Data analyst turned Michelin Star chef, no one can deny that Josean Balotin, the head chef at Mountain deserves all the recognition he has received. Born and raised in Brazil, it isn’t surprising that the culinary world would whisk him away from his office desk as his mum is a pastry chef. Moving to London a mere 10 years ago, he began working as a kitchen porter and from day one he was determined to succeed; working full-time at restaurants and completing stages on almost all of his days off. Being swept off his feet by the Super 8 group, Joe worked his way up the ranks from chef de partie at ..read more

Bout time for a new podcast folks! On this week’s Scoop, Zac and I are introducing you to the sweetheart of the pastry, who knew from day dot that desserts were going to be her forte. Kelly Cullen is currently the head pastry chef at Allegra, in Stratford and has worked previously at other incredible restaurants like Cornerstone and Angler. Beginning her career in culinary training, she worked at Claridge’s Hotel and soon realised that a smaller, tight-knit team was what she loved most.  Due to the open kitchen at Allegra and Kelly enjoying a good chat with her guests, I knew this podcas ..read more

From military bases to gyms to pubs and now to a bourbon bar, Ryan Sheehan has a plethora of stories up his sleeve. Growing up in Savannah, Georgia in the Deep South, Ryan has a passion for bourbon and his bar lies beneath Counter 71, a chef’s table restaurant in Shoreditch. Exploring bourbon, Ryan alongside Angela (his protege) has created a list of classic, historical and signature cocktails. One example of this is their old-fashioned washed with bacon fat and sweetened with maple syrup.  Throughout our conversation, Ryan and I talked about his entrepreneurial drive; he has always love ..read more

Bursting with energy, positivity and completely driven, you can tell how Anna Søgaard has become an alpha in the kitchen  Back in her school days, Anna wasn’t sure exactly which career path was right for her and she began by studying Communications in Denmark. However, after really thinking about what makes her tick she ventured into the food industry and completed four years of culinary study in Copenhagen. She absolutely fell in love with the atmosphere of the kitchen. Having moved around a lot as a child between countries, she wasn’t scared to relocate for the job. After relocating to ..read more

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY! *Although the podcast states that today is National Women’s Day, it’s INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day so excuse my mistake!  Today we are celebrating fantastic female leadership throughout the food and hospitality industry. One woman in particular caught my eye, someone who is proving that progression and meaningful success are not the same for everyone. Another thing that she told me is that a love of trying new food is not always ingrained from birth, but something we all need to learn. That woman is Amber Francis.  If you’re a chef in a fine dining kit ..read more

Mangal II stands as a shining beacon of success within the growing London food scene. This restaurant is an iconic mixture of traditional and modern both in terms of its Turkish-inspired cuisine and its service. Mangal II was passed down to the current owner Ferhat Dirik, by his father and was originally quite a different concept.    Ferhat doesn’t shy away from the details and decision-making which led him and his brother, Sertac to establish Mangal II as your East London night out highlight. Despite their continually expanding awards and praise in the media, no reward comes without ..read more

Kitchens sound like hell to some: the hours, the pressure, the heat. But for Diarmuid Goodwin cooking makes his head go quiet; he loves the serenity and stillness of mind that pure concentration brings.  Currently head chef at Sager and Wilde in Bethnal Green, Diarmuid grew up in Belfast before moving to London to work for Angela Hartnett at Cafe Murano. Following his passion to The Grain Store and Trullo, he discovered his particular adoration for Mediterranean cuisine and his need to always be busy! Alongside his full-time job, this chef still finds time to build his pop-up company ‘Cl ..read more

Say hello to the *almost* new kid on the block, Ernesto Gabriel - the founder of EMBERS, a restaurant concept. Most of the podcasts so far have presented so-called “settled down” chefs with a restaurant, staff and fully-formed stories of hardship, struggle and success. Today we are learning about the grind to start a business endeavour.  Now, EMBERS is still in its infancy and awaiting a permanent home; which explains why this podcast was filmed in a motorcycle cafe in Shoreditch! Ernesto has travelled far across the world on yachts owned by world-famous stars like Jerry Seinfield and s ..read more

Let me introduce you to Ryan Walker, the 23-year-old Head of Fermentation and R&D - one of the masterminds behind Silo's sustainable insurgence. Ryan is both crazily creative but also approaches cooking from a scientific standpoint so he's a chef and an alchemist. Hard to imagine anyone more perfect to achieve a spot on the 30 under 30 Code Hospitality Awards 2023. There were only two things I knew about Silo before visiting for Ryan's podcast. First and foremost, it is located above a popular stomping ground for Gortex-trainer-wearing, Puresport-runner loving, "I heart craft beer" finance ..read more

Upon meeting Andy Beynon, the chef-owner of Behind restaurant in London Fields, you can immediately understand how he finesses the amalgamation of “front of house” and “back of house”. Andy is driven and focused yet charming, and nerdy with a cracking sense of humour. It is clear why such an intimate and performative dining experience is worthy of 1 Michelin star, an award which he has retained since 2020 when he received the star a mere 20 days after opening.  Listen as Zac and I interrogate our rather mysterious guest about his work and private life, here’s the Scoop on Andy Beynon.&nbs ..read more