Tacos Padre was founded by Nicholas Fitzgerald in 2017, appearing at Meatopia and various pop ups in London, Mexico City, Portugal, and Berlin before finally opening his first permanent taqueria in Borough Market Kitchen at the end of 2019. Tacos Padre has been inspired by Nick’s extensive travels around the country – the flavours, colours, sights, and sounds of Mexico’s street food, markets, and diverse regional cuisines are all distilled into the vibrant dishes at Tacos Padre. As well as stints heading up many of London’s best Mexican restaurants, Nick worked at the renowned Pujol in Mexico City, which ranked 9th in previous years on the World’s 50 Best list.

Over 22 years of experience in the hospitality industry with proficiency of running Operations as Head Chef, Executive Chef and Brand Chef. A very approachable and trustworthy individual with a customer focuse and believes every meal should be an occasion. As someone with diverse multi cuisine experience, I strive to keep things simple and demonstrate productivity and efficiency in daily Operations. -Michelin Plaque awarded for 2 consecutive years at Farzi Café London -2 Chef Television series for Amazon Prime, Discovery and Sony TV.

Nirmal Save Born in Mumbai, he developed a passion for fresh produce early on. He worked at the Oberoi and later in London at Indian Zest and Tamarind Collection. Nirmal joined Gunpowder in 2015. Now as Corporate Chef & Management, he will bring his expertise in Indian cuisine to the team.

Paddy Maher is the head chef at Pearly Queen in Shoreditch, where he showcases his passion for seafood through innovative and flavourful dishes. With a culinary style rooted in sustainability and freshness, Paddy draws inspiration from the vibrant coastal cuisines of the UK and his home country Ireland . At Pearly Queen, Paddy continues to push the boundaries of seafood cuisine, blending traditional techniques with modern flavours to create a dining experience that is both memorable and delicious.

Eat good, live good. That’s the mantra. Rajen has been channelling this through his culinary journey from the beginning. Starting off in the kitchens of pizzerias, pubs & restaurants building upon his skills and knowledge to run his own brand, The Homie's Kitchen. For the past 5 years he's hosted supper clubs, pop-ups & chef collabs all across London. And now more gratefully, a Meatopia Alumni. Being a 1st generation British born Indian, his food draws inspiration from both long standing family food traditions & the culture he grew up around Big on bold spices & cooking techniques that require care, time & patience. The Homie's Kitchen is a brand that stands for family style cooking, made for everyone to gather around a table or fire to share.

Rasheed Philips, affectionately known as The Gentleman SmokerTM, is a culinary artisan who brings the rich flavors and traditions of his Jamaican heritage to the world of barbecue. Featured on networks such as Netflix, A&E and more. Rasheed's dishes are characterized by their distinctive use of spices, marinades, and open-fire grilling, which impart a unique depth of flavor and a touch of his homeland in every bite. As a prominent figure in the barbecue community, Rasheed has participated in numerous BBQ events and showcases across the country, earning a dedicated following among barbecue enthusiasts and food lovers alike. Beyond cooking, he is a sought-after mentor and speaker at various barbecue competitions, where he shares his knowledge and passion for the craft. Rasheed's journey as The Gentleman SmokerTM is a testament to his commitment to excellence and his love for bringing people together through the universal language of food.

Established in 2019 and based in South Wales - Bab Haus is run by Leyli Homayoonfar and Rebecca Goad, our food is an eclectic mix of modern Mexican / Middle Eastern and American BBQ, a fusion of Leyli’s Persian background and Becs 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.

Richard H. Turner is a distinguished British chef, butcher, restaurateur, and meat specialist renowned for his significant contributions to London’s culinary scene, particularly through his association with Hawksmoor, Blacklock, Pitt Cue Co., and Bodean’s. Trained under esteemed chefs The Roux brothers, Pierre Koffmann, Marco Pierre White, Alain Ducasse and Joel Robuchon. In 2009, Turner joined Hawksmoor, a prominent London-based steakhouse, where he played a pivotal role in refining its steakhouse concept and expanding its presence across the UK. Co-founded Turner & George with James George, Introduced the renowned New York meat festival, Meatopia, to the U.K., with Matt Kemp, celebrating live-fire cooking and sustainable meat practices. As a partner in Pitt Cue Co. the acclaimed Soho barbecue joint, Turner further showcased his expertise in live fire meat cookery. Turner has co-authored several cookbooks, including “Hawksmoor at Home”;, “Hawksmoor Restaurants and Recipes” and “Pitt Cue Co. The Cookbook”;. He also wrote “Prime” about beef and “Hog” about pork, sharing his extensive knowledge and passion for meat cookery with a broader audience. Current interests include Hawksmoor, Blacklock, Turner & George, Meatopia Festival, Bodean’s and Trenchermen, his hospitality consultancy business.

After 20 years in the service industry, you’d be hard pressed to find somebody as versatile as ROB HALLAS. From humble beginnings in McDonalds, to running nightclubs and bars, Robs unorthodox path has led him to owning and operating Bastards Bistro. A concept that pushes culinary boundaries, Bastards is an idea that was born from grit, determination and a whole lot of stubbornness. From 5 course pairing nights, to festivals to reinventing the scotch egg in lockdown, Rob has managed to indent his versatility and passion for hospitality into something truly exceptional. His cooking style is unique, putting his own spin on classic dishes. Cooking what he loves to eat and serve to the masses.