the project. I just want to get people into cooking and help them get their Levels 1 and 2.

“Just now I’ll take them into my kitchens but ultimately I want to set up my own cook school.” As a kid, Gary’s behaviour went from bad to worse and he admits his youth support workers saved him and gave him the strength and self-belief to turn his life around.

He added: “I started off just behaving badly. Then I started to get bullied and refused to go to school. My behaviour turned worse and I started to be horrible to everyone. I had no respect for anybody.

“I was referred to the Children’s Panel when I was 11 and that’s when I met my support worker Ian Emerson.

“He was brilliant and supportive with me. He made me realise that I didn’t deserve this life and there was so much more I could achieve.

“He gave me something to look forward too. He was more of a father-figure to me as I was brought up by a single mum.” But things took a turn for the worse when Gary’s mum died and he again went off the rails.

He added: “I started taking more drink and drugs and got caught selling them. I was up in court and got a probation order and was spared jail.

“Ian came to my hearing and I spoke to him for three or four hours after it. And he was really positive again and helped me get a job as a kitchen porter in Arran. He was key in that and I can’t thank him enough.

“I was able to get away from everything here. It might only have been Arran but it felt like the other side of the world.” That’s where his life turned around and the cooking skills he’d learned so well from mum Caroline helped him impress and make staggering progress.

He now works in Flynn’s in Girvan, Flask in Saltcoats and the Thistle in Cumnock and is an inspiring father for his four kids.

North Ayrshire Councillor Anthea Dickson added: “What a great compliment to our staff. Gary’s story is incredibly inspiring and one of which the council should be rightly proud.

“Our youth workers, along with all our support staff at every level, care passionately about their clients and always try to find a solution no matter how big or small the problem.

“What Gary has done since escaping his troubles is remarkable. When he wanted to give something back, we were only too happy to help to assist by offering kitchen facilities and financial support.

“Through his mentoring and example, I am sure he will teach a future generation of chefs all the skills they need to not only succeed in the kitchen but in every aspect of their lives.”