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.

Mai Van Do is the Head Chef at Belly, where he brings over a decade of culinary experience and a passion for ingredient-driven cooking. With a professional background rooted in French and European cuisine, Mai has developed his craft in a number of Michelin-starred restaurants, refining a style that combines technical precision with creativity and respect for exceptional produce. Since joining Belly, Mai has embraced Filipino cuisine, drawing on its rich traditions while incorporating his own distinctive approach. His cooking is centred around grilling and fire-driven techniques, using carefully sourced seasonal ingredients to create dishes that are bold, balanced, and full of character. Inspired by travel, experimentation, and the discovery of new ingredients, he continually explores innovative ways to enhance flavour through smoke, flame, and texture. Under Mai’s leadership, Belly received a Michelin recommendation within just three months of his arrival, a recognition that reflects both his culinary vision and commitment to excellence. His approach combines classical training with contemporary influences, resulting in a dining experience that is both thoughtful and memorable. Through every dish, Mai aims to showcase the quality of the ingredients and the power of simple, expertly executed cooking.

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.

Mark LaBrooy is an Australian chef, restaurateur, author, and advocate for sustainable food. He is best known as the co-founder of Three Blue Ducks, the acclaimed restaurant group recognised for its ethical, farm-to-table approach and commitment to Australian producers. Today, Mark is focused on building businesses that champion wild and sustainably sourced food. He is the co-owner of Discovered Foods and Wild Pie, and the owner of Barney’s Takeaway Pizza & Wild Game Butchery in Woonona, NSW. Through these ventures, he promotes responsibly harvested wild game, value-added food products, and a deeper connection between people and the food they eat. Previously, Mark served as Head of Culinary for The Boathouse Group, helping shape the company’s culinary direction and food philosophy. An accomplished author, Mark has published three cookbooks and is a passionate subsistence hunter and fisherman, advocating for ethical harvesting and whole-animal utilisation. He is also a YETI ambassador, sharing his love of outdoor cooking, adventure, and sustainable food practices. Mark lives on the NSW South Coast with his wife, Dr Hannah LaBrooy, and their family, continuing to inspire Australians through food, sustainability, and a connection to the wild.

Dublin born chef, Mark O’ Brien has spent the last ten years working his way through some of the best restaurants in London. Stints at Barbecoa, The Dairy, and Birch (Zebra Riding Club) have all given him a grounding in modern cooking, whole animal butchery and live fire. Last year he opened his own American Style Barbecue restaurant "Snake Oil Barbecue" in Margate and was one of the Final three contestants on this year on Series 18 of Masterchef: The Professionals.

Marta Sandini is an Italian chef whose cooking is shaped by a love of fire, fermentation and bold flavours. Originally from northern Italy, her career has taken her through kitchens in Slovenia, London, China, Australia and the United States, experiences that continue to influence the way she cooks today. She trained at Hiša Franko under Ana Roš before going on to work at Luca, Allegra and Naughty Piglets in London, and is currently Head Chef at Lardo. Her food is rooted in Italian cooking but isn't tied to tradition. She draws inspiration from travel, preservation techniques, smoke and the simple pleasure of cooking and having fun. Whether working with prime cuts or lesser known ingredients, her focus is always on flavours and curiosity, making food that people genuinely want to eat.

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.