Chefs

SUNDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER     12-7pm

Andrew Duff

MacDuff 1890

MacDuff 1890 source top quality cattle, sheep and pigs from a selection of trusted farms across Scotland. They supply tender, succulent and ready-to-cook meat, from ex-dairy beef to mutton, to high-end butchers and top-end chefs across the UK. MacDuff only source cattle with the highest welfare standards and that are pasture fed. All their farmers have in-depth knowledge of animal welfare and rearing which means the animals have the best quality of life possible. All their beef can be traced all the way back to the farm it came from giving their customers the reassurance they know exactly where their meat is coming from. They select from a range of top quality Native breeds including the Luing, Shorthorn & Hereford and are passionate about the conserving of Scotland's rare and Native breeds; currently proudly sourcing 5 breeds that are either at risk or a high priority here in the UK and hope to grow this even further. All primal beef cuts at MacDuff are matured on the bone. This contributes to the richness and succulence of the meat – creating beef like that our ancestors eulogised over. With MacDuff you get beef prepared, like it was in days gone past, which melts in the mouth.

Anthony Murphy

The Beefy Boys

Anthony (Murf) Murphy is one of the founding members of The Beefy Boys, Back in 2011, Murf and his four school friends started cooking burgers and BBQ in their back gardens for friends and family. Little did they know, they were about to embark on an exciting culinary journey that would take them all the way to the World Burger Awards. In 2014, The Beefy Boys won second place at the World Burger Awards in Las Vegas, cementing their reputation as one of the best burger joints in the UK The Beefy Boys have since competed in the World Burger Awards five times, showcasing their Burgers in Orlando, Alabama, and Dallas. In 2023, Murf swept the board at the UK National Burger Awards, winning both the Signature Burger of the Year and the coveted title of Burger Chef of the Year. In the last few years The Beefy Boys have opened sites in Hereford, Shrewsbury and Cheltenham as well as touring their American Food truck across the UK.

Brad Carter

One Star Doner Bar

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 partner 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.

Bruce Clyne-Watson

Feast Alba

Alba is a live fire caterer. Specialising in outdoor cooking, over native wood and charcoal. Bruce Clyne-Watson having spent many years in fine dining restaurants embarked on a world tour. Coming back after a particular stint in Patagonia with a love for asado cooking. After several years on the road with Country Fire Kitchen honing the craft with Tom Bray I started hosting and curating events for m own customers.

Budgie Montoya

Apoy Filipino BBQ

Born in the Philippines, raised in Australia, Ferdinand ‘Budgie’ Montoya moved to London in 2012 where he decided to swap his suit and tie for chef whites and aprons and has never looked back. Over the last 5 years, Budgie has been championing Filipino cuisine in London and the UK, setting up his acclaimed pop up restaurant Sarap and recently opening Apoy Filipino BBQ in Market Halls on Oxford Street, a street food concept specialising in Filipino bbq skewers. Budgie recently appeared on season 18 of BBC’s Great British Menu, representing London and the Southeast region where he wowed veteran Michelin starred chef Tommy Banks and host Andi Oliver with his unique cooking style showcasing his Filipino heritage.

Carlos Rivas

Basement 17 Tacos

Basement 17 Tacos is run by Carlos Rivas, hailing from Guadalajara in Mexico. Carlos brings his Mexican heritage to Somerset's green and abundant, tasty larder. Traditional recipes crafted over wood and charcoal, creating fire cooked tacos with whatever is seasonally available. With a particular love for Birria style tacos, a true essence of Mexican culture and flavour.

Dean Parker

Celentano's

Before moving to Glasgow to open Celentano’s, Dean was the right-hand man of popular chef restaurateur Robin Gill when he opened acclaimed neighbourhood haunt, The Dairy. Dean went on to open Sorella and Darby’s with Robin sharing the same passion of cultivating their own ingredients including beekeeping. Born and raised in South Africa, an interest in food was sparked at a young age when his grandparents would teach him how to bake and grow herbs in their garden. At 19 years old, Dean moved to London to pursue a career as a chef, where he worked in several restaurants and catering roles across the city. It was his role at Lamberts that Dean discovered a real passion for produce, visiting farms to gain a real understanding of quality and where each of his ingredients were coming from. Dean also spent a year with the acclaimed chef Tom Aikens where he learnt the art of plating beautiful food and the invaluable presentation skills are something that have stayed with him. A book, The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz combined with a two-week stage in Copenhagen kick-started his obsession for fermentation and preservation realising such techniques bring out the natural flavours of ingredients and can be used as the building blocks to create differing levels of acidity throughout a menu. All these skills now play an integral role in his Celentano’s today and Dean has set himself apart with exceptional baking skills and as an experimental preserver, grower, and beekeeper.

Giacomo Peretti

Firebird

Beginning his career at 3 Michelin starred Ristorante Reale in the Abruzzo region of Italy, Giacomo has since worked in some of the UK's most iconic kitchens alongside culinary legends, including Michel Roux Jr. at Le Gavroche and Core by Clare Smith. He now comes to firebird and is excited to utilise his classical training, as well as take inspiration from his Italian ancestry in our open fire kitchen

Jesse Wells

Terroir Tapas

In the autumn of 2020 Terroir was joined by Head Chef Jesse Wells. Jesse trained at Bournemouth catering college and then went on to work at Lime Wood Hotel in the New Forest with Luke Holder. Jesse then moved to L’enclume with Simon Rogan where he embraced the hyper seasonal & farm dining ethos shared by Terroir today. Following this Jesse moved back to the New Forest area to gain more experience working with Lio Sene at La Perle. Lio Sene is a chef whose background is solely in French Michelin star restaurants which gave Jesse the freedom to express himself as a sous chef and take his cuisine to the next level. Jesse now brings the driving force behind Terroir's food concept. Delivering global tastes utilising solely British & hyper local & seasonal ingredients, with traceability & sustainability at its core. He preserves the seasons creating a library of flavours to use all year round. Produce is precious to Jesse whereby he ensures every part of every ingredient is embraced to its full on the menu.

Jesús Coucheiro García

Arros QD

Jesús is a seasoned, extremely professional chef having started his career in 2009 at Casino Castell Peralada in Cataluña. Working as a line chef through to Chef de Partie at the 2 Michelin-starred restaurant Casa Marcial, working closely alongside Nacho Mazano, Jesús was then giving the opportunity in 2014 by Nacho to be Head Chef at Restaurante Gloria where he really came into his own. Since 2016 Jesús moved to London where he worked for Ibérica Restaurants as Head Chef before moving to Ibérica’s sister brand; Arros QD in 2022. Jesús thrives being a Head Chef due to the constantly changing environment with no day ever the same. Cooking delicious food and developing his team is a great reward whilst watching guests enjoy his food keeps his flame burning.

Johan Fritzell

Holy Smoke BBQ

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.

Johan Åkerberg

Holy Smoke BBQ

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.

Karla Zazueta

Mexican Food Memories

Karla is a Mexican cookery teacher and food writer from Ensenada, Baja California, a place in the north of Mexico. She teaches traditional Mexican cuisine at her cookery studio in north London, where she explores the flavours of all the areas in Mexico. She is also the Mexican cookery teacher from Borough Kitchen Cooking School and Little Portland Street Cookery School. When Karla is not teaching, she writes about Mexican food on her blog Mexican Food Memories, magazines and newspapers. Her recipes have been featured in The Guardian, BBC Good Food, Nat Geo Food and others. She also runs Mexican supper clubs at the end of every month at her house or in different parts of London, where she loves cooking the food, she grew up eating in the north of Mexico and more. Her favourite thing is throwing a ‘Carne Asada’, Mexican bbq, for her family and friends. She thinks that grilling is in the blood of any norteño.

Lap Fai Lee

Fire + Rice

Fire + Rice is led by Lap-fai Lee, renowned cookery teacher, food consultant and recipe developer with over a decade of experience in BBQ. From championship winning Texas brisket to Michelin starred collaborations, he encompasses the whole spectrum of live fire cookery. This is his third year at Meatopia with his East & SE Asian inspired team. This year bringing the flavours of Cantonese BBQ to Tobacco Dock. Expect the juiciest most flavourful Chinatown style dish imaginable!

Mark Dickey

Belzan

Mark Dickey is Head chef at the critically acclaimed Belzan in Liverpool and has been for 4 years, in this 4 years the restaurant has gone from strength to strength gaining a place in the Michelin guide and Mark himself winning Chef of the year 2023 for the Liverpool Region. He is a culinary force to be reckoned with really pushing the food scene in Liverpool up a level with his creative yet classic flair.

Mark Gilmour

The Lost Oyster Project

“All oysters go to heaven.” Rocks Oysters is a small boutique oyster wholesaler, to be able to compete with the big established players it needs to buy big and sell heroically. Sometimes there’s a glut - unsold stock! - the Lost Oyster Project is the perfect solution. Powered by excess oysters and driven by chefs Simon, Ana and Mark, this potential waste has been deliciously given a new lease of life. Launching later this year; The Lost Oyster project will retail London’s first home-grown Oyster Sauce, a luxury Oyster XO and the legendary ’Oystershire’ Condiment . Meatopia is an opportunity for fans of spice, smoke and full-on flav to try some of our wares before we launch the brand in the Autumn.

Milli Taylor

Food Behind Bars

Food Behind Bars is the UK's only Registered Charity dedicated to improving the food served in prison. Since August 2022, they have been running a butchery training course in the country's only in-prison butchery at women's prison HMP East Sutton Park in Kent. For Meatopia, FBB's Head of Food Education, Natalia Middleton, and FBB Ambassador and Chef, Milli Taylor, are joining forces with some of our trainee butchers from the prison to cook using the delicious meat which is all reared and butchered on site. This project aims to support women into the butchery industry, equipping them with a lifelong skill to support their future lives.

Natalia Middleton

Food Behind Bars

Natalia Middleton is the Head of Food Education at Food Behind Bars and works across our various prisons and projects. Developing recipes, creating menus and teaching our cooking sessions. Natalia has been a cookery teacher for 7 years and is passionate about prison food reform and supporting the men and women Food Behind Bars work with after their release. HMP East Sutton Park is a women's open prison based in the Kent countryside. It's home to 90 women who are in the last couple of years of their sentence and preparing for life on the outside. The prison is set on a working farm that rears a variety of livestock, including cows, sheep and pigs. Set within the prison is a small butchery that is run by Food Behind Bars, the UK's only registered charity dedicated to transforming food in prison. Food Behind Bars trains groups of women in the art of butchery, producing professional products that are sold to the public in the prison's farm shop. This is the country's only in-house prison butchery, which is supporting women into employment and equipping them with skills to take on into their future lives.

Nathan Chapman

The Quality Chop House

Suffolk born, head chef Nathan Chapman has honed his skills in some of London's most renowned kitchens for over a decade. In 2019 he joined The Quality Chop House, in Farringdon. Nathan leads a brigade which utilises close-knit supplier relationships to elevate classic British dishes, alongside wide-ranging techniques - with a focus on provenance, rare breeds and in-house whole carcass butchery. He specialises in utilising classical technique to showcase both prime and lesser-used cuts in a modern, approachable, Chop House way.

Nirmal Save

Gunpowder

Born to family of farmers in a village outside of Mumbai. Nirmal's culinary journey started in his childhood as he learned to cook from his mother and grandmother. They shared with him their closely guarded family recipes, passing down generations of culinary knowledge. Before joining the Gunpowder Restaurant Group he trained under Raymond Blanc and was Head Chef at the Michelin-starred Tamarind Collection. With his vast experience and unique cooking style, Nirmal has made a significant impact earning Gunpowder its Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Paul Asher

Darby's

Paul Asher is a Dublin-born chef who has worked his way through some of London’s fine-dining establishments including The Dairy where he worked under Robin Gill. He has recently returned from a stint working and travelling in South East Asia and is creating exciting dishes inspired by both Thai and Laotian regional cuisines.

Rytis Rukuiza

Hawksmoor London

Rytis started his career in food at the young age of 14 as a kitchen porter and prep chef. He originally moved to London to be a bass player in a rock band, but swapped his guitar for tongs when his love of food was reignited working for Pickled Pantry. He developed his craft at London favourites Two Lights and Oblix, finding his way to Hawksmoor 3 years ago, wanting to work with quality seasonal British produce cooked over real charcoal.

Sam Grainger

Belzan

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.

Tania Livier García Báez

Tanto Santo Ensenada

Born and raised in Baja California, Mexico. After attending cookery school in Chicago Illinois she traveled to Mexico city to continue her professional training at Pujol restaurant. Mostly focusing on northen mexican regional cuisine, the use of locally sourced produce and seafood, her projects have become a staple in Ensenada's food scene since she moved there in 2011. Like Sarmiento by the sea, Casa Marcelo and Criollo Taqueria which was featured in Rick Stein's Road to Mexico. Her latest proyect Tanto Santo has a mexitalian aproach, which she calls "Bajapolitano", cooking neapolitan style sourdough pizzas incorporating yeast from local wineries in the fermentation process along with some house made charcuterie.

Terri Mercieca

Happy Endings

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.

Tom Zahir

Decatur

Chef Tom Zahir of Decatur has been cooking the cuisine of Louisiana and New Orleans for nearly a decade at award winning pop ups and residencies across London, with a focus on bringing a taste of the South to home sick southerners across the capital, via the specialties of Creole and Cajun cuisine. Decatur’s Seafood Boils and Railway Arch parties are infamous across East London and they’ll be bringing some of that Louisiana Good Good to Meatopia this year.

Wojciech Smietalo

Blacklock

Zé Paulo Rocha

O Velho Eurico

Ambitious chef, originally from Lisbon but from the north by heart, Zé Paulo Rocha improved his skills in the kitchen at home, with his family, and that is the work he intends to pass nowadays. At 21 years old he opened O Velho Eurico, where today is his space to replicate everything he knows, expressing his passion for food and good Portuguese traditions. The art of hospitality and good food will always be connected and that is what he tries to show in every move.

Music and entertainment

Music

EVOLUTION OF FISHERMEN | EASY STRIDE BAND | BABEL BRASS |JESSIE COLLINS TRIO | DJ CHRIS TOFU | MILLIE MCKEE | TOM FINDLAY | ROY'S BIGSMOKE

HOT COLD NO & LOW

OFFSET BREWERY 🍺 MONDO BREWING 🍺 DROP PROJECT 🍺 LOST AND GROUNDED 🍺 SMALL BEER 🍺 SIREN CRAFT BREW 🌶️ MEXICAN MAMA 🌶️ GGS AUTHENTIC 🌶️HULI HULI 🌶️ LESLEY'S SAUCES 🌶️WILTSHIRE CHILLI FARM 🌶️ YEP KITCHEN 🌶️HOP BURNS AND BLACK 🌶️ LITTLE O'S 🌶️ TASTEE SAUCES 🌶️ TANTIE LORRAINE