The Go To Food Podcast
The Go-To Food Podcast features interviews with top chefs, restaurateurs, food writers, and critics, exploring their inspirations and favorite culinary experiences. Hosted by Freddy Clode and Ben Benton, each episode delves into the stories behind the food world's most influential figures. The show offers insider knowledge and celebrates food culture through engaging conversations and personal anecdotes.
Episodes
Jean-Georges Vongerichten - Trump's Wedding, Marco Pierre White's Meltdown & Losing His Third Michelin Star
Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of the most influential chefs of all time. From revolutionising New York's restaurant scene to building an empire of around 60 restaurants across the world, his career has been nothing short of extraordinary.
But behind the Michelin stars and iconic restaurants are some truly unbelievable stories.
This week, Jean-Georges joins us to reveal what it was really like
Spudman: The Secrets Behind Britain's Most Viral Food Business
How do you turn a humble jacket potato into one of Britain's biggest viral food sensations?
This week we're joined by the one and only Spudman, the man behind Britain's most famous jacket potatoes, to uncover the extraordinary story of how he built his potato empire.
From queues stretching for hours and millions of followers around the world to earning £40,000 a month through TikTok and turning
Dylan Jones: Inside London’s Wildest Restaurant Era | David Bowie, The Groucho Club & Boris Johnson
Dylan Jones has spent more than four decades at the heart of British culture, from i-D and The Face to GQ, the Evening Standard and some of London’s most legendary dining rooms.
In this episode, Dylan joins us to talk about the wild years of 80s, 90s and noughties London, from The Groucho Club, The Ivy and Le Caprice to David Bowie, Robbie Williams, Boris Johnson and the extraordinary overlap betw
Jacob Kenedy - How Bocca di Lupo Changed Italian Food in London & Why Great Restaurants Struggle to Survive
Today we're joined by one of the most important figures in modern Italian cooking in Britain, Jacob Kenedy, chef and co-founder of the legendary Bocca di Lupo and Gelupo. Jacob's journey is anything but conventional. Before becoming a chef he studied science, was a glassblower and a DJ, before a stint at Moro changed the course of his life and eventually led him to create the restaurant he simply
Robert Reid & J-C Slowik: The Madness of Running Harveys, Winning 3 Stars for Marco at The Oak Room & Working for Raymond Blanc, Joël Robuchon & Roger Vergé
Between Robert Reid and Jean-Christophe “JC” Slowik, you have nearly 80 years of extraordinary restaurant history. From Roger Vergé and Raymond Blanc to Marco Pierre White, Harvey’s, The Oak Room and some of the defining rest
Sertaç Dirik & David Carter: How They Created London’s Restaurant of the Year 'KID' | Reinventing Turkish Food, Michelin-Star Kitchens & Becoming Action Bronson’s Favourite Chef
🔥 Two of the most exciting names in London restaurants join us this week as David Carter and Sertaç Dirik reveal the story behind KID, their hugely anticipated new Turkish restaurant in Soho. David has built an extraordinary run of restaurants including Smokestak, Manteca, OMA and AGORA, while Sertaç transformed his family restaurant Mangal II into one of London’s most acclaimed dining rooms. Now,
EXCLUSIVE - John Torode - From Running Terence Conran's Restaurants To Life After MasterChef
In his first interview since his shock departure from MasterChef, John Torode joins us for an exclusive and deeply personal conversation about the end of his extraordinary 20-year run on the show. He reveals whether he was surprised by how it all came to an end, reflects on what MasterChef meant to him and the thousands of people involved in making it, and explains why, despite everything, he is d
Pam Brunton - Creating Scotlands Greatest Restaurant 'Inver' & The Craziness Of Working For Tom Aikens, Noma & Fäviken
We travelled to the shores of Loch Fyne to sit down with the brilliant Pam Brunton, chef and co-owner of Inver, one of Scotland’s most remarkable restaurants and the first in the country to receive a Michelin Green Star. Pam’s extraordinary career has taken her from dropping out of Edinburgh University to cook on Scotland’s west coast, through the kitchens of Tom Aikens and The Greenhouse, before
Lorna McNee - Winning Glasgow’s First Michelin Star in 18 Years, How Great British Menu Changed Her Life & The Night Police Had To Drag Protesters Out of Her Restaurant
Lorna McNee joins us at Cail Bruich to tell the remarkable story behind becoming the chef who brought a Michelin star back to Glasgow for the first time in 18 years. She takes us from washing pots in a small Italian restaurant and a teenage stage at Gordon Ramsay, to walking into Andrew Fairlie’s legendary two-Michelin-starred kitchen as an apprentice and immediately wondering whether she was good
Josh Niland — The Chef Who Reinvented How We Cook Fish, Heston Blumenthal’s Magic & Why Some Chefs Think He’s Crazy
This week we’re joined by one of the most influential chefs of his generation, Josh Niland, the Australian chef who has completely changed the way the restaurant world thinks about fish. Josh tells us why our obsession with ultra-fresh fish may actually be holding us back, how learning to treat fish more like meat transformed his cooking, and why a piece of advice from legendary fish chef Stephen
An Italian Odyssey, Rumours & Behind-the-Scenes Chaos
Welcome to a special edition of Go-To Food where Freddy and Ben ditch the guest and get into the industry gossip, rumours and behind-the-scenes stories that normally don’t make it onto the podcast.
From the guests we’ve chased for years, the interviews that nearly never happened, awkward encounters with some very famous chefs and what really goes on before and after the microphones are switched on
Jack Coggins - Creating Smash Hits In Goodbye Horses & The Dreamery & Why Food Creators Need to Stop Stealing Recipes
This week we’re joined by Jack Coggins, the chef behind Goodbye Horses, Stable Wines and The Dreamery, for a brilliant journey through one of the most unconventional careers in London food. Jack started helping out in an East London café at just 12, studied English with dreams of becoming a food writer, then found himself unable to afford the entry-level jobs in publishing and instead earning his
Aktar Islam - Chasing 3 Michelin Stars, How Gordon Ramsay Saved My Career & The Problem With Curry Houses
Gordon Ramsay told Aktar Islam he needed to break free. What followed changed his life and helped set him on the path to two Michelin stars — and now he wants a third.
In this episode of The Go-To Food Podcast, we sit down with Aktar Islam, one of the most influential figures in modern British Indian cooking, for a brilliantly candid conversation about ambition, Michelin stars, Gordon Ramsay, the
Sam & Alicja Bryant: How We Accidentally Created The UK’s Best Burger, Why We Ditched Service Charge & Why Every Restaurant Needs Draught Beer
After seven years of residencies and pop-ups, Whole Beast have finally found a permanent home on Coldharbour Lane — and Sam and Alicja join us to tell the gloriously chaotic story of how they got there. They reveal how working for other people eventually reached breaking point — from having menus rewritten around them to being asked to start making pastries — until they stood outside one day, said
INSIDE TAVERN - Why Great Restaurants Become Irrelevant, The Problem With Tasting Menus & The Worst Behaved Diners Ever
This week we’re inside Tavern, one of London’s most talked-about new openings, from the team behind Michelin-starred Restaurant St Barts. After almost a decade of Nest, they explain why they decided two tasting-menu restaurants no longer made sense, why restaurants increasingly seem to need to be either brand new or about to close to get people excited, and how they’ve tried to build something mor
Marcus Wareing - Part 2 - My 15 Year Feud With Gordon Ramsay, The £1m Lawsuit & Why He Never Won 3 Michelin Stars
In Part Two of our extraordinary conversation with Marcus Wareing, we pick up his story as his career begins to explode. Marcus takes us inside the chaos of 1998, when he was suddenly fired despite holding a Michelin star, before Gordon Ramsay led a walkout that left the restaurants reportedly losing £15,000 a day and ended in a £1 million lawsuit. He also reveals how a chance walk into a near-emp
Marcus Wareing - Part 1: Surviving Britain’s Toughest Kitchens, The Lost Art Of Cooking & Winning His First Michelin Star
In Part One of our exclusive two-part interview with Marcus Wareing, we sit down with one of the most influential chefs of his generation to trace the extraordinary story of how a shy teenager from Southport became one of the defining figures of modern British cooking. Marcus takes us from working in his father’s fruit and veg warehouse as a boy to leaving home at 18 for The Savoy, before literall
Naz Hassan - Opening Restaurants With Theo James, Surviving Toxic Kitchens & The Problem With Chef Ego
This week we’re joined by Naz Hassan, the chef behind two of London’s most talked-about Italian restaurants, Lupa and Ornella, alongside co-founders Ed Templeton and Theo James. Naz tells us how a drunken conversation at a Christmas party somehow turned into opening restaurants with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, why Lupa being fully booked for its first three months became both a blessing and
Mursal Saiq - Escaping War-Torn Afghanistan - Fighting Racism in Kitchens & Gordon Ramsay’s “Authenticity” Problem!
This week we sit down with the extraordinary Mursal Saiq for a conversation that goes far beyond food. Mursal takes us from a childhood shaped by war in Afghanistan and arriving in Britain as a refugee, to the devastating separation of her family at the UK border and the years that followed. She recalls the extraordinary places life subsequently took her — from Hackney to India and Italy, living o
Layo & Zoë Paskin - Opening London's Greatest Night Club 'The End' - Breaking Fat Boy Slim & Creating; The Palomar, Barbary & Evelyn's Table!
This week we’re joined by Layo and Zoe Paskin, the brother-and-sister duo behind Studio Paskin and some of London’s most celebrated restaurants, including The Palomar, The Barbary and Michelin-starred Evelyn’s Table. Before restaurants, they were at the heart of London nightlife, helping build legendary nightclub The End into one of the most influential clubs of its era. They reveal why they chose
Adam Byatt Live - From Losing Everything to Building an Incredible Restaurant Empire
Michelin-starred chef Adam Byatt joins us for a raucous live edition of the Go To Food Podcast, recorded in front of a packed audience at Bird House Brewery. The man behind Trinity, Bistro Union, Charlie’s at Brown’s, and the newly opened Rosina reveals how his latest restaurant secured 11,000 reservations and opened at full capacity from its very first service.
Adam explains why every great resta
Keiran Mustafa - Behind The Scenes At 'Kismet' London's Sexiest New Restaurant
This week, we join Keiran Mustafa at Kismet in Borough Market, surrounded by bulgur kofte, fried liver, lamb neck, chicken shish and what may be the greatest spread we’ve ever had on the podcast. Keiran reveals how a completely mad three-day trip through Cyprus and Istanbul with Dom helped inspire the restaurant, and explains the meyhane culture of meze, raki, music and long nights that they are b
Only Scrans - Why Food Influencers Need a Licence, His £40k YouTube Gamble & Building LADbible’s 100 Million + Audience
This week, we’re joined by Only Scrans — one of the UK’s biggest and most engaged food creators, with more than 1.5 million followers and one of the most unusual career stories we’ve encountered. Jonny has toured the world as a guitarist, helped build LADbible’s audience past 100 million, launched FoodBible, worked with some of Britain’s biggest celebrities, built his own agencies and turned Only
Ali Borer - Late Nights Cooking With Guy Ritchie, Burning Out At Smoking Goat & Opening London’s Hottest New Restaurant - Appalachia
This week, Freddy and Ben head to Shoreditch for a special episode of Mise en Place from Appalachia, one of London’s most exciting new restaurant openings. They are joined by head chef Ali Borer and restaurateur Ryan Sheehan to discover how the cooking traditions of the Appalachian Mountains have inspired a bold new menu in the heart of London.
Ali serves up some of the restaurant’s most talked-ab
Alexis Gauthier - I Lost 99% of My Customers Going Vegan, Feuding With Jeremy Clarkson & Why Michelin Is Stuck in the Past!
Alexis Gauthier spent decades at the summit of classical French cooking, training under Alain Ducasse, earning Michelin stars and building one of London’s most celebrated restaurants. Then he did something few chefs of his generation would dare to do: he removed meat, fish, dairy and every other animal product from his menus.
When Gauthier Soho became fully plant-based, Alexis says he lost 99% of
Cynthia Shanmugalingam - From HM Treasury To Opening One Of London's Greatest Restaurants 'Rambutan'
This week on the Go To Food Podcast, we're joined by one of the most fascinating figures in British food today: Cynthia Shanmugalingam, founder of Rambutan, the Borough Market restaurant that's redefining how London experiences Sri Lankan cuisine. From studying economics at Cambridge and working at HM Treasury to building one of the UK's most celebrated restaurants, Cynthia's journey is anything b
Jack Stein - Accidentally Deleting Rick Stein's Cookbook, Working As A KP At 12 Years Old & Running Britain's Most Famous Seafood Empire
What was it really like growing up as Rick Stein's son?
This week we're joined by Jack Stein for one of our favourite conversations yet. From washing pots aged 12 and accidentally deleting his dad's first cookbook, to training in Paris, Sydney and Japan before returning to help lead one of Britain's most iconic restaurant groups, Jack tells the stories you've never heard before.
We dive into the r
Josh Emett - The Untold Story Of Gordon Ramsay's Right-Hand Man Who Won Michelin Stars Across Three Continents
From a remote dairy farm in New Zealand to the most feared kitchens in the world, this week we're joined by one of the greatest chefs you've probably never heard enough about. Josh Emett spent over a decade as Gordon Ramsay's right-hand man, helping lead Michelin-starred restaurants across London, New York, LA and beyond before returning home to build one of New Zealand's most celebrated restauran
Eddie Huang - From Corporate Lawyer To Drug Dealer To Award Winning Restaurateur!
Chef. Filmmaker. Bestselling author. Restaurateur. Streetwear pioneer. Former lawyer. Former drug dealer. There aren't many people who have lived as many lives as Eddie Huang. In one of our favourite conversations ever, Eddie joins us for an unfiltered deep dive into the decisions, failures and moments that shaped one of food's most original voices. This is funny, brutally honest and completely un
Margaux Aubry - 12 Years Of Naughty Piglets, Getting Fired From Trinity & Becoming Andrew Lloyd Webber's Business Partner!
Margaux Aubry has quietly built one of London's most influential neighbourhood restaurants. As the owner of Naughty Piglets, she's spent the last 12 years helping redefine what modern London dining can be: brilliant produce, fearless cooking, incredible natural wine and a restaurant that genuinely feels part of its community. In this episode, she joins us to tell the remarkable story behind one of
Mario Carbone – Why Michelin Is Bullsh*t, Critics Don't Matter & The Secret Behind Carbone's Success
One of the most influential restaurateurs of the last decade joins us on the Go To Food Podcast. Mario Carbone, co-founder of Major Food Group, sits down for a wide-ranging conversation covering everything from building one of the world's most sought-after restaurant empires to why hospitality should feel more like theatre than dinner. From Queens to New York, London and beyond, Mario shares the p
Liz Haigh - Why She Walked Away After Winning a Michelin Star, Her Cookbooks Plagiarism Scandal & Building The UK's Best Singaporean Restaurant
From winning a Michelin star at Pidgin to walking away at the height of her success, Liz Haigh has had one of the most fascinating journeys in British hospitality. In this episode of Go To Food, Liz joins us to discuss her unconventional path from studying architecture and appearing on MasterChef to becoming one of the UK's most celebrated chefs. We dive into the realities of life in Michelin-star
Abbie Hendren - Opening London's Hottest New Restaurant - Great British Menu & The Insane Standards of L'Enclume!
In this week's episode of Mise en Place, we sit down with one of London's brightest culinary talents, Chef Abbie Hendren, Head Chef at the much-talked-about Teal by Sally Abé in Hackney. Having spent 15 years honing her craft in some of the capital's finest Michelin-starred kitchens, Abbie shares the remarkable journey that has taken her from a teenage kitchen porter in rural Rutland to leading th
Martin Kuczmarski - Turning Soho House Into A Multi-Billion Pound Empire, The Secrets To Great Hospitality & How The Dover Became London's Toughest Reservation
In this episode of Working the Floor, we sit down with hospitality heavyweight Martin Kuczmarski, the man behind some of London's most sought-after restaurants: The Dover, Dover Street Counter, and Martino's. Drawing on nearly three decades in hospitality, including 15 years helping build Soho House into a global phenomenon, Martin shares the philosophy that has made his own ventures such runaway
Andi Oliver - Post-Punk Fame, Great British Menu & The Food That Saved Her Life!
This week on Go To Food, we sit down with the extraordinary Andi Oliver for one of the most captivating conversations we've ever had. From growing up between Cyprus, Norfolk and Suffolk to becoming one of Britain's most influential food voices, Andi takes us on a journey through a life filled with adventure, resilience, music, family and incredible food. Her stories are as rich and layered as the
Sam & Sam Clark - 30 Years Of Moro - From Sahara Sandstorms to Revolutionising British Food Culture!
For this week's episode of Go To Food, we're joined by two of the most influential chefs in modern British cooking: Sam Clark and Sam Clark of the legendary Moro. As the iconic Exmouth Market restaurant approaches its 30th anniversary, the pair sit down to reflect on the extraordinary journey that transformed London's food scene. From introducing ingredients like pomegranate molasses, preserved le
The Spiteri Family - Their Incredible New Pub 'The Latimer' - Why They Refuse To Stock Guinness & How One Family Built Some of London's Most Iconic Restaurants!
The Spiteri family are hospitality royalty. Between them they've shaped some of London's most beloved restaurants and pubs, from The French House and Rochelle Canteen to Caravel, Sessions Arts Club and Koya. Now, for the first time, the entire family has come together under one roof to create The Latimer — one of London's most exciting new pub openings. In this special episode, we sit down with Jo
Jamie Younger - The Challenge of Reinventing Franklin's as 'The Victory' - Redefining Thai Dining in London with The Begging Bowl & Why Simon Hopkinson's The Greatest Chef Ever!
This week on Go To Food Podcast, we sit down with restaurateur, landlord and former head chef of the legendary Bibendum, Jamie Younger. Fresh from the opening of The Victory on Lordship Lane, Jamie takes us inside the challenge of reimagining one of South London's most beloved neighbourhood institutions, Franklin's. From preserving its character while creating a new identity, to navigating the pre
Thomasina Miers - How Wahaca Changed UK Food Culture - Becoming Masterchef's First Champion & What Restaurants Must Do to Survive!
This week on the Go To Food Podcast, we're joined by one of the most influential figures in British food: Thomasina Miers. From becoming the first-ever MasterChef champion to building the iconic Oaxaca restaurant group, Thomasina has spent more than two decades transforming the way Britain thinks about Mexican food. Recorded live at the Ballymaloe Food Festival, this is a conversation packed with
Felicity Cloake - Why Food Critics Are Too Kind - Surviving A Bear 'Attack' In The US & The Best Croissant in Paris
In this episode, recorded live at the Ballymaloe Food Festival, we sit down with award-winning food writer, columnist, cookbook author, and now novelist, Felicity Cloake. Best known for her legendary How to Make the Perfect series and her food-focused cycling adventures across France, Britain, and the United States, Felicity reflects on the journeys that shaped her career. She shares stories from
Darina Allen - The Godmother Of Irish Food On Creating Ballymaloe Cookery School & Becoming Ireland's First Celebrity Chef!
On this week’s episode of Go To Food Podcast, we sit down with the legendary Darina Allen — founder of the iconic Ballymaloe Cookery School, pioneer of modern Irish cuisine, and one of the most influential food voices of the last half century. Recorded live at the Ballymaloe Festival of Food, Darina takes us through the extraordinary journey that helped shape Ireland’s food culture as we know it t
Rachel Khoo - From Being Broke in Paris to Becoming A Global Food Icon & The Chaotic Untold Stories Behind 'The Little Paris Kitchen'
From tiny Parisian dinner parties to becoming one of the most recognisable food voices on television, this week we sit down with the incredible Rachel Khoo for a deeply honest, funny and nostalgic conversation about food, identity and building a creative life from scratch. Rachel takes us back to the beginning — leaving London with barely any money, studying pastry at Le Cordon Bleu, hustling her
Jackson Boxer & Lalo Yishima - How TAQ Went From Struggling Restaurant to London Hotspot
Jackson Boxer and Eduardo “Lalo” Yishima joined us at TAQ to talk about relaunching one of London’s original Mexican restaurants into something far more ambitious, produce-led and reflective of modern Mexican cuisine. Jackson explained how the former Taqueria had become trapped trying to compete on cheapness rather than quality, despite having an incredible location and loyal following. The pair d
Charlie Mellor - From Professional Opera Singer To London Restaurant Icon
Charlie Mellor joins Go To Food for a brilliant, booze-soaked, risotto-fuelled conversation from inside his acclaimed new Soho restaurant, Osteria Vibrato. Once hailed as the king of London’s wine scene — and still very much hailed by us — Charlie’s journey has taken him from Australian-born, classically trained opera singer to sommelier, restaurateur and one of the most charismatic hospitality mi
Frank Pinello - The Mafia, Wall Street Scams & Why Dave Portnoy Knows S**T About Pizza!
This week on The Go-To Food Podcast, we’re joined by one of the most important voices in pizza culture: Frank Pinello. The founder of Brooklyn’s legendary Best Pizza, host of The Pizza Show and now Pizza with Frank, Frank joins us fresh from a huge week eating across London — and gives an unfiltered verdict on why the city has quietly become one of the great pizza destinations in the world. From V
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - Getting Fired From The River Cafe - Eating Human Placenta Pâté & The Wild Stories Behind River Cottage
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a multi-award-winning British chef, writer, broadcaster and campaigner, best known as the creator of River Cottage. He joins the Go To Food podcast fresh from the release of his new book, High Fibre Heroes, before settling into a gloriously wide-ranging conversation full of stories from a life spent cooking, eating, questioning and occasionally causing national outra
Honey & Co Founders - Reinventing London's Dining Scene - Shockingly Behaved Customers & The Restaurant Disaster That Made Them Stronger!
Honey & Co founders Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich join us for a brilliant, chaotic and deeply honest conversation about food, marriage, restaurants, reinvention and the realities of building one of London’s best-loved hospitality groups.
From opening the original Honey & Co in 2012 without proper recipes, to turning family cooking, Middle Eastern flavours and sheer instinct into a restaurant e
Max Halley - The ‘King of Sandwiches’ on Starting The Sarnie Movement, Fame & His New Found Sausage Obsession & Cookbook!
Max Halley joins The Go To from Max’s Sandwich Shop in Finsbury Park — a place he describes as “a surprisingly serious restaurant masquerading as a silly sandwich shop.” From the ham, egg and chips sandwich Tesco tried to copy, to focaccia engineered for mayonnaise, juice and structural integrity, Max explains the thinking behind one of Britain’s most joyful food institutions.
In this episode, Max
Gary Usher - Why Hospitalities F***ed - Social Media Regrets & Why He Was Once Labelled Britain’s “Most Controversial” Chef!
Today we’re joined by Gary Usher — the chef behind a North West restaurant empire, award-winning gastropubs, and one of the most honest voices in hospitality today.
We sit down in Liverpool to talk about the evolution of his restaurant Wreck — from a derelict site to one of the busiest spots in the city — and the moment everything changed. After months of standing outside asking passers-by why the
Chris Edwards - Liverpools Food Revolution, Cosmic Scousers & The Night Will Ferrell Walked In!
Chris Edwards joins the pod for a hilarious, story-packed episode from Belzan, covering the wild journey from all-day chaos at Filter and Fox to building one of the North West’s most respected hospitality groups. There are tales of 7 a.m. coffees turning into midnight Manhattans, meeting future business partners across the bar, and the painful but necessary decision to close beloved venues at the
Tony Allan - Losing £1.6 Million To Marco P-W In Court, Crazy Weekends With Vinnie Jones & Making Millions As A Fish Supplier To The Stars!
Tony Allan joins the latest episode of the Go To Food Podcast for a no-holds-barred conversation that spans decades at the very top of British hospitality. From stripping lead off a school roof as a teenager to becoming one of London’s most influential fishmongers and restaurateurs, Tony’s journey is anything but ordinary. He reveals how he transformed the way chefs bought fish, built a booming su
Part 2 - Raymond Blanc - Marco Pierre-White Madness - Lessons From My Friend Pablo Picasso & The Joys Of Cooking For The Queen Mother!
Part two with the legendary Raymond Blanc is every bit as honest, funny and revealing as you’d hope. With nearly 50 Michelin-starred chefs having passed through his kitchens, we had to play our favourite game again: what were they really like before the fame? Raymond opens up on a young Marco Pierre White — the wild hair, the swagger, the intensity — and shares what it was actually like employing
Part 1 - Raymond Blanc - From Getting Brutally Exiled From France To Winning 2 Michelin Stars At Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
Few chefs in the world can match the Michelin legacy of Raymond Blanc. With over 40 years of continuous Michelin-starred excellence at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, he stands among the most consistent and influential figures in global gastronomy. Yet, as he reveals in this episode, he never chased stars—only excellence. The stars, he insists, were always a by-product. From the electric moment he was
Adejoké Bakare - From Selling Fish & Chips Off A Cart Outside Uni To Becoming The UK's First Black Female Michelin Starred Chef!
AdeJoké Bakare joins us for a truly special interview at Chishuru, the Michelin-starred Fitzrovia restaurant that has become one of London’s most exciting dining destinations. As the UK’s only Black female Michelin-starred chef, and only the second in the world, Joké’s rise is extraordinary not just for what she has achieved, but for how she got there: without the traditional fine-dining route, wi
Jan Ostle - From Getting Chucked Out Of Michelin Kitchens To Running The Number 1 Rated Restaurant In The UK!
In this episode of Mise en Place, we sit down with Jan Ostle of Wilson’s in Bristol for a conversation that stretches far beyond the pass. Recorded inside the restaurant’s remarkable 100-year-old bakery, this is a vivid, funny and deeply human story about how one of the UK’s most exciting restaurants came to be — and the messy, unpredictable journey behind it.
Jan takes us right back to the beginn
Dan O'Regan - From £80k Losses To A Burgeoning Restaurant Empire - The Secrets To Hospitality & The Shocking Night Everything Went Wrong!
On this week’s episode of Mise En Place, we head to Bristol for one of our most chaotic (and delicious) recordings yet with Dan O’Regan, the man behind Bank and Lapin. Sat inside the container-yard madness of Wapping Wharf, what starts as a gentle chat quickly turns into a full-blown hospitality war story — complete with lager-and-Picon drinks, soufflés inspired by Le Gavroche, and a running argum
Ivan Orkin - The American Who Became Japan’s Ramen King
Ivan Orkin joins Mise en Place for a brilliant, wide-ranging conversation on ramen, restaurants, and the realities of hospitality. Recorded in London over bowls of tonkotsu, fried chicken and aubergine, this episode finds the New York-born chef reflecting on the journey that took him from Manhattan to Tokyo, where he became one of the most unlikely success stories in modern food: an American cook
Eleanor Henson - The Pressure Of Keeping Skye Gyngell's Legacy Alive - The Truth About “Seasonal” Cooking & Why Soup Should Be Removed From Every Menu!
Eleanor “Ells” Henson joins Mise en Place for a brilliant, wide-ranging conversation from the stunning dining room at Spring in Somerset House — the restaurant created by the late, great Skye Gyngell and now guided by one of her closest protégées. In this episode, Ells reflects on what it means to lead one of London’s most influential kitchens, the weight and privilege of carrying Skye’s legacy fo
David Moore - Inside 35 Years of London’s Longest-Running Michelin-Starred Restaurant | Ramsay vs Aikens & Why Michelin's Rating System Is Broken
David Moore joins the Go To Food podcast for a barnstorming conversation that spans 35 years of restaurant history, from opening Pied à Terre in just two weeks to turning it into London’s longest-running Michelin-starred restaurant. In this episode, he tells the real story of life at the sharp end of hospitality: the punishing economics of today’s trade, the rates bill that made him cry, the disap
Conor Gadd - Getting Raided By Armed Police At Trullo - His Hatred For Burrata & Why Chef's Need To Stop Bullshitting!
Conor Gadd has just opened Burro in Covent Garden, and this episode captures him right at the start of that journey—equal parts excitement, pressure and controlled chaos. Only weeks into service, he reflects on what it feels like to step out from behind the scenes and suddenly be the person everyone wants a piece of. It’s a rare, honest snapshot of a chef adjusting not just to a new restaurant, bu
Asma Khan - Exposing Abusive Michelin Starred Chefs, Misogyny and Why Hospitality Is Broken!
From royal roots in Calcutta to building one of London’s most inspiring restaurant stories, Asma Khan is a force of nature. Fresh off a flight from India and fasting during Ramadan, she joined the GoToFoodPod to reflect on a life shaped by fierce family values, extraordinary food, and an unshakable sense of purpose. She spoke movingly about growing up between Rajput warrior heritage and Bengali ro
Patrick Withington - A Boozy Supper With Erst Founder & Head Chef
Today we’re joined by Patrick Withington, founder and head chef of Manchester’s cult favourite Erst. Fresh off welcoming a new baby and about to turn 40, Patrick sits down with us in the restaurant everyone told us we had to visit during our 36 hours in the city. Tucked into the heart of Ancoats, Erst has become something of a pilgrimage for natural wine lovers and food obsessives alike — the plac
Henry Harris - From Simon Hopkinson’s Bibendum to Running London’s Greatest Restaurant; Bouchon Racine
Today we're joined by the wonderful Henry Harris fresh back from Sri Lanka — complete with tales of dog bites, hoppers, sambals and chicken curry for breakfast — Henry arrives in glorious form, reflecting on the journey that took him from the dining room floor to becoming one of the most admired chefs in Britain. From his early days around his father’s restaurant Le Grand Gésier in Brighton to fal
Andrew Clarke - A Rock 'N' Roll Story - Overcoming Addiction To Create One Of London's Most Iconic Restaurants In Acme Fire Cult!
This week, we’re joined by Andrew Clarke of Acme Fire Cult for an episode that goes everywhere — from fire cooking and restaurant building to addiction, recovery, music, and the moments that change a life. This is a conversation with a true original: chef, restaurateur, former Maverick of the Year, co-founder of Pilot Light, plant medicine facilitator, and owner of what may well be the best facial
Michael Caines - From Being Written Off After Losing His Arm In A Horror Crash To Winning 2 Michelin Stars & Becoming A Culinary Icon!
Michael Caines joins Go To Food for one of the most raw and revealing conversations we’ve ever had. Fresh from winning a Michelin star at The Stafford just months after opening — and still chasing that elusive second star at Lympstone Manor — he breaks down the realities of modern fine dining. From why tasting menus might be getting too long, to why à la carte is far from dead, to the financial ti
Fadi Kattan - From Bethlehem to Notting Hill: The Untold Story Behind London’s Hottest Palestinian Chef
This week, we sit down with a man who is reshaping how the world sees Middle Eastern cuisine: the one and only Fadi Kattan. Born in Bethlehem, classically trained in Paris, and now leading acclaimed restaurants in London and Toronto, Fadi is more than a chef — he’s a storyteller, a cultural historian, and one of the most important voices in food today. From his grandmother’s kitchen to Michelin re
Mary-Ellen McTague - From The Fat Duck to The Godmother of Manchester’s Food Revolution
Mary-Ellen McTague is one of the driving forces behind Manchester’s modern food scene: a chef, restaurateur and community builder whose cooking is rooted in place, craft and proper hospitality. In this episode, she joins the go-to food podcast to talk about the city she helped shape, the dishes she can’t stop thinking about, and the hard-won lessons behind building restaurants that people genuinel
José Pizarro – How He Became The Godfather Of Spanish Food In The UK
This week on the Go To Food Podcast, we sit down with the godfather of Spanish food in London, José Pizarro. From carving jamón door to door in the 90s with a bottle of Rioja under his arm, to building a Bermondsey Street empire that changed how Britain eats, José’s story is one of graft, instinct and relentless belief in the flavours of home.
We dive straight into Andalucía and his unforgettable
Karan Gokani - The Real Secret Behind Hoppers’ Success, What Most Restaurants Get Wrong About Value & How To Improve Spend Per Head Without “Upselling”
Karan Gokani is one of London hospitality’s great shape-shifters: a former corporate lawyer who walked away from the safe path, then built something with genuine soul. We meet him inside Hoppers’ newest opening, a total reimagining of the old Lyle’s space, and talk about what it feels like to inherit “hallowed walls” without being haunted by them. The result is not a tribute act. It’s a new chapte
Ed Mcilroy - From Scaffolder To Creating The Plimsoll & Tollingtons, Burger Virality & His Disdain For Food Influencers!
The Go-To Food Podcast, brought to you by Blinq, the UK company revolutionising the POS game, and today we are joined by a man who has lived about five careers in one life. From scaffolder to delivery driver, chef to publican, and now the force behind two of London’s most-loved neighbourhood landmarks: The Plimsoll and Tollington’s Fish Bar. Ed McIlroy is funny, blunt, properly self-aware, and, cr
Joe Otway – The Chef Rewriting Manchester’s Food Scene
Joe Otway has built one of the most exciting restaurant groups in the country, and in this episode he tells the full story, properly. From Brighton to Manchester by way of Cape Town, New York, San Francisco and Copenhagen, Joe charts the long, obsessive road that led to Higher Ground, Bar Shrimp and Flawd. We meet him fresh off national recognition and immediately get into what really matters: not
Tom Barnes - Winning 3 Stars With Simon Rogan At L'Enclume - How The Roux Brother's Saved My Career & Revolutionising Manchester's Dining Scene!
From washing pots in Cumbria to cooking at The Square, Hof van Cleve and Geranium, and winning the Roux Scholarship along the way, Tom Barnes has taken the long road to the top. In this episode, he reflects on patience, loyalty and why not rushing your career can still lead you to the very highest level. It’s a rare, honest look at what two decades in elite kitchens actually teaches you, long befo
David Carter - Working For Gordon Ramsay To Building London’s Most Electric Restaurants & How Winning 'Oma' A Michelin Star Won't Change Him!
David Carter does not do the neat, pre-packaged rise. In this episode, he takes us from a childhood shaped by Barbados heat and roadside grills, through Toronto and LA, into London kitchens where the stakes were real and the pressure unforgiving. He talks candidly about cutting his teeth at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's, realising hotel life was never going to satisfy him, and why layers of process
Michael O'Hare - From Michelin Star To Bankruptcy & Back Again!
From ballet dancer and Billy Elliot hopeful to Michelin-starred chef, Michael O’Hare’s journey is anything but conventional. In this episode of The Go-To Food Podcast, Michael traces his path from Middlesbrough to the top of British fine dining via aerospace engineering, Jamie Oliver cookbooks, formative kitchen years and time spent at Noma, before blowing the doors off the scene with The Man Behi
Carl Clarke - The Craziest CV In Cooking ; Getting Fired By US President Ford - Partying With Maradona & Getting Airlifted Out Of Istanbul!
Carl Clarke is the sort of guest who makes you pause mid-intro and think: how is one person allowed to have this much life on a CV? DJ, chef, author, filmmaker, raver, and yes, a full-blown chicken deity, Carl has lived about six parallel careers, usually at the same time, often on zero sleep, and always with a story that somehow gets even more unhinged as it goes on.
Carl takes us from a 15-year
Abby Lee - Having My Customers Held at Knifepoint, Going Blind In The Kitchen & How Cooking Saved My Life!
Today we’re at the Michelin-accredited Mambow, home of the brilliant Abby Lee, a chef with more grit, talent and sheer force of will than most people manage in a lifetime.
We start at the beginning: Abby arriving in Lewisham at 14, completely alone, trying to find her feet, her voice, and a sense of belonging in a new country. Then comes the proper immersion: Singapore, then Italy, where the roma
Harneet Baweja - How I Built Five Restaurant Brands Without a Master Plan & Why I Would Never Open In New York!
This week we’re joined by Harneet Baweja: restaurateur, operator, and the man behind some of London’s most-loved restaurants. Over the last decade he’s built an absurdly good line-up: Gunpowder, Empire Empire, Moi et Toi, Fortune Fried Chicken, and the recently opened Master Jackie back in his hometown of Kolkata.
It’s a 10-year anniversary conversation with proper bite. Harneet talks about celeb
Ben Benton - Burns, Bankrupty & His Incredible New Book - All You Can Eat: The Search For A New British Menu!
Ben Benton is usually the man behind the mic, but this week the Go-To Food Podcast flips the script. In a special episode, Ben steps into the hot seat as the guest to celebrate something properly massive: his debut book, All You Can Eat: The Search for a New British Menu.
PRE ORDER IT NOW - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1805221523?psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp
Before food took over
Neil Rankin - Why I Called Out Marco P-W - The Kitchen That Broke Me & Why I Walked Out On My Empire!
This week on The Go-To Food Podcast, we are joined by Neil Rankin, the chef behind some of London’s most talked-about restaurants: Pitt Cue, John Salt, Smokehouse, Bad Egg and, of course, Temper. We trace the slightly unconventional route that took him from a sandwich business and a proper career wobble into Michelin kitchens, then on to finding his true groove via BBQ, fire-cooking and big, bold
Alex Dilling - Brutal New York Kitchens, Running Hélène Darroze's Empire and Winning Two Michelin Stars After Just 6 Months!
This week we’re joined by one of the most compelling chefs working in Britain right now: Alex Dilling. With a pedigree that runs through Alain Ducasse and Hélène Darroze, and two Michelin stars at his incredible restaurant Café Royal, Alex’s story is one of intense kitchens, huge pressure, and an almost obsessive pursuit of precision.
We talk through his journey in depth, from brutal early days in
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