Established in 2019 and based in South Wales - Bab Haus is run by Leyli & Soraya Homayoonfar and Rebecca Goad, our food is an eclectic mix of modern Mexican / Middle Eastern and American BBQ, a fusion of Leyli and Soraya’s Persian background and Bec's experience living on the West Coast of America, mostly flavours and cooking techniques which centre around fire. Our food is constantly evolving but the one thing that remains is the aspect of cooking over fire which is key to the flavour of our dishes. Our food sites; BAB HAUS MEX in Goodsheds, Barry, Newport Market and Ffos Caerffili with a focus on Mexican and Texas BBQ both with hints of Middle Eastern flavours and cooking techniques.

Luke Larsson is the Head Chef and Co-Owner of Khao Bird, a restaurant that speaks to his personal experience of Northern Thai food and affinity for the boldness and layering of Thai flavours in that region. He first ventured to South East Asia in 2017 at the age of 23, traversing from Krabi to Udon Thani and honing the majority of his culinary skills in Bangkok, after a series of catering apprenticeships in the UK. Taking to the woks at Bo.Ian, Larsson was confronted by a bustling kitchen of 28 chefs where he learned basic kitchen skills and traditional Thai culinary fare, picking herbs, pounding pastes and expanding his repertoire of Thai flavours. Seeking out subsequent stages, Luke went on to cut his teeth at Samuay & Sons and 100 Mahaseth. Captivated by the social aspect of dining in Thailand, Luke returned to the UK where he began a series of successful pop-ups with Mike Palmer in Brighton under the name ‘Lucky Khao’. Capitalising on the very best produce he had access to from East Sussex and introducing regional Thai cooking to Brighton and Hove as the area’s debut Northern Thai restaurant before moving to London in 2024 and launching ‘Khao Bird’.

Luke Vandore-Mackay is an award-winning chef and outdoor cooking specialist with over 20 years of experience in the culinary world. His journey has taken him from operating the Borough Market Demo Kitchen and teaching at The London Barbecue School to founding successful London ventures including Brompton Food Market and The Hour Glass in Kensington. In 2019, Luke and his wife Sara traded city life for three acres of Devon woodland, establishing High Grange Devon—an innovative outdoor cooking school and fine dining experience that has redefined what's possible with live fire cooking. Drawing inspiration from the seasons, the landscape, and the rich bounty of East Devon's artisan producers, Luke's approach celebrates the primal connection between fire, food, and community. His mastery has earned High Grange Devon recognition as Best Fine Dining Restaurant from Food Drink Devon—the only barbecue venue in the county to achieve this distinction—alongside Gold awards from both Food Drink Devon and Taste of the West. As an ICSA Centre of Excellence and ranked among the top five barbecue schools in the South West, Luke's woodland kitchen has become a destination for those seeking to learn the art of cooking over flame while experiencing restaurant-quality cuisine in nature.

Man Hon Luk is a London-based pitmaster and founder redefining barbecue through a cross-cultural lens. Born in Hong Kong and raised in the UK, his approach to food blends Asian flavours with the traditions of American barbecue. His journey into barbecue began in 2022 during a trip to the United States, where he trained at Interstellar BBQ in Austin, Texas. There, he developed a deep understanding of low-and-slow cooking, fire management, and the discipline behind great barbecue. Back in London, Luk launched a barbecue venture that combines classic American smoking techniques with Asian-inspired flavours, carving out a distinctive identity within the city’s evolving food scene. His cooking is defined by bold flavours, precision, and a commitment to quality ingredients. As he continues to build his reputation, Luk is set to open his first restaurant in Hackney Wick in 2026, marking the next step in bringing his unique vision of barbecue to London.

Marie Mitchell is a British-Caribbean cultural practitioner who works with words, and food, adopting a considered approach to discuss social and political themes in spaces of nourishment. Community is at the heart of her work, she curate events, pop-ups and spaces to nurture through body and mind. With food, she develops dishes by focusing on the now - often using seasonality as her springboard, while weaving history, geography and contemporary ingredients into her menus. Caribbean hospitality, ingenuity and heart is the foundation of her, and her work, and this is always where she draws back to. Her debut cookbook, Kin: Caribbean Recipes for the Modern Kitchen was published with Particular Books (Penguin Press) in the UK in June 2024, to much acclaim, winning the Debut Cookery Award at the Fortnum and Mason awards 2025, named best new voice by Waitrose, and second in the top cookery titles of 2024 by Observer Food Monthly. She published Kin, with WW Norton in March 2025 in North America, and was named one of Eaters best new books for Spring. She’s a regular guest chef on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, written for Vittles, The Guardian, The Observer, Ocado, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and featured in Eater, Harper’s Bazaar, Time Out, Saveur Magazine, Vancouver Sun, and on Ali Rosen’s Potluck in the US.

Melanie Brown is a Chef Sommelier and Restaurateur who trades the refined cellar for the raw intensity of the hearth. As the founder of London’s The Laundry and a 2025 Cuisine Magazine Global Ambassador, Melanie’s ‘Rugged Gourmet’ philosophy is defined by a deep obsession with provenance and primal heat. While her background is rooted in elite wine expertise, her heart is at the grill- specifically working with lamb, her favourite protein to master. Whether she is rendering a heavy fat cap over glowing embers or balancing the gamey richness of wood-fired rack with high-acid pairings, her cooking is a masterclass in tension. As an OFYR Ambassador and creator of the Wild Table series, she specialises in warm hospitality, moving away from polished kitchens to embrace the grit of a woodland feast. From judging the Decanter World Wine Awards to harnessing the smoke of an open flame, Melanie’s work is a collision of world-class vintage and seared, salt-crusted craft.

Melissa Thompson is a live-fire cook, author and broadcaster. An ambassador for BBQ brand Weber, Melissa showcases a wide-range of recipes and possibilities for cooking over fire. She is the author of two cookbooks. Fired Up, out March 26, 2026, celebrates barbecue with modern recipes and tips on the BBQ basics for beginners. Her debut cookbook, Motherland, charts the island’s history through food with accompanying recipes. Of Maltese and Jamaican descent and based in London, her heritage features heavily in her food. She has demonstrated the art of jerk and barbecue cooking to audiences across the UK and Europe, and is a regular chef at Meatopia, as well as other festivals and live fire events. She is a panellist on Radio 4’s The Kitchen Cabinet, has appeared on Saturday Kitchen and writes for Good Food magazine, The Guardian, Conde Nast Traveller, National Geographic and more.

Mike Davies is the chef founder of The Camberwell Arms and Frank's Cafe. In January 2025 he joined together with Alex Keys and Tom Jones, to open a wholesale butchery in Spa Terminus called Farmer Tom Jones. Mike has always been obsessed with the best ingredients, they have informed his style of menu writing and approach to cooking in general. FTJ has been an opportunity to learn a lot about the meat industry, whilst championing some of the best producers and animals in the UK. In 2024 Mike released his debut cookbook 'Cooking for People'.

Nathan has spent the past six years as Head Chef at The Quality Chop House in Farringdon. He leads a close-knit brigade, working closely with trusted suppliers to elevate classic British dishes through a strong emphasis on provenance and rare-breed ingredients. His cooking combines traditional chop house roots with a broad range of global techniques, allowing him to present both prime and lesser-used cuts in a modern, approachable way.