Andrew Clarke is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and live-fire veteran with nearly 30 years in the hospitality industry. He is the founder and director of Acme Fire Cult — the East London restaurant widely praised for reinventing what live-fire cooking can be. At Acme, everything is cooked over flame in an open-air kitchen, but this is no ordinary barbecue joint. The menu is bold, vegetable-led, and rooted in zero-waste principles, with fermentation, preservation, and creative use of by-products playing a central role. Dishes draw on Clarke’s global influences — from India and the Silk Road to Spain and Mexico — reflecting the rich flavours of the spice trade. Andrew’s background includes time as chef-director at Brunswick House and St Leonards, and in 2016 he co-founded Pilot Light, a mental health campaign for the hospitality industry. In 2019, he received the Innovation Award from the Craft Guild of Chefs and was named one of London’s most influential people on the Evening Standard’s Progress 1000 list. A creative force both in and out of the kitchen, Andrew is also a musician, DJ, and shamanic practitioner, holding ceremonial spaces and retreats around the world.

Anna Higham is the head baker and owner of Quince Bakery. Quince Bakery opened Feb 2024 and focuses on British and Irish baking traditions with a real passion for seasonal baking. Having spent the last 10 years leading some of the best seasonal focused pastry departments in London (The River Cafe, Lyles, Flor) Anna now loves creating a weekly changing menu using the best suppliers that the UK has to offer.

An Established chef and food writer- Ben is passionate about the food of the Mediterranean basin - Ben is also an accomplished, award-winning food writer with five published cookbooks. Sicilia, Moorish, Grill Smoke BBQ, Salt Yard, The Food & Wine of Spain, Glorious Game and Mediterra. Moorish was published in April 2019 receiving critical acclaim including being named “Cookbook of the Year"" by The Times Magazine. Ben’s fourth book, SICILIA, was published June 2021 and has featured a in the Times, Telegraph, Delicious, Food and Travel, ES and Olive. In August 2019 Ben opened “Norma” a Sicilian-Moorish influenced restaurant on London’s Charlotte Street in a beautiful five storey Georgian townhouse. Ben also oversaw all the food operations at the Stafford London in St James including the American Bar, The Game Bird restaurant and the private dining facilities. Ben is Chef Director of Cubitt House. A group of eight, iconic central London food led pubs. Each pub is individual and menus vary between British chop house and Mediterranean focused.

A South East London native, Betty’s professional chef journey began at festivals, notably at Meatopia 1 heading up the team for London Log Co.. Supporting chefs and keeping the fires burning, she became known as the ‘Coal Girl’. This role allowed her to explore opportunities which ultimately inspired a move to the other side of the grills. She has since cooked at numerous events and restaurants, working alongside some legendary talents, including Niklas Ekstedt, Scully and Hangfire BBQ, and is currently junior sous at John Chantarasak’s AngloThai in Marylebone. Now drawing on close to a decade of stepping in to help out wherever a spare pair of hands are needed, Betty’s own food combines flavours and techniques from across the globe, creating vibrant dishes which champion local and seasonal produce. With her own event catering company BBQ and Blooms, Betty combines her experience cooking everywhere from beaches to manor houses together fields, 20 years of floristry and many years in hospitality, fish mongering, and retail (as well as a love of throwing a good party) to explore the performative nature of live fire cooking and offer a multi-sensory experience.

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!”

Ellen Parr has been honing her culinary skills for 20 years. Her passion for cooking over coals was quickly realised at Moro, the first kitchen she cooked in. From there she moved into other prestigious kitchens, Rochelle's Canteen and 6 Portland Rd before finding a love for Chinese cooking whilst travelling through far reaching provinces of China. Returning after stages in Ho Lee Fook and Duddell's in Hong Kong, Ellen started her own venture, Lucky and Joy, a regional Chinese inspired restaurant in Hackney, East London. Known for big and bold flavours, barbecue and wok cooking, Lucky and Joy is now in it's 5th year and a stalwart of the East London restaurant scene.

Food Behind Bars is a Registered Charity dedicated to transforming the food served in British prisons. We work with prisons across England & Wales on the subject of food, to improve the lives of those eating it and support the people making it. Our aim is to positively impact the health and wellbeing of prisoners, by delivering practical food-based education, promoting healthy eating and designing exciting food and drink initiatives. We know that good food in prison can create a happier, healthier prison system, with rehabilitation at its heart. This is the backbone of what we do.

Born in Spain to restaurateur parents, Francisco Martinez discovered his fervour for everything hospitality at a young age. Continuing the passion of his lineage, Fran began his culinary training in Alicante at the age of 17 before he went on to work at El Bulli, internationally renowned three-Michelin-starred restaurant led by Ferran Adrià for 2 years. Fran continued his European adventure by going on to work in SILK in Frankfurt, Germany in 2006 before moving continents, celebrating another pivotal moment in his career when working as part of the opening time of 'Agua' restaurant in the heart of Beijing between 2008 and 2011. In 2014, Francisco began his next chapter at Fazenda Group as Executive Chef, heading up procurement, suppliers relationships and menu development as the group prepared to add more restaurants to its portfolio. Most recently, Martinez played a key role in leading the kitchen team for Fazenda's newest restaurant opening in Bishopsgate, London in August 2023, he also featured in Master Chef Celebrities 2024, Meatopia festival, Taste of London and others...

He's a restaurateur and the creative force behind some of the most exciting dining concepts across London, Lisboa, and Kolkata - where he's from. He brings a fresh, global perspective to contemporary Indian cuisine. Known for blending bold flavors with thoughtful design and warm hospitality, Harneet continues to shape dining experiences that are rooted in culture and storytelling.

Holly's cooking style is taking what's she's learned with Italian and European cooking and turning it on its head. Fusing south Asian flavours without her dishes.

Jamie Pickles is inspired by cooking honest British ingredients over the simplicity of open fire. His restaurant, Stow, in Manchester focuses on exactly that whilst delivering dishes that might not normally be cooked over open fire like English tomatoes with crab or a Smoked cream tart, baked in a pizza oven, giving it an almost Basque cheesecake like finish. Originally from Bakewell, in The Peak District, Jamie learned his trade working in country pubs before moving to work in Manchester’s bustling restaurant scene. Jamie spent some time holding a kitchen residency at St Francis Provisions in Kinsale, Co. Cork, where he was inspired by cooking freshly caught local seafood before moving back to Manchester to open Stow. Jamie's food style is inspired by his travels around Europe and the UK, from the pasta of the Northern Italian Lakes to the bowls of mussels in Northern France to the Queenies of the Isle of Man. At Stow, Jamie is true to his word when it comes to seasonality, changing the menu every week to celebrate whatever British ingredient is in season, by cooking it simply over fire.

Menorcan by birth and Mexican by choice, Joan Bagur has taken part in every edition of the Meat&Fire festival, establishing himself as one of its most emblematic chefs. His cuisine is a tribute to Mesoamerican roots, where fire is more than just a technique—it is a way to express identity and memory. For over twenty-five years, Bagur has been exploring Mexican culinary culture, working alongside traditional cooks and delving into techniques such as nixtamalization, fermentation, and adobos. His style blends deep respect for tradition with a creative, contemporary perspective—always placing the ingredient at the heart of the experience. He currently leads Oaxaca in Barcelona and Amsterdam, where he brings to life ingredients grown in his own Mexican-style milpa, preparing daily nixtamalized corn tortillas, slow-cooked moles, tableside guacamole, salsas made in a molcajete, and celebrating mezcal as a ritual and a profound cultural expression.

London-born, Joe’s CV is one any young chef would be delighted with. He started his career at 16 with east end salmon suppliers Foreman & Sons, whilst simultaneously training as a chef at Westminster Kingsway. He then took this experience and passion for fish and went on to the double-starred Scandinavian restaurant Texture. From there he gained experience at Iberica, the Swan at the Globe; before perfecting his live fire and grill cooking at Hawksmoor, Spitalfields. After completing lockdown at Crocadon farm with Dan Cox, learning first-hand about growing seasonal produce, Joe then spent a year at the super hip and Michelin starred Leroy. Joe began his post as Head Chef at The Prince Arthur in summer 2023. Since joining he has steered the menu in a direction that is very personal to him. His cooking style focuses on Spanish, Italian and French flavours. Joe makes excellent use of the whole carcass and incorporates preserved elements into his menus to prolong the seasons.

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.

Pit Master at Smokestak for the past 8 years, with a love of Texas barbecue, Joe has started his own Barbecue business wanting to bring a more ethical view to slow smoked meats.

Tasca was born as a love letter to Josh & his partners travels around Spain and Portugal. His background is modern French but has taken a real lean towards the Iberian peninsula of late. The flavours and use of ingredients changing more so than the cooking itself. A large part of the ethos is a heavy use of fermenting, whether this be as sole components of dishes or purely seasonings. Produce led as always letting his suppliers dictate the menus throughout the year.

Keshia Sakarah is an outstanding, self taught chef, food educator and author. She teaches cooking in schools and prisons, focusing on matters such as culture and identity connecting how this influences how we eat what we eat. She has previously written pieces for Time Out, National Geographic Traveller, Conde Nast Traveller, MOB Kitchen, Vittles, Eater and Resy. Her passion for creativity with ingredients has found her contributing recipes to publications such as the Guardian: Feast, BBC Good Food, Twisted, Phaidon, Ocado, Great British Chefs, BBC Food, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Delicious Magazine and Olive Magazine. She has been featured on BBC Radio 1Xtra, World Service, Woman’s hour and Masterchef: The Professionals 2021 and 2022 as a guest street food expert and was named one of the 100 influential women in food by CODE Hospitality in the same years. Her debut cookbook, Caribe: A Caribbean Cookbook with History was released in March 2025 to great praise.

Lap-fai Lee, Birmingham’s 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 and a lifelong love of American BBQ, Lap crafts dishes that are playful, unexpected, and rooted in soulful technique. Lap 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 a whole pig for the pit. His skill has seen him collaborate with Michelin-starred chefs, develop dishes for Marks & Spencer, and even train the kitchen teams at Paris’ dumpling hotspot, Petit Bao. Lap and Brad Carter have cooked Chinese feasts together on many occasions in Birmingham. But now they’re joining forces for the first time at Meatopia to bring the ultimate collaboration dish.

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.

Marta is an Italian chef whose cuisine bridges the bold flavours of China with the soul of Italy. Her Italian-Chinese fusion style is rooted in memories—of people she’s met, meals shared, and the scents that have lingered through years and across continents. Inspired by her time in Australia, China, London, Slovenia, and, of course, Italy, her cooking tells deeply personal stories through each dish. Her experience in China had a lasting impact, opening her palate to new techniques and perspectives. She trained at the world-renowned Hiša Franko under Ana Roš in Slovenia, one of the 50 best restaurants globally, where she honed her creativity and discipline. In London, she led the kitchen as Head Chef at Naughty Piglets, and went on to cook at Allegra and Luca, continuing to explore the edges of fusion cuisine. Her food is memory made edible—a plate might evoke a Beijing alley, a village in Veneto, or a conversation in a London kitchen. It is nostalgic, bold, and unmistakably her own.

Rugby born and raised, Mike Lenton is the right-hand man to Chef Director Ben Tish, proudly leading the kitchens of Cubitt House as Executive Chef. Mike’s culinary journey has taken him from the Michelin-starred Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental, to La Credenza in Torino, Italy, and to the open-pit Robata grill at Circa The Prince in Melbourne, Australia. A father of three, Mike has spent eight years at The Grazing Goat, where he’s built and nurtured a strong team culture. Many of his former sous chefs have gone on to lead their own Cubitt House kitchens as Head Chefs — a reflection of his passion for developing talent. Today, Mike supports Ben Tish in shaping the future of Cubitt House, championing the individuality of each site, and empowering every kitchen team to create outstanding, honest food that celebrates their unique character.

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.

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.

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.

HUMO, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Mayfair from Creative Restaurant Group has head chef Robbie Jameson at the helm. Robbie who has been with Creative Restaurant Group since 2021 plays an integral part of the HUMO team since its opening in 2023, Robbie leads the kitchen and continues to pursue the restaurant's dedication to wood-fired cooking. Having played a key role in the menu development since opening, Robbie brings a fresh vision to HUMO which under his guidance will celebrate local produce, fermentation and aging techniques alongside his passion for Fire Dining.

Liverpool born and bred Sam Grainger is Chef Patron at the critically acclaimed Belzan in Liverpool, a small neighbourhood restaurant serving an eclectic mix of dishes inspired by places he’s been and people he’s met. With a focus being on British produce interwoven with Japanese/European ingredients and techniques, Belzan also holds a yearly collaboration series with the country’s best chefs. From this Madre was born, a Mexican taqueria in partnership with London based Breddos tacos. Madre resides in the Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool and Escape to freight island in Manchester. You’ll find Sam cooking between both restaurants where big flavours resonate through the menus.

Founder of Black Bear Burger, Stewart’s cooking style is influenced by growing up on his family beef farm in Devon. Using the best of British produce and focusing on balanced, thought out flavour pairings has elevated Black Bear to being known as one of the best Burger restaurants in the capital and the UK.

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.

Half Jamaican and Antiguan while born and raised in Hackney with an extensive culinary background at restaurants in London and around the world. Chef Zana Millen birthed Passa Passa London with homage to her diverse bringing up in Hackney. She wants her culture’s ingredients and traditional recipes to be refined and showcased within new and different elements. Working at BAO, Manteca, Pitt Cue Co and other favourable establishments she wants to be able to deliver dishes that the public know with her flair and love with a flavoursome touch.