Ali Clem is the James Beard–recognized chef, owner, and pitmaster behind the iconic Texas-style smoked brisket at Michelin-starred la Barbecue in Austin. Regarded as one of the world’s leading barbecue chefs, she is celebrated for her technical mastery, creative precision, and her dedication to honoring—and continually evolving—the legacy she built with her late wife, LeAnn Mueller. A Fort Worth native, Ali entered the restaurant world at eighteen while studying in East Texas, working every front-of-house role from server to manager. Her path shifted when she moved to Austin and was hired by barbecue legend John Mueller to help open a small food trailer on South First Street. It was there she discovered her calling for the pit and the craft that would define her career. Together with LeAnn, Ali transformed that humble trailer into la Barbecue, now a nationally acclaimed institution known for its smoked meats, vibrant energy, and fiercely loyal following. Under her leadership, la Barbecue has grown from a beloved food truck—earning an early spot on Texas Monthly’s “Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas”—into one of the country’s most decorated barbecue restaurants. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2024, retained it in 2025, and in 2026.

Amin is the pitmaster and founder of Fire and Smoke, delivering authentic Texas-style BBQ from the heart of Scotland. Entirely self-taught, Amin learned the craft the hard way — countless hours at the pit, deep in smoke and fire, mastering specialty smoked meats one fire at a time. Every mistake became a lesson, every cook an improvement. After more than a decade as a weekend garden BBQ warrior, Amin took Fire and Smoke to the masses in 2024. His cooking style is uncompromising: real wood and charcoal, live fire, offset smokers, and direct-heat pits — traditional low-and-slow BBQ done properly. Inspired by iconic Texas BBQ joints and the pursuit of world-class craft barbecue, Amin has helped redefine what BBQ looks like in Scotland. Since launching the Fire and Smoke food trailer in May, every event has sold out, earning him recognition as a rising BBQ phenomenon, recently picked up by The Herald Times. One of Amin’s proudest achievements is Eleanor — a 620-gallon offset smoker, designed by Amin and hand-built for him and Fire and Smoke — the largest offset smoker in Scotland. For Amin, BBQ isn’t a trend. It’s a craft forged in smoke, fire, and obsession.

A celebration of all things Umami. Our supper clubs are about bringing people together to experience simple, flavourful food in informal yet intimate surroundings. Fresh meats, fish and whole vegetables are simply finished over Japanese coals and served with vibrant, flavour packed condiments and garnishes with a keen asian influence. Cafe XO isn’t about selling food. It’s about selling my vision. Selling a movement. It’s about bringing the joy back into eating out. And bringing the joy back to working in hospitality. Let’s enjoy what we do. Cook with passion and cook with skills and cook with focus and precision and a respect for the ingredients but enjoy cooking. Enjoy serving. Enjoy communicating with your guest. Like how do we lose this pressure of hitting the numbers all the time, hitting targets, squeezing every penny out of a service. squeezing every penny out of staff. It’s stifling and it kills creativity. It kills the enjoyment of the entire experience for everyone. Guests feel that. It Doesn’t have to be all about making money and getting rich it’s about what you become throughout the journey. If it’s right and you focus on that enjoyment then money and following will come, but it can’t be the focus. The focus has to be on the experience for everyone involved.

Ashley Bennett has been part of the Ka Pao Glasgow team since its opening in Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens Garage in 2020. A crucial part of the kitchen team, Ashley helped see the restaurant toward its first Bib Gourmand awarded in the following year’s Michelin Guide, before being promoted to Head Chef and securing its inclusion in the guide every year since. Ashley is passionate about the food and cooking of Southeast Asia, gaining further knowledge and experience under the tutelage of Sandy Browning at Ka Pao, and through her time spent with Hanuman Aspler at his cook school in Chiang Mai. Having initially trained in beauty therapy, Ashley entered the world of professional kitchens “late” at 22. Ashley says, “I’ve always loved cooking, even as a kid I’d be in the kitchen trying to help out, or just experimenting with flavours. I only really moved into kitchens properly when I was about 21 or 22, which in chef terms felt a bit “late.” But once I made that switch, it just clicked – I knew it was where I was supposed to be.” Ashley’s son, Shaun, now takes up a part time position in Ashley’s kitchen, as a kitchen assistant, while studying composition at Glasgow’s Royal Conservatoire.

Bobby Gillespie joined Jonathan and Daniel at the immediately popular Ox and Finch in summer 2014, shortly after its opening that spring. Glasgow native, Bobby, has been a stalwart fixture in Scoop Restaurants Group’s kitchens ever since, having taken up leadership roles in Ox and Finch, and later at Ka Pao Glasgow. Following his many successes leading the teams in the Group’s Glasgow venues, Bobby set his sights on the East coast, opening Ka Pao’s Edinburgh outpost at premier lifestyle district, St James Quarter. Bobby now takes up a development role within Scoop Restaurants Group, most notably ahead of the Group’s complex 2025 schedule opening new city-centre venues, Margo and Sebb’s.

Cooking and raving. Raving and cooking. Partying and pushing to make his dreams come true. Brad Carter’s story ain’t your regular chef story. But then…he ain’t your regular chef. Brad didn’t take the normal route other successful chefs take. There were no stages in Michelin-starred kitchens, no mentors holding his hand and showing him the ropes. He did the hard way, self-taught, rolling with the punches and bouncing back off the ropes. His first job was working as a kitchen porter in his local pub where he soon began to cook and fell in love with the industry. Brad decided to enrol at University College Birmingham, which is known for its high standard of teaching culinary arts. After leaving college he went to work in Menorca which ignited a passion for whole animal butchery and ancient preservation techniques. When Brad landed back in the UK he did the hard yards in local pubs and restaurants before opening his own place with his wife Holly Carter in 2010, just a few miles from where he was born. Recognition for celebrating British produce soon came from the top when they won Good Food Guide Readers’ Restaurant of the Year in 2013 and then were awarded a coveted Michelin Star in September 2015. The restaurant then went on to be named in the Sunday Times Top 100, National Restaurant Awards Top 100 and won the Sustainable Chef of the Year award in 2018 with Olive Magazine & OpenTable Diners’ Choice ‘Fit for Foodies’ Award in 2019. The overall philosophy of Carters is to be a true expression of British terroir within the moment. Brad’s menus evolve on a daily basis and are developed by following the natural rhythms of the season, led by the ingredients available to him and inspired by the producers who work our British landscape. He aims to treat them with the upmost respect and admiration by limiting waste with a strong nose to tail dining ethos. Even artisan products like charcuterie and cheeses (often out-sourced) are made within the restaurant from British ingredients Brad promotes sustainability, cultural-historical relevance and is an avid supporter of the rare breed movement that helps to secure the future of our rare and native breeds of farm livestock with direct historical links to wild animals. Brad Carter is also the founding member of the Birmingham Slow Food movement and a supporter of the Ark of Taste. The Ark of Taste travels the world collecting small-scale quality productions that belong to the cultures, history and traditions of the entire planet: an extraordinary heritage of fruits, vegetables, animal breeds, cheeses, breads, sweets and cured meats. This meticulous obsession with British produce has led to a number of collaborations, including his own award winning range of salts with local heroes Droitwich Salt and an exclusive Sea Truffle Caviar. Brad’s passion for brewing has also led to several one off beers with leading breweries around the country & is now an official brand ambassador for world-class pizza oven brand Gozney & Exmoor Caviar. Brad created a brand called One Star Döner Bar, high end Berlin style kebabs using the same ingredients he uses at the Michelin starred restaurant in a more accessible form - Brad now remains a regular personality on television featuring on popular television shows like Saturday Kitchen Live on BBC One as well as live demonstrations in front of eager crowds at national expositions such as The Good Food Show. This story has only just begun. “Cooking is a lifestyle choice!”
- Chef Brad Carter ™ January 2024

Cai Ap Bryn is a Welsh chef, hunter, and fire-cooking specialist known for his bold, honest approach to wild food. Cai developed a deep connection to the land and now champions sustainably sourced game, nose-to-tail butchery, and open-fire cooking. Specialising in venison and wild game, his work focuses on reconnecting people with the origins of their food through ethical sourcing and traditional preparation techniques. Cai is the founder of Game and Flames, offering live-fire catering, butchery workshops, and outdoor cooking events that celebrate the best of Britain’s wild larder. A regular face at national food shows and on the FieldSports Channel, Cai’s energetic demos and hands-on teaching style have made him a respected voice in the game and field-to-fork community. He’s twice been awarded the Eat Game Influencer of the Year, recognising his work in making wild food accessible, sustainable, and exciting. Whether cooking in woodland settings or leading feasts over open flames, Cai brings authenticity, passion, and a deep respect for the food he prepares. His mission is simple: to inspire others to cook, eat, and think more closely about where their food comes from.

Originally from East Kilbride, just outside Glasgow, Craig began his culinary journey at Lanarkshire Catering School, where he built a strong foundation in classical cooking techniques. He honed his skills in well-regarded kitchens and pubs across Glasgow, as well as several years at Ox and Finch, before moving to London to further his career. In October 2020, he moved to London and worked under esteemed chefs Brett Graham, Jake Leach, and Josh Cutress at the renowned Harwood Arms, London’s only Michelin-starred pub. His time in London was driven by a desire for growth and the challenge of working in some of the industry's most demanding kitchens. After several conversations with Scoop MD Jonathan, the opportunity to return to Ox and Finch felt like the right next step. Having started his journey there, he credits the restaurant with opening his eyes to the possibilities within the industry. He values Ox and Finch’s ethos—where food and guest experience are always the top priorities. As Head Chef, Craig is committed to maintaining Ox and Finch’s reputation as a cornerstone of Glasgow’s dining scene. While embracing innovation, he understands the importance of preserving the restaurant’s identity. The new menu introduces exciting new dishes while keeping a few beloved classics, ensuring returning guests can still enjoy their favourites—such as the much-loved cod cheek dish and the essential Ox and Finch chips. His goal is to cultivate a warm and welcoming atmosphere, mirroring the intimate and personal hospitality he admired as a diner at Ox and Finch and later experienced at The Harwood Arms. With a strong team in both the kitchen and front of house, he is eager to showcase what they can achieve together. With the reopening of Ox and Finch, Craig is fully dedicated to delivering exceptional food, fostering a great team culture, and ensuring every guest feels valued. His passion and commitment to the restaurant’s success are evident, and he looks forward to this next chapter with excitement and determination.

Danny was born in Gateshead in the North East of England, and though he and his family moved to Scotland when he was 8 years old, he still has close connections and family he visits in his home town often. He began working in restaurants straight from school, with his first experience as a kitchen porter. It wasn’t long before the busy and intense service environment, and a passion for learning more about produce and cookery, gave him the desire to progress and began to train as a chef the following year. Danny spent his twenties working through the ranks in fine dining venues and hotel kitchens. His beginnings and training were centred around the French brigade model and spent 4 years with Brian Maule and Chris Moffat in Glasgow’s renowned Maule’s Le Chardon & Or. The opening of Ox and Finch in 2016 brought Danny an opportunity to take a leap into a different style of menu and service, and soon thrived, being promoted to Senior Sous Chef and becoming an integral part of the Scoop creative team. Time spent as a stagier with Le Gavroche, Lyles and Acme Fire Cult have offered valuable experience in the shaping of a kitchen team as well as menu development. This wealth of knowledge and variety has allowed Danny to forge ahead with the clear, bold and pronounced combination of snacks and dishes that will be found at Sebb’s, solidly underpinned with detail and skilled cookery. Danny: ‘The food at Sebb’s will be very bold, packed full of flavour. Expect nothing to appear as delicate and subtle. More like full on, in-your-face deliciousness. I’ve taken inspiration from lots of different cultures and cuisines. Our main hobby outside of the kitchen is to eat good food, made locally , and a lot of the dishes are mainly just things we all really enjoy eating but with a bit of our own identity. High quality ingredients , attention to detail , suppliers, great service and simplicity will always be at the forefront of everything we do here. I’m very excited for Sebb’s, and of course Margo, to open and to represent what food in Glasgow is all about.

After failing food tech at school, Dave knew that working with food was his perfect profession. But it took him another 14 years to realise this. The Mexican Viking (aka Gerrard Warrender) on the other hand, Realised this a lot sooner and went straight into kitchens once leaving school. These two then crossed paths in 2022 and shortly realised they shared a passion for good food. Good Mexican food. So in January 2023, THE BIG TAQUERO was born. And since then, these boys have been slinging the goods from their spot in Dumbarton ever since. Sometimes traditional, sometimes far from it. These boys are constantly changing things up on their menu. From the Mexican staple, Al Pastor, to the not so common Big Taq, their take on a Big Mac. Always inventive, always good crack and always passionate about serving a tasty plate of Mexican goodness.

Celentano’s is an ingredient & seasonally led Italian inspired restaurant from chef Dean Parker and his wife and co-owner, Anna. After 4 years in Cathedral Square, Celentano’s recently announced their relocated to Arthouse Glasgow after being awarded a Michelin Bib Gourman Award since they opened in 2021, and winning Scottish Restaurant of the Year at the Scran Awards in 2025. Built on a passion for sharing good food and drinks with family and friends, Celentano’s is inspired by the couple’s honeymoon in Italy, where they fell in love with the food culture and style of cooking and named their restaurant after a song they heard on repeat whilst they were there. With a nose-to-tail approach and minimal waste attitude, the menu blends traditional flavours with techniques such as fermentation and curing to create innovative yet wholesome dishes.

36 year old Dylan Pinder is head chef of Moss - a newly opened farm-to-table restaurant located in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. Having grown up in Edinburgh, Dylan started his career at one of the UK’s most respected kitchens, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons under Raymond Blanc in Oxfordshire, before moving to London to work at The Ledbury. During that time both restaurants held two Michelin stars. Returning to Scotland’s capital, he worked at some of the finest Michelin recognised and star awarded restaurants, including Martin Wishart and Heron on The Shore in Leith, The Lookout on Calton Hill and the much loved now sadly closed 21212 on Royal Terrace. He joined Moss ahead of opening in January 2025 and has been instrumental in the restaurant's development. Collaborating closely with Chef Director Henry Dobson, the pair have created an innovative menu which uses only Scottish ingredients, the vast majority of which are grown, foraged and preserved from Dobson’s family farm in Angus.

Elliot Cunningham of open-fire concept Eat Lagom is a rising star of the UK’s food scene. Having worked in kitchens including Barbecoa, Yosma, Smokestak and Pizza Pilgrims as well as a stint at butcher’s Turner & George, his expertise around food and meat in particular is both instinctive and well-honed, leading him to create some incredibly exciting dishes in the kitchen at his permanent residency at Hackney Church Brew Co.

Gavin Fitzpatrick has over 20 years of experience in professional kitchens, beginning his cheffing journey in some of Glasgow’s top restaurants. After spending five years leading the kitchen at one of Skye’s most loved hotels, he returned to Glasgow to join the team at West Side Tavern. Deeply passionate about Scottish ingredients, Gavin believes in keeping food simple — focusing on bold flavours and minimal elements, an approach that naturally lends itself to Italian cooking. Working closely with West Side Tavern owner Joshua Barr, Gavin has helped shape a highly regarded food offering at the tavern, earning widespread critical acclaim. While Italian cuisine is at the heart of his cooking, Gavin is experienced across all aspects of the kitchen and has a particular passion for smoking and barbecuing to create big, bold flavours. He indulges his love of cooking with fire during the summer months, when West Side Tavern hosts occasional BBQ parties in their beer garden.

After failing food tech at school, Dave knew that working with food was his perfect profession. But it took him another 14 years to realise this. The Mexican Viking (aka Gerrard Warrender) on the other hand, Realised this a lot sooner and went straight into kitchens once leaving school. These two then crossed paths in 2022 and shortly realised they shared a passion for good food. Good Mexican food. So in January 2023, THE BIG TAQUERO was born. And since then, these boys have been slinging the goods from their spot in Dumbarton ever since. Sometimes traditional, sometimes far from it. These boys are constantly changing things up on their menu. From the Mexican staple, Al Pastor, to the not so common Big Taq, their take on a Big Mac. Always inventive, always good crack and always passionate about serving a tasty plate of Mexican goodness.

Iain Gourley has spent 25 years in some of the country’s finest hotels and restaurants and has learnt his craft from some of the best chefs in the business. Now, as Executive Chef at Dalhousie Castle Iain has developed his own unique style and ethos towards food with a strong focus on sustainability and provenance. He has spent his career building relationships with food producers and suppliers from all over the country to produce award-winning menus that are delicious, unique and modern, whilst employing the best of classical techniques. Over 25 years he has been awarded a host of accolades. Most recently, the Dungeon menu at Dalhousie Castle was awarded 2 AA rosettes, and Iain reached the final 2 years in a row of the National Chef of the year competition. As the Executive Chef at Dalhousie castle Iain has been focused on developing and assisting the management team in repositioning the castle as one of Scotland’s leading luxury properties. Guided by years of experience and passion, he has elevated the restaurants at Dalhousie Castle to become one of their leading attractions. In particular, Iain has a great love for cooking with fire, inspired by the food and culture enjoyed by his Hungarian partner. Never one to sit still, during the lockdown of 2020 Iain and his sous chef started a company serving smoked meats that developed into a takeaway for the duration of the lockdown. Safe to say, he still gets people asking for it back! Having been a part of last year’s Meatopia Glasgow, Iain fell in love with the festival. He can’t wait to share his food with you.

No smoke without meat... What started in a crossroad in southern Sweden in 2014 has in just a few years transformed to a destination where people travel far to experience the noble art of smoked meats. We have our roots in American barbecue in general but Central Texas is where our heart is. Just as much as we love big cuts of meat smoked for hours with simple seasoning we constantly fall in love with kitchens from all over the world as long as live fire or smoke is involved. Holy Smoke BBQ was founded by Johan Fritzell, who up until the smoke signals began to emerge from Bräcke used to work in his printshop. He was shortly thereafter joined by Johan Åkerberg, who has broad experience from many kitchens around the world.

No smoke without meat... What started in a crossroad in southern Sweden in 2014 has in just a few years transformed to a destination where people travel far to experience the noble art of smoked meats. We have our roots in American barbecue in general but Central Texas is where our heart is. Just as much as we love big cuts of meat smoked for hours with simple seasoning we constantly fall in love with kitchens from all over the world as long as live fire or smoke is involved. Holy Smoke BBQ was founded by Johan Fritzell, who up until the smoke signals began to emerge from Bräcke used to work in his printshop. He was shortly thereafter joined by Johan Åkerberg, who has broad experience from many kitchens around the world.

John Molloy is Director of Food for Superlative Dining Collective & Merchant City Pub Company and the chef behind GŌST in Glasgow. His career spans some of Scotland’s most respected kitchens, including Brian Maule at Le Chardon d’Or, The Sisters, The Left Bank, Hanoi Bike Shop, and The Butchershop Bar & Grill. John’s cooking is rooted in classic technique, whole-animal thinking, and bold, confident flavours. He has a particular love for big cuts, slow cooking, and fire-led cooking, focusing on dishes that reward patience and respect for the ingredient. Time spent helping to establish The Spanish Butcher shaped his approach to meat, sourcing, and simplicity, with the restaurant later earning recognition from CNN as one of the “Top 10 New Openings in the World” and GQ’s “Top 5 Restaurants of the Year”. While his background includes a strong understanding of food science, John avoids gimmicks in favour of cooking that delivers depth, generosity, and clarity of flavour. At Meatopia, his focus is on primal cuts, live fire, and classic roast-style accompaniments, cooked properly and served without unnecessary complication.

Raised just outside Glasgow, John-Ross “JR” Patrick has spent over a decade sharpening his skills in some of the city’s best kitchens, with a formative year in New Zealand adding fire to his culinary skillset. After joining The Winged Ox in 2019, JR stepped up to Head Chef in late 2024, leading the team across a busy restaurant, weddings, and large-scale events. Since then, he’s completely reimagined the menu, introducing a hugely popular Southern-inspired comfort food offering. With three smokers and a custom BBQ trailer now in tow, JR has brought his love of wood-fired cooking straight to Glasgow’s East End. Known for bold flavours, big energy, and seriously hearty food, he and his team are constantly pushing boundaries and evolving their craft. This June, JR returns to Meatopia to showcase his signature fire-cooked flavours and bring the heat back to Glasgow once again.

Lap-fai Lee, British Chinese cult favourite cook, mentor, and the creative force behind the viral instagram account @oishinboy. Known for his deeply personal cooking that folds together his Cantonese heritage with a modern British outlook, Lap-fai crafts dishes that are playful, unexpected, and rooted in soulful technique. Lap-fai has spent over a decade as a specialist BBQ teacher, crossing worlds from glossy Cantonese duck and char siu to deep, smoky American pork ribs and peppery beef. He’s as comfortable pleating delicate dim sum as he is breaking down whole pigs for the pit. His skill has seen him collaborate with Michelin-starred chefs, develop menus for restaurants all over the UK and Europe. Lap-fai is a Meatopia veteran with his outfit Fire + Rice and will be sure to bring the most deliciously smoky Asian bbq dishes and techniques to Meatopia Glasgow this year.

Lloyd Morse is a chef and co-owner of The Palmerston. Originally from just outside Sydney, Lloyd spent more than 10 years cooking in top London restaurants including The River Cafe, Magdalen, Primeur and Spring. He then moved to Edinburgh and worked as a chef in the likes of Timberyard, Good Brothers and The Free Company, before opening The Palmerston with business partner James Snowdon in 2021. He is an ambassador for UK charity WildFish’s Off the table campaign, launched in 2022 to encourage UK restaurants to take farmed salmon off their menus. The Palmerston champions local and seasonal produce, with the team working closely with farmers and producers - particularly within Scotland - to source the best ingredients available. Whole animals are prepared on-site in the restaurant’s butchery, bringing a low-waste approach to the menu and allowing the kitchen team to showcase cuts from the whole animal. The menu at The Palmerston changes daily, European-style, with dishes including the likes of Tamworth, rabbit and prune terrine, Roast Texel hogget chop, white beans, tomatoes, tropea onion and rosemary, alongside sharing dishes including Roast chicken, chips and béarnaise, cassoulet and signature pies.

Cooking style/cuisine/inspirations – self taught chef who developed his cooking in the modern French and Italian idiom, recently returned to his early love of Indian and Asian food discovered during his 7 years as a navigating office in the merchant navy. This is reflected in classes at Nick’s Cook School and will be the subject of his next book.

Nick Watkins is the founder of the Multi award winning burger joint El Perro Negro. Nick started his business as a pop up back in 2014, not coming from a cheffing background but having a drive to produce high quality burgers with high end ingredients. It quickly gained cult status in Glasgow with the first shop opening in 2014 and now operates in both Glasgow and in Edinburgh. El Perro has won best burger in the UK twice, as well as recently winning burger chef of the year among other accolades. Nick is no stranger to Meatopia being one of the first Scottish outfits to attend and has cooked at the event three times, serving up his award winning burgers to massive queues. This year he is cooking on home turf with something a little different, Watch this space.

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.

Roberta Hall-McCarron opened her first restaurant, The Little Chartroom in June 2018, followed by Eleanore in 2021 and Ardfern in 2024. Working in professional kitchens since the age of 16, Roberta moved to Burj Al Arab, Dubai, before returning to Scotland to work at Michelin-starred The Kitchin. Roberta was offered the opportunity to be on the opening team at Castle Terrace by Dominic Jack, where she remained for six years, three of which were spent as head chef. It was at Castle Terrace where Roberta met now husband and front of house at The Little Chartroom, Shaun McCarron. To date, she has won accolades including Best Newcomer at Edinburgh Restaurant Awards, 2019; YBF Best Chef 2018; Eating & Drinking Award from The List Magazine; entries in Michelin Guides 2019 and 2020; UK’s Top 100 at Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2020; Breakthrough Chef of the Year at the Food and Travel Awards; Good Food Guide 2020; 100 Most Influential Women CODE. Roberta has been shortlisted for GQ Best Chef 2022 and in 2023 she became Squaremeal’s Female Chef of the Year. Representing Scotland, Roberta proceeded through to national finals in the BBC’s Great British Menu in both 2020 and 2021, winning the fish course in the latter series and cooking at the final banquet.

Chef Ryan Singh inherited his love of cooking from his mum, building on traditional Punjabi recipes and elevating them with a subtle touch of Scottish fusion. His food is bold, honest and flavour-driven from bubbling hot curries to expertly charred meats and vibrant, fresh marinades. Since launching SABZI in July 2021, Ryan has created a restaurant known for its punchy flavours, warm hospitality and creative take on classic Indian street food. His cooking style celebrates heritage while embracing innovation, bringing together the depth of Punjabi cuisine with modern techniques and local influences. Under his leadership, SABZI has gained multiple awards and recognition, including features on the BBC. Ryan continues to push boundaries while staying true to the roots that inspired him delivering food that is soulful, exciting and unmistakably SABZI.

Originally from Greater Manchester, Sam is chef owner of Michelin starred Heron restaurant in Leith, Edinburgh. Heron opened in July 2021 and received its first Michelin star in March 2023, making Sam the youngest chef in Scotland to receive the award, aged 25. His cooking style is rooted in French technique and local Scottish produce but he also uses methods and ingredients from further afield. While still high end and professional, the experience in Heron is convivial and unpretentious.

Terri Mercieca is an ice cream maker, chocolatier, dessert chef and the founder of Happy Endings LDN, a dessert business made famous by their signature ice-cream sandwich. As a chef, desserts have always been Terri’s thing. She loves the process, observing how things transform, building something precise and beautiful. Leaving school at seventeen to apprentice at a sandwich shop, she has worked in all corners of the food world – gastropubs, fine dining at Sydney Opera House, making ice cream sundaes at McDonalds as a teen. The common denominator? Making ice-cream sandwiches. In 2014, she put down roots in London and founded Happy Endings LDN – since then, she has won the YBF Baking Award and been nominated for CODE Hospitality’s Most Influential Women in Food 2023. She also regularly contributes dessert recipes to food magazines and appears on TV, most recently MasterChef Youth. She still owes her love of comfort food to her grandmothers on both sides – one Italian-Maltese, one old-school white Australian – one savoury, one sweet, in that order.

Thomas Valentine Greer was born and raised in New Zealand, where a deep love for the culinary world began at an early age. From his first experiences in kitchens, he was drawn to the artistry and precision of cooking, refining his skills across a variety of roles. Eager to expand his horizons, Tom moved to Melbourne, Australia, where the city’s vibrant food scene ignited a newfound passion for Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. Over six years, he fully immersed himself in the bold, complex flavours of these regions, drawing inspiration from renowned chefs like Ottolenghi. His dedication to mastering these culinary traditions laid the foundation for his distinctive approach—melding the depth of traditional flavours with the demands of contemporary, high-energy kitchens. Known for his fast-paced, high-volume cooking style, Tom specialises in crafting quality dishes that highlight the intricate and dynamic flavours of Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. Whether through delicate spice blends or fresh, aromatic ingredients, his creations consistently deliver bold, unforgettable tastes. Since 2018, he has been a driving force as Head Chef for BABA, playing a pivotal role in building and growing the team, ensuring consistency, and introducing innovative ideas that define its unique style. He has played a key role in developing much-loved menus that blend tradition with modern culinary techniques, offering guests an experience that is both authentic and accessible. After a brief break in 2023, Tom has returned in 2024, bringing renewed energy and a continued commitment to excellence in the kitchen.