Edson Diaz-Fuentes was born and raised in Mexico City. His love of good food started at an early age, and he started to help his grandmother in the kitchen from the age of 5. He realised he was not quite like the others among his friends when he would spend time from a young age observing meticulously how food was made, served and presented. Edson has spent time living in New York, London and Oaxaca City. It was in Oaxaca where he spent time in the kitchen of Alejandro Ruiz, at Casa Oaxaca, learning about the diversity of some of Mexico’s most treasured ingredients and its slow food cooking techniques. Edson set up Santo Remedio in London in 2015 together with Natalie Feary to recreate the flavours they grew up with in Mexico. What started off as an idea in New York and later a food stall in East London has since evolved into a critically acclaimed restaurant in London Bridge, specialising in grilled Mexican dishes. This was followed by the opening of the Santo Remedio Taqueria in Shoreditch and, most recently, Santo Remedio Marylebone, where Edson, Natalie and the team serve regional specialities such as Duck Carnitas and Beef Brisket Birria, as well as Mexican brunch on weekends. Edson’s first cookbook, Ciudad de Mexico, was published in 2021 by Hardie Grant and won praise from Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver, who featured it in his cookbook club in 2022. Edson enjoys travelling and particularly enjoys getting lost in markets anywhere he visits. And he is no longer bothered by the English weather Edson now considers himself a true Londoner.

Ellen Parr has been honing her culinary skills for 20 years. Her passion for cooking over coals was quickly realised at Moro, the first kitchen she cooked in. From there she moved into other prestigious kitchens, Rochelle's Canteen and 6 Portland Rd before finding a love for Chinese cooking whilst travelling through far reaching provinces of China. Returning after stages in Ho Lee Fook and Duddell's in Hong Kong, Ellen started her own venture, Lucky and Joy, a regional Chinese inspired restaurant in Hackney, East London. Known for big and bold flavours, barbecue and wok cooking, Lucky and Joy is now in it's 5th year and a stalwart of the East London restaurant scene.

Elliot Hashtroudi's French regional restaurant Camille is a produce led restaurant with a focus on offal and sustainability. Working with British regenerative farmers his zero waste approach to French cuisine is steeped rich in tradition and technique.

Food Behind Bars is a Registered Charity dedicated to transforming the food served in British prisons. We work with prisons across England & Wales on the subject of food, to improve the lives of those eating it and support the people making it. Our aim is to positively impact the health and wellbeing of prisoners, by delivering practical food-based education, promoting healthy eating and designing exciting food and drink initiatives. We know that good food in prison can create a happier, healthier prison system, with rehabilitation at its heart. This is the backbone of what we do.

Born in Spain to restaurateur parents, Francisco Martinez discovered his fervour for everything hospitality at a young age. Continuing the passion of his lineage, Fran began his culinary training in Alicante at the age of 17 before he went on to work at El Bulli, internationally renowned three-Michelin-starred restaurant led by Ferran Adrià for 2 years. Fran continued his European adventure by going on to work in SILK in Frankfurt, Germany in 2006 before moving continents, celebrating another pivotal moment in his career when working as part of the opening time of 'Agua' restaurant in the heart of Beijing between 2008 and 2011. In 2014, Francisco began his next chapter at Fazenda Group as Executive Chef, heading up procurement, suppliers relationships and menu development as the group prepared to add more restaurants to its portfolio. Most recently, Martinez played a key role in leading the kitchen team for Fazenda's newest restaurant opening in Bishopsgate, London in August 2023, he also featured in Master Chef Celebrities 2024, Meatopia festival, Taste of London and others...

London-born baker Fred has loved the kitchen since childhood, drawn to the comfort, creativity, and joy that comes from baking. That passion became something more in 2019, when he began working at Papo’s, where he spent years honing his craft and shaping bagels with care and precision. In 2021, Fred launched Fred’s Bakes - a personal venture celebrating bold flavours and comforting classics. Best known for his beautifully crafted tarts, Fred blends rich, traditional British favourites with seasonal, modern influences. Inspired by the indulgent flair of Nigella Lawson who once called his salted chocolate and hazelnut brittle tart “the business”, Fred’s baking is all about big flavour, nostalgia, and a touch of fun. Every bake from his kitchen is made to be shared, savoured, and remembered. Fred’s Bakes now supplies a variety of independent cafes across London, and regularly appears at pop-ups, markets, and food events throughout the city. Bringing joy to pastry lovers one slice at a time.

Gorka - a roaming culinary concept named after the Basque word for George - is the brainchild of chefs George Husband and George Brown. Drawing on their experience in some of London’s most respected kitchens, including Chez Bruce, Brat, Café Cecilia, and The Camberwell Arms, the duo has forged a bold, flavour-led cooking approach that blends classic French technique with cross-cultural influences, grounded in instinct, creativity, and intensity. With Gorka, flavour leads the way. Grilling methods nod to global traditions - from Japanese robatayaki to Scandinavian open-fire cooking - but the results are uniquely their own: honest, original dishes with a powerful sense of purpose. Their creative yet unpretentious style has already earned praise from some of London’s leading chefs, including Fergus Henderson and Jackson Boxer.

Gorka - a roaming culinary concept named after the Basque word for George - is the brainchild of chefs George Husband and George Brown. Drawing on their experience in some of London’s most respected kitchens, including Chez Bruce, Brat, Café Cecilia, and The Camberwell Arms, the duo has forged a bold, flavour-led cooking approach that blends classic French technique with cross-cultural influences, grounded in instinct, creativity, and intensity. With Gorka, flavour leads the way. Grilling methods nod to global traditions - from Japanese robatayaki to Scandinavian open-fire cooking - but the results are uniquely their own: honest, original dishes with a powerful sense of purpose. Their creative yet unpretentious style has already earned praise from some of London’s leading chefs, including Fergus Henderson and Jackson Boxer.

Chef George Wood is the visionary behind Brix & Bones, a 32-seat fire-led restaurant in the heart of Norwich. With a background shaped by global travel and 5 years in leading roles in London’s top fire-focused kitchens—most notably as head chef at Temper Soho. George brings bold, elemental cooking to East Anglia. His style is fiercely produce-led, with sustainable, organic, and foraged ingredients at the core of every dish. At Brix & Bones, open-fire cooking meets a deep passion for seasonality, foraging, and preservation. Wild ingredients from Norfolk’s coast and countryside appear alongside house-made ferments, pickles, and cures that add layers of acidity and complexity. Inspired by flavours from Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka and beyond. George combines global techniques with Norfolk’s best local produce. Whole-animal butchery, weekly changing menus, and a low-waste ethos run through every service. Since opening in 2022, Brix & Bones has received national recognition, including a place in the Good Food Guide’s Top 100 Local Restaurants and its Top 20 for Winter Dining 2024. It was also named one of the UK’s top hidden gem restaurants by SquareMeal. Under George’s leadership, Brix & Bones delivers a fire-driven, sustainable dining experience that celebrates ingredients, technique, and Norfolk.