Hello and welcome back to Meet the Chefs.  Today, I’m chatting with Chet Sharma.  Chet has been on an unconventional and winding culinary journey and is now the head chef at Bibi in Mayfair.  The high-end Indian restaurant has been recognised repeatedly as among the top 100 in the UK and has firmly established itself as one of the places to dine in the capital.  Chet has friends across the industry too and I’ve left in a section where a gift arrives, hand-delivered, from Fallow!  I hope that you enjoy our chat… Be sure to subscribe and check out the Instagram http ..read more

Today it's time for a very special episode as we pay a trip to Bird and Blend. Of course, the brand isn't exclusive to the city but it's become a mainstay of the Oxford High Street for students and locals alike. Watch on Spotify for the full video version as we talk all things Bird and Blend journey, the full menu, retail, and even get a sneak peek at some new biscuit teas! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/oliver-hall/message ..read more

Hello and welcome back to Meet the Chefs.  Today I spoke to Louis, the chef and owner of Chez Louis at Mercato Metropolitano.  If you haven’t been, Mercato is a street food heaven, home to countless cuisines and food types.  Louis specialises in sandwiches and has taken the place by storm since opening just five months ago.  This is a podcast with a twist though with Chez Louis going on hiatus over the summer as a result of rising costs and burnout – listen out for the real problems that are affecting so much of the industry, and the street food sector i ..read more

Hello and welcome back to Meet the Chefs.  Today, I am speaking to Leonardo Masi the co-founder and original chef of Dez AMORE.  Leo has been on an incredible journey from his home in Florence to New York London, back to Italy and now back in the UK. He founded the street food Italian Burger and Pasta chain Dez AMORE with his friend Simone after COVID and now has five locations from Mercato Metropolitano to Camden with more on the way.  The mash-up between Italian-inspired burgers with sensational homemade pasta is as interesting as his journey so sit back, relax, and dream up s ..read more

I'm back in Oxford to bring you a special one-off return to Oxford this week at Cherwell Boathouse. It was there that I sat down with head chef Paul Bell to talk about his journey, his cooking, and all things Cherwell Boathouse. He runs one of Oxford's longest-running and most beloved restaurants right on the river and balances punting, fine dining, events and more. Listen in for an insight into those challenges, how the industry has changed throughout his career, and more. Thanks again to Paul for the chat and to you all for listening. Be sure to head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a ..read more

Joe Laker is the head chef and co-owner of Counter 71, a chef's table and tasting menu restaurant in London. Now open for just over a year, Joe is focused on furthering his ethos of just how special 'Modern British Cuisine' can be. In this episode, we dive into what 'Modern British' actually means, sustainability, the British food industry, his journey, his ethos, and more. Thanks again to Joe for the chat and to you all for listening. Be sure to head over to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more and subscribe so that you never miss an episode from ..read more

Hello and welcome back to Meet the Chefs! I'm in Jersey for the next few episodes and talking to people across the Island and across the industry spectrum. In this episode, I sit down with the CEO of JP Restaurants, Dominic Jones. Just like my previous episode, we dive deep into the challenges of an Island economy but this time Dominic is able to provide the unique perspective of owning restaurants at every price point in the industry. Brexit, the living wage, Jersey Pottery, allergy laws, and so so much more come up along the way. Dominic is also a passionate campaigner for allergy laws in Je ..read more

Hello and welcome back to Oxford Eats.  Today we were lucky enough to visit El Rincon restaurant in Summertown.  Joined by owners Juan and Rosaleen, we sampled a wide variety of the menu and heard about the truly authentic ethos behind the business.  Here, authenticity doesn’t just mean tradition.  Juan has previously worked at La Manor Quatre Saison and looks to incorporate avant-garde Spanish cuisine with traditional dishes, as well as adding English twists.  What the couple have created in such a short space of time is extraordinary and I talked to them for hours.&n ..read more

Welcome back to the first episode in our new series Ethical Edibles! This series will see me sit down with leaders in brands from around the world have strong ethical beliefs underpinning their companies. Over the next several months, you'll hear about how food can be so much more than sustenance. On the first episode, I sit down with the founder of ManiLife peanut butter, Stu MacDonald. In an extraordinary and scarcely believable story, Stu and his friends have changed the face of a global market worth nearly $6 billion. Along the way, Stu has picked up expertise in the food industry and fill ..read more

Today I’ve got a new host joining me, Alex, and we visited Pompette. Based in Summertown, this is the only double rosetted restaurant in Oxford. We sat down with owner Laura to talk about all things Alsace, food, wine, Brexit, energy costs, and more. The atmosphere here is what makes it so special. When we arrived, Laura spent 15 minutes at least talking to some regulars and this really is that kind of place. Great quality but never pretentious. Casual but smart and everything made in-house to the highest standard by Pascal. Grab a glass of wine and listen in to a fascinating 25-minute dive in ..read more