Mike Davies, The Camberwell Arms




Did you co-found a rooftop bar at the age of 20, then manage that whilst opening another restaurant at 25 full time? Yeah neither did I, but my guest today Mike Davies did just that. Mike is the chef owner of The Camberwell Arms and Frank’s Cafe in Peckham.




Born in South London, Mike only properly considered being a chef once he had completed a year studying at The University of Manchester. He decided that the societal expectation and pressure to go to university didn’t fulfill him and he wanted to do something different. Before university, Mike worked at a local chippy as a head chef. With an already signed student lease in Manchester, Mike walked around the city, CV in hand and eventually landed his first proper chef role. Mike’s style of cookery was massively influenced by the stages he completed after leaving Manchester especially restaurants like St John Bread and Wine and The Ledbury. We discuss his experience cooking for the Sultan of Oman, how stages feel so different when you have more experience, and how comparison is the thief of joy.




On top of his culinary brilliance, Mike has written a beautiful cookbook called Cooking for People, which is out today - the 15th of August! This book teaches and helps you step by step through hosting people with delicious seasonal menus, prep lists and shopping lists. Mike had a period of burn-out a few years ago which led to him not enjoying the pressures of a kitchen as much as before; this book was born when Mike needed to fall in love with the enjoyment of cooking once again, and helping others feel the same. You can really feel his love of creating and exploring food.




I’m Stella, and I think i’ll be having dinner in tonight - fancy joining?




Mentions:

Mike Davies, chef owner of The Camberwell Arms and Frank’s Cafe, Peckham

The Camberwell Arms

Frank’s Cafe, Peckham

Simply Heathcote’s, Manchester

Paul Heathcote

40 Maltby Street, Bermondsey

Stephen Williams, head chef of 40 Maltby Street

Le Manoir, Oxfordshire

Texture, Marylebone (permanently closed)

The Vineyard, Newbury

St John Bread and Wine, Spitalfields

Magdelen, Southwark (permanently closed)

The Ledbury, Notting Hill

Walnut Tree Inn, Abergavenny

Ollie Dabbous

The Anchor and Hope, Waterloo

Johnathon Jones and Robert Shaw, The Anchor and Hope

Joe Beef, Montreal

James Lowe, head chef of Lyle’s

Lyle’s, Shoreditch

Black Axe Mangal, Canonbury

Lee Tiernan, head chef of Black Axe Mangal

The River Cafe, Hammersmith and Fulham

The Canton Arms, Stockwell

Ravneet Gill

Domaine de Souch


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What I used to make this podcast

Recording Equipment

​⁠Zoom H5⁠

​⁠ZDM-1 Podcast Mic Pack⁠

​⁠Reaper Audio Editing Software⁠