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. Sometimes traditional, sometimes far from it, the 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 crck, and always passionate about serving a tasty plate of Mexican goodness.

IAIN GOURLEY spent 25 years in some of Scotland’s finest hotels and restaurants, learning his craft from some of the best chefs in the business. Now, as Exec Chef at Dalhousie Castle he's developed a unique style and ethos with a strong focus on sustainability and provenance, always building relationships with producers and suppliers countrywide to produce award-winning unique, modern and delicious menus using the best classical techniques, and earning a host of accolades including 2 AA rosettes for the Dungeon menu and reaching the final two years running of National Chef of the year. As Exec Chef, he's focused on repositioning the castle as one of Scotland’s leading luxury properties, and has elevated the restaurants to among it's leading attractions. With a love for fire cooking inspired by his Hungarian partner's culture, Iain and his sous chef started a smoked meats takeaway concept during the 2020 lockdown that still gets asked to return! Having been a part of last year’s Meatopia Glasgow, Iain fell in love with the festival and can’t wait to share his food with you.

JAKUB KONRAD draws inspiration from his childhood, his travels, and the many amazing chefs he has met working in kitchens around the world. Seafood is his greatest inspiration. Living on the Scottish coast, he catches his own scallops and lobsters and often goes spearfishing to source the freshest ingredients. In 2 of his catering setups, he works with a Josper oven and Kasai BBQ, adding smoky, rich flavors that highlight the natural quality of the ingredients. His approach is guided by sustainability honoring the full cycle of life. Focusing on simple, seasonal ingredients treated with care, Jakub creates dishes that feel both familiar and inspired by the people, places, and experiences that have shaped his journey.

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 ÅKERGERG, 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, 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.

Japanese entrepreneur and chef KAORI SIMPSON is the Co Founder and Creative Director of Harajuku Kitchen, a Japanese food and sushi restaurant in Edinburgh (harajukukitchen.co.uk). Born in Hong Kong into an expat Japanese family of merchants, Kaori grew up helping in her mum’s restaurants, learning the family recipes and eventually cooking in the kitchen. Harajuku Kitchen started as a market stall in Stockbridge Market, selling sizzling gyoza dumplings and udon noodle stir-fries. Kaori opened Harajuku Kitchen, Edinburgh’s first authentic Japanese restaurant, in 2013. It won an AA Rosette and was named Best Japanese Restaurant in Scotland by Golden Chopsticks Awards, The Herald Best Japanese Restaurant Award. You can follow Kaori and Harajuku Kitchen on Instagram at @harajukukitchen.

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.