Ben Lippett - Disastrous Staff Meals - Hallucinating In A Melbourne Restaurant Kitchen & The Glories Of His New Cookbook!

This week on The Go-To Food Podcast, we sit down with one of Britain’s most recognisable chefs, Tom Kerridge, for a refreshingly honest conversation about the journey from wild, hard-drinking kitchens to becoming a household name with multiple Michelin stars.Tom opens up about the early days of The Hand and Flowers, how he went from not even knowing what a Michelin star meant to becoming the first pub in the UK to earn two. He reflects on the sacrifices, personally and professionally, that came with success, including a traumatic kitchen accident that left a young chef with life-changing injuries, forcing him to confront the pressure-cooker culture of hospitality.We dig into the pivotal moment he quit drinking, and how that transformed not just his lifestyle but his leadership style. He talks about managing fame while still pulling 18-hour shifts, and how the restaurant robbery that left his team devastated became a lesson in resilience.There’s plenty of lighter stuff too; like an epic story of when Liam Gallagher came for a long lunch to the Hand & Flowers, the story behind his dream food weekend in Singapore, and the three-course meal he’d serve his mates (including a controversial soufflé just to wind up Sat Bains).From building a people-first kitchen culture to his thoughts on where British food is heading next, this episode is Tom Kerridge as you’ve never heard him before: candid, self-aware, and full of hard-won wisdom.--------------Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/Grab hold of the hottest reservations in town with the app ResX - https://www.resx.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19 Maj 1h 10min

In this episode of The Go-To Mise en Place, we sit down with Amy Poon, chef, food entrepreneur, and heir to one of the most iconic names in Chinese dining, for a wide-ranging, laugh-out-loud conversation that covers everything from opening a champagne bar with a newborn to scrubbing pots at midnight when staff don’t show.Amy reflects on her family’s pioneering role in transforming the perception of Chinese cuisine in Britain, particularly her father Bill Poon’s groundbreaking achievement of earning a Michelin star in the 1980s - the first for an independent Chinese restaurant in the UK, attracting everyone from Mick Jagger and Sean Connery to opera singers and cultural icons. Raised in and around the restaurant, Amy recounts childhood meals that ranged from venison to crispy duck sandwiches on school trips, illustrating how her Chinese-British identity shaped her palate. She also shares vivid family lore - including the story of an ancestor who may have invented the stock cube - and how her own journey through Oxford, advertising, art sales, and nightlife in Singapore has ultimately brought her back to food, launching Poon’s Pantry and now preparing to open a new restaurant, Amy is reimagining her families legacy through her cross-cultural lens: not fusion, but a true mix of tradition, innovation, and identity.Plus, we hear about Amy’s ultimate foodie weekend, the comforting simplicity of a fried egg over rice, and the ABBA song she’d play herself out to. Don’t miss this one.-----Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 Maj 37min

This week on The Go-To Food Podcast, we sit down with legendary Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli — the man who helped redefine Italian cuisine in London. From his early training at The Savoy to becoming the first independent Italian chef in the UK to earn a Michelin star, Giorgio takes us through the highs, lows, and unforgettable moments of a career that has shaped the city’s food scene for over four decades.In this wide-ranging and often hilarious conversation, Giorgio reflects on the golden years of London dining between 1995 and 2005, shares what it was really like walking into one of Gordon’s infamous kitchen meltdowns. He also dives into the now-infamous Truffle Kerfuffle — a billing scandal involving a lavish dinner and a very expensive mushroom — and tells us how he ended up cooking £25k pasta for royalty in the Qatari desert, and how a well-timed delivery ended up making him an unlikely truffle dealer to the King himselfWe also talk about his return to TV stardom with MasterChef Italia, why he believes chefs need to stay grounded, and his advice for the next generation entering the industry. Plus, Giorgio shares his favourite go-to restaurants — from a hidden gem in Kentish Town to a no-frills spot in Palermo.This episode is a masterclass in food, legacy, and keeping your feet on the ground in an ever-changing industry.----------Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 Maj 1h 6min

This week on The Go-To Mise en Place, we’re celebrating 15 years of Hawksmoor Seven Dials—one of London’s most beloved restaurants—with co-founder Will Beckett. Over a very special lunch from their 15th birthday menu (available Monday to Friday lunchtimes for just £19.50—arguably the best value lunch in the West End), Will reflects on the journey that took Hawksmoor from a scrappy East London opening to a globally respected restaurant group with sites in New York and Dublin.In a conversation as honest as it is insightful, Will talks about the systems and philosophies that keep the business grounded and people-focused—from staff culture and team rituals to thoughtful leadership and scaling with integrity. He breaks down what “mise en place” means outside the kitchen, shares what he looks for in great hospitality, and explains why real success has little to do with chasing trends.Whether you're obsessed with restaurants, fascinated by founder stories, or just curious about what makes a place special, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how one of Britain’s best restaurant groups is run.----------Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 Maj 57min

This week on The Go-To Food Podcast, we sit down with London’s original restaurant protege Stevie Parle - one-time pop-up poster boy, chef, restaurateur, and the creative force behind Dock Kitchen, Rotorino, Pastaio, and most recently, the soon to be hardest restaurant in London to get a table at, Town on Drury Lane.Stevie shares the story behind his unconventional journey through the food world, from formative years at the River Café, Moro and Petersham Nurseries, to building a career that spanned pop-ups, bestselling cookbooks, newspaper columns and bold restaurant ventures.We talk about the surprising impact of going viral on TikTok — including the lobster pasta video that turned a quiet dish into a logistical nightmare — and the tension between cooking for social media vs. cooking from instinct and taste.He talks about how Town was born out of a desire to “just cook good food” rather than follow the restaurant concept trend, how simplicity and spontaneity shape the menu, and the freedom that comes with ditching the formula.We also get into the nitty gritty: Stevie’s favorite under-the-radar food spots (including a deep love for Rot King in London and The Goods Shed in Canterbury), memories of culinary disasters (ever swapped salt for sugar in a lemon tart?), and of course, cooking for famous faces from Mick Jagger to David Cameron.----------------Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/Download ResX Now To Claim The Best Tables In Town - https://www.resx.co/Plus, we chat dream meals, the rotisserie chicken revival, London’s evolving dining scene, and why chefs might be done chasing stars in more ways than one.------------Grab hold of the hottest reservations in town with the app ResX - https://www.resx.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Maj 38min

This week, we’re joined by the brilliantly warm and wildly talented Rosie Kellett - writer, food creator, and author of In For Dinner. From comforting nostalgia to weeknight saviours, Rosie takes us through her dream menu from breakfast to pudding. We get into her favourite hangover-busting salt and vinegar potato soup, a citrusy macaroni-spaghetti hybrid born out of broke London flatshares, and the pudding inspired by her Grandma Margaret’s legendary raspberry cakey concoctions (somewhere between a tiramisu and a trifle).We also talk about her love for Polish sauerkraut—her desert island essential—and a pierogi-inspired soup that’s become a go-to. Rosie takes us to Emilia-Romagna for some erbazzone and shares why she sees Parmesan as a kind of culinary medicine. There’s big love for London favourites too, including the crisp pink dosa at Rasa, deep chilli heat at Xi-an Impressions, and perfect service at Sessions Arts Club.And then there’s the Hall of Fame dish: a shrimp and scallion pancake from Piazz that, in Rosie’s words, made her feel whole again. We also get into her biggest food trend icks, why certain garnishes should be banned, her failed acting career and the one word she’d love to see retired from recipe vocabulary forever (spoiler: it’s “hack”).Rosie’s new book In For Dinner is full of the kind of recipes you’ll actually want to cook—comforting, clever, and affordable. Go order it now - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dinner-delicious-affordable-recipes-batch/dp/152993656X Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1 Maj 47min

The Go-To Food Podcast proudly introduces The Legends’ Roundtable— a brand-new monthly series celebrating the chefs, kitchens, and ideas that have shaped modern gastronomy. Each episode, we gather some of the most respected names in the industry to reflect on where food has come from, where it's going, and what it truly means to dedicate a life to hospitality.For our inaugural Round Table, we are delighted to be hosted in the extraordinary Trinity restaurant where we are joined by Michelin starred legends, Adam Byatt of Trinity, Phil Howard of Elystan Street and John Williams of The Ritz to dive into Escoffier’s Legacy and the timeless foundations that still underpin great kitchens today.In a lively and honest conversation, three legendary chefs open up about the evolution of the industry — from the old-school days when chefs could focus solely on craft, to today’s harsher realities where financial precision is critical to survival. They explore the irreplaceable thrill of cooking, the unique rewards of creating something ephemeral yet deeply meaningful, and the hard balance between natural flair and disciplined technique.The discussion peels back the layers of what it really takes to be a great chef: the importance of marrying creativity with meticulousness, the subtle but crucial connection between cook and ingredient, and the difference between chefs driven by pure love of food and those who focus on process. They reflect on the irreplaceable role of mentorship, the pride in seeing protégés rise, and the deep emotional bonds forged through years of relentless service.With unforgettable stories from iconic kitchens, candid reflections on leadership and legacy, and plenty of laughs (and tart anecdotes) along the way, The Legends’ Round Tables is a love letter to the world of food — and to everyone who has ever fallen in love with it.-----------Grab hold of the hottest reservations in town with the app ResX - https://www.resx.coSupport the incredible work of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts - https://royalacademyofculinaryarts.org.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Apr 1h 17min

This week, we head Behind the pass—literally—with chef-owner Andy Benyon, the Michelin-starred mind behind one of East London’s most intimate and inventive restaurants. From langoustines with truffle yakisoba to clam shell madeleines, Andy’s flavour-first, technique-driven cooking has built a cult following and earned him a Michelin star just 20 days after opening.In this episode, Andy shares what it was like working under culinary greats like Phil Howard and Claude Bosi, and how their influence shaped his own philosophy in the kitchen. We dig into the art and agony of tasting menus—why they’re so hard to get right, and how Andy keeps his feeling fun, creative, and worth the price. He recalls the chaos of nightmare services (including a guest walking out mid-meal over the music) and the small wins that come from surprising, happy endings.We also talk about Andy’s upcoming speakeasy-style bar concept hidden behind his restaurant, where diners will be able to enjoy more casual snacks while peeking into the kitchen. And of course, we couldn’t resist chatting about one of his most passionate design features: the toilets. Built with the same guy who did Sketch, they’re part submarine, part statement—proof that every detail matters.This is a candid, unfiltered chat about perfectionism, creativity, and building a restaurant that feels like home.--------Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges. Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/Download ResX Now To Claim The Best Tables In Town - https://www.resx.co/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

24 Apr 28min