Civan Er

A childhood spent exploring crumbling ruins gave chef Civan Er a lifelong interest in his country’s history, and an ambition to capture the diversity of Türkiye’s complex cuisine at his restaurants in Istanbul and London

Words by Lucy Kehoe

• Cover Interview

Thomas Straker

Growing up on a smallholding in Herefordshire, Tom took advantage of plentiful seasonally grown produce. A Ballymaloe education followed as did stints at The Dorchester, The Ledbury, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Casa Cruz and Phil Howard's Elystan Street. After time in New York, Tom returned to London to open Straker in Notting Hill, as well as a sharing passion for butter with his growing online audience.

• After Hours

Nilson Chaves

From small-town stews to redefining Brazilian cuisine in Rio de Janeiro, the Bossa chef has been at the forefront of his country’s gastronomic renaissance and is reinterpreting the flavours for his next London launch

Words by Rachel Walker

• Cover Interview

Jomon Kuriakose

The chef heading up Baluchi, in The Lalit London, for the past five years says his menu – perhaps appropriate to this former school building –
is a tribute to ‘memories and food habits’ from his childhood in Kerala.

Words by Neil Davey

• Cover Interview

Asimakis Chaniotis

Raised in Athens, the Pied à Terre executive chef draws on his heritage of 'very tasty' flavours – especially of his mother's homeland, Kefalonia – and explains how contemporary Greek cooking has raised the stakes

• Cover Interview

Henry Harris

London-born Henry Harris grew up in East Sussex and, having trained at Leiths, worked at London’s famed dining rooms of the Eighties and Nineties – Hilaire, Bibendum and the Fifth Floor at Harvey Nichols – before launching Racine in 2002. A lover of provincial French cooking, he opened Bouchon Racine, inspired by the traditional restaurants of Lyon, near Smithfield Market last year with business partner Dave Strauss, who he met at the Dartmouth Food Festival.

• After Hours

Brett Graham

Brett Graham grew up in Newcastle, north of Sydney in New South Wales, and after first considering a veterinary career, opted instead for a life in restaurants. First making the short trip south to Sydney after winning a competition, he would earn his chef stripes before a second competition win took him to London, where he joined Phil Howard at The Square – a meeting that would ultimately pave the way to The Ledbury.

• After Hours

Alex Thiel

Embarking on his career as the Berlin Wall came down was an interesting start for German Gymnasium's executive chef. When not in London, he's back exploring the best of his homeland, or tending to chickens in Ethiopia

• Cover Interview

Lisa Goodwin-Allen

A junior chef role at Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham led Lancaster-born Lisa Goodwin- Allen to Northcote at the age of 20, and she was catapulted to head chef at just 23. The restaurant, where she is now executive chef, has held on to the Michelin star it was first awarded in 1996, thanks to locally sourced, elegant dishes that incorporate her Lancashire roots.

• After Hours

José Pizarro

Extremadura's dehesa and its famed black pigs, the ancient Roman city of Cáceres, the markest of Andalusia and his mamà’s kitchen are among the Spanish chef's most beloved places in this 'land of 17 countries'

• Cover Interview