Shows
Mike Meets London TastemakersAlex Large - Brother MarcusIn this episode I chat to Alex, one of the co-founders of Eastern Mediterranean brunch hotspot Brother Marcus. We talk about their journey from building a restaurant in a garden for £3000 each through to a strong brand recognised across the city and beyond. We also go through the ups and downs of the COVID era and the kind of company they want Brother Marcus to be. You can find Brother Marcus in Angel and Spitalfields, and Borough from next year.Alex gives shout outs to the operations of JKS Restaurants and the Big Mamma Group. And h...
2021-12-1624 minMike Meets London TastemakersEduardo Wansbrough - La Nonna, EDūIn this episode I chat to Eduardo, one of the co-founders of fresh pasta restaurant La Nonna and Spanish-inspired street food business EDū. We talk about the origins of the different concepts and focus on the journey of La Nonna to its first bricks and mortar restaurant in Brixton, as well as what the future might hold for the brands. You can find La Nonna in Brixton Village and EDū in Flat Iron Square and Boxpark.Eduardo gives shout outs to the meatballs at Gold, Notting Hill and octopus tacos at KOL.@lanonnaldn & @ed...
2021-12-0924 minMike Meets London TastemakersLeonardo Ongaro - Badiani GelatoIn this episode I chat to Leonardo from Badiani, who has the enviable job of thinking about the future of their gelato! We chat about Badiani's long and storied history and the origin of their Buontalenti flavour, as well as more recent developments such as their nationwide delivery service, store expansions and upcoming subscription model. If you've not already tried their gelato (I particularly recommend La Dolce Vita and Buontalenti Pistachio) you'd be mad not to seek it out!Leo gives shout outs to Mercato Metropolitano (now in multiple locations) as well as MBARE in Clapham.
2021-12-0235 minMike Meets London TastemakersMegumi Takeyama - Rise Japanese Bakery & Bar, Megumi's TableIn this episode I chat to Megumi Takeyama, owner of Megumi's and Rise Japanese Bakery & Bar. We talk about how Megumi learned to cook so she didn't have to lose her Grandmother's cooking and how she went from running her own bar in Shibuya to starting a supper club in London. We also dive into what she's doing at Rise and what makes it special, including the use of sake lees as an ingredient.Megumi gives shout outs to Noble Rot, Brat, The Little Viet Kitchen, Da Terra, Jugemu, Dinings and Endo. Also The Ethicurean as...
2021-11-2525 minMike Meets London TastemakersTim Anderson - Nanban, Masterchef, Your Home IzakayaIn this episode I chat to Chef Tim Anderson, founder and chef behind Nanban, Masterchef winner, cookbook author, radio presenter and more! We talk about all things Japanese food, from the acquired taste of horse meat sashimi to the under-appreciated regional variation in cuisine. Tim deep-dives into fusing the flavours of Brixton and London as a whole into the dishes on the Nanban menu, and his grudge against udon. You can find Nanban in Brixton and Seven Dials Market.Tim gives shout outs to Sho Foo Doh, Koya, Jin Jiang, SiChuan and Shan Shui Jian. He...
2021-11-1845 minMike Meets London TastemakersMichael Carr - Fenchurch RestaurantIn this episode I chat to Chef Michael Carr, Head Chef at Fenchurch Restaurant in London's Sky Garden. We talk all about his journey from the beginning all the way up to the 37th floor, via working for Gordon Ramsay, competing on Great British Menu and delivering beef wellingtons to people during lockdown. The recently launched tasting menus at Fenchurch sound absolutely fantastic and are well worth a look!Michael gives big shout outs to El Pastor and the Big Mamma Group, as well as The Dorchester, Smoking Goat and Brat.@fenchurchrestaurant and...
2021-11-1131 minMike Meets London TastemakersCharles Tyler - PaladarIn this episode I chat to Charles Tyler, the Director of Paladar. Paladar is a fantastic modern Latin American spot in Elephant & Castle and one I strongly recommend everyone check out. We chat about the restaurant's origins and Charles' previous experience with Malaysian cuisine, as well as how Paladar became 100% gluten free and their plans for the future.Charles gives a shout out to Kudu in Peckham following a recent visit.@paladarlondon on Instagram.You can find me at @mikeeatslondon on Instagram and the pod at @mikemeetslondon. Feel free to drop...
2021-11-0423 minMike Meets London TastemakersRowena Romulo - Romulo Cafe, Kasa and KinIn this episode I chat to Rowena Romulo, owner of Romulo Cafe in Kensington. Romulo Cafe has been synonymous with Filipino food in London for a number of years and really worth a visit. We talk about the origins of the restaurant - suggested by ambassadors as a place to entertain diplomats! - and everything from COVID struggles through to their brand new exciting spin-off concept Kasa and Kin which launches imminently.Rowena gives shout-outs to Cacciari's on Portobello Road and The Ledbury.@romulocafelondon & @kasaandkin on Instagram.You can find me...
2021-10-2828 minMike Meets London TastemakersJames Chant - Matsudai RamenIn this episode I chat to James Chant, founder and main noodle man at Matsudai Ramen based out of Cardiff. Matsudai rocketed to nationwide fame through their incredible ramen DIY kits, and they're currently in the middle of their second London pop-up. We talk about James' path into ramen from the music industry and how he was almost put off ramen forever by Wagamama. He also described how he cobbled together his original recipes from blurry whiteboards in the background of YouTube videos from Rajuku ramen school, and how always serving tonkotsu is like Radiohead always playing 'Creep'. We...
2021-10-2130 minMike Meets London TastemakersLungile Mhlanga - The Treats Club, Dessert PartyIn this episode I chat to Lungile Mhlanga, founder and doughnut extraordinaire at The Treats Club! We cover the whole story of the dessert bar from the first questionable pop-up at Old Street station, through the Netil Market and Seven Dials Market days, to the current set-up doing events, pop-ups and deliveries. Lungi talks about some high highs - including making the Forbes 30 under 30 list - and some low lows, like catching COVID and some food markets from hell.Lungi gives a lot of very excited shout outs, not all of which made the final cut...
2021-10-1438 minMike Meets London TastemakersMark Jankel - Shuk;In this episode I chat to Mark Jankel, founder and director of Shuk; (and its evening counterpart Erev;), where he's dishing out Tel Aviv street food in Borough Market. We talk about everything from the various foodie influences that led to Shuk; - including a hraime so good it made Mark cry - through to the moves that kept them afloat through lockdowns, such as their famous babka and pita kits!Mark gave shout outs to a pasta-heavy lineup of Manteca, Burro e Salvia and The Ninth, plus several mentions of Patty & Bun....
2021-10-0736 minMike Meets London TastemakersJaycee Carillo - Ligaya BakeryIn this episode I chat to Jaycee, aka Cupcake Girl, of Ligaya Bakery. Ligaya serves cupcakes, bubble tea, soft serve and generally sweet delights with Filipino flavours, and they've now opened a permanent spot in Tooting Broadway. I talk to Jaycee about how she became 'Cupcake Girl' and about the delicate balance of wanting to give Filipinos a taste of home, but also creating something accessible to the local audience.Jaycee gave shout outs to Flat Iron Steak, Hawksmoor, The Alley bubble tea, Biju Bubble Tea and the Filipino festival Barrio Fiesta.@ligayabakery...
2021-09-3024 minMike Meets London TastemakersJamie Tack - Leytonstone Tavern, Bang Bang BurgerIn this episode I chat to Jamie Tack, co-owner and head chef at The Leytonstone Tavern and Bang Bang Burger. We talk about Jamie's incredible journey from working in a pub at 13 years old through to working with some of London's biggest food brands (via building a kitchen from scratch in Indonesia).Shout-outs from Jamie go to Brat, JKS restaurants (Hoppers, Brigadiers), Testi Restaurant, Hawksmoor & Four Legs.@leytonstonetavern & @bangbangburgeruk on Instagram.You can find me at @mikeeatslondon on Instagram and the pod at @mikemeetslondon. Feel free to drop me a line!
2021-09-2334 minMike Meets London TastemakersMax Fulgoni & Elliot Allison - Hawkes CiderIn this episode I chat to Max & Elliot from Hawkes, head cidermaker and head of marketing respectively, in an effort to push my love of cider on the world! We cover everything from what goes into cidermaking through to the exciting world of tax and focus groups. We talk about how hard it is to convert people who've had bad teenage experiences with cider, innovating with wine-making techniques and how Hawkes take donated apples from all over the country in exchange for delicious cider! Do keep an eye out on their pages if you've got any fruit going spare...
2021-09-1638 minMike Meets London TastemakersAlice Churchill - Whipped LondonIn this episode I chat to Alice from Whipped London about all things cheesecake and beyond! We talk about the roots of cheesecake in the business - two baking nans! - and how Alice started Whipped after a long career in other people's kitchens and baking for billionaires. We also cover the importance of innovation, being betrayed by investors and the future of Whipped including dreams of Vegas!We didn't get time to chat about Alice's favourite spots in town unfortunately. But worth noting the new Brixton store will be opening in a week or two...
2021-09-0938 minMike Meets London TastemakersJens Knoop - KnoopsIn this episode I chat to Jens Knoop of the eponymous Knoops! Knoops are in a league of their own, bringing a vast variety of customisable chocolate drinks to London and beyond. I talk to Jens about how he broke the ground on this new genre of store, just looking to provide people with small, affordable luxuries.Perhaps unsurprisingly, the one food spot that Jens calls out is the newly opened Harrods Chocolate Hall! He also has a brand new cookbook out - Chocolate Recipes Through the Day - that we don't talk about but you...
2021-09-0233 minMike Meets London TastemakersAndy Waugh - Mac and Wild, Sixes Cricket Club, Restaurant KitsIn this episode I chat to Andy Waugh, probably most well known as a co-founder of Scottish restaurant Mac and Wild, though we focus in on more recent ventures Sixes Cricket Club and Restaurant Kits. We start at the beginning of Andy's food journey in London, when he set out to be the number one name in venison and change the eating habits of the nation! We also talk about how his various creations came about and the philosophy behind the food at each, from sausage by the metre to "set fire to shit and hope for the best"...
2021-08-2634 minMike Meets London TastemakersSandy Tang - Masterchef, Journey to the WestIn this episode I chat to Sandy Tang, finalist on Masterchef 2020 and now consulting development chef with a new dumpling business in the pipeline! We talk about her experience of Masterchef, from the thrill of the challenges to the less thrilling aftermath and media responses. We discuss where Sandy's passion for cooking comes from and where she gets inspiration from nowadays, as well as her love for fried chicken. Sandy talks about how she wants to become a more informed advocate for food and culture to tackle some problematic press, and her upcoming Master's in the Anthropology of Food.
2021-08-1925 minMike Meets London TastemakersAndrew Macleod - Emilia's Crafted PastaIn this episode I chat to Andrew, founder and CEO of Emilia's Crafted Pasta, another personal favourite of mine! We talk about Emilia's mission: to make food with good ingredients that tastes good and makes you feel good. Andrew discusses his research into Italian food and culture including his trip to Emilia-Romagna, as well as COVID struggles and the future of the restaurant experience.Andrew gives shout outs to Prairie Fire BBQ and Franco Manca.@emiliaspasta on Instagram. @emiliascraftedpasta on TikTok.You can find me at @mikeeatslondon on Instagram and the...
2021-08-1231 minMike Meets London TastemakersKim Innes - Humble CrumbleIn this episode I chat to Kim Innes, founder of Humble Crumble, bringing the iconic British dessert to the masses! We chat about where the idea came from, Kim's experience of the street food scene as the youngest person on the markets, the evils of supermarkets and the impact a 4-day work week could have on hospitality.Kim calls out Flour & Grape as her favourite restaurant in town and her neighbours Merkamo at Old Spitalfields Market. Plus the mighty Golden Elephant Wheathampstead.@humblecrumblelondon on Instagram.You can find me at @mikeeatslondon...
2021-08-0530 minMike Meets London TastemakersAlex Ridley - The South East CakeryIn this episode I chat to Alex Ridley, co-founder of The South East Cakery. We talk about their trajectory from DJs to bakers to business owners and the early days of KERB and Street Feast. They've now been on the scene for 10 years!Some of the many food places Alex gave a shout out to are: Darby's, Luca, Pedler, Mother Flipper, Coqfighter, One Tonne Burger and McDonald's.@secakery on Instagram.You can find me at @mikeeatslondon on Instagram and the pod at @mikemeetslondon. Feel free to drop me a line!
2021-07-2935 minMike Meets London TastemakersJohn & Debs - Filthy BunsIn this episode I chat to John & Debs of Filthy Buns. We talk about how they got started, the impact of lockdowns, what the future holds and how far people are willing to travel for an Instagrammable burger... Keep an eye out for their Millionaire Shortrib as a finalist in the National Burger Awards!Filthy Buns are based inside The Three Compasses in Dalston. John & Debs rave about Smoking Goat (once again!) and some of the other names they called out that were cut from the episode are: Gordo’s, Seabird, Brat. St John’s & From the...
2021-07-2236 minMike Meets London TastemakersMathew Carver - The Cheese BarIn this episode I chat to Mathew, Director of The Cheese Bar. They started out as The Cheese Truck - which still cranks out delicious grilled cheese at festivals and events across the country - but now have The Cheese Bar in Camden, Pick & Cheese in Seven Dials, The Cheese Barge in Paddington and Funk, a cheese shop on Columbia Road.We talk about how the journey started and how to get people to appreciate really good, locally produced cheese, as well as their "gimmicky" cheese conveyor belt and floating cheese restaurant. We caught up at...
2021-07-1532 minMike Meets London TastemakersFlorence Mae - Maginhawa Group (Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream, Panadera, Ramoramen and more)Welcome to the first episode of Mike Meets London Tastemakers! I'm chatting to Florence Mae (aka "The Queen of Ube") from Maginhawa Group. Maginhawa contains Bintang, Guanabana, Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream, Ramoramen, Moi Moi Island and Panadera Bakery, primarily based in Kentish Town but with more sites popping up.We talked about how their latest opening Panadera came about along with their famous corned beef sando, as well as their upcoming openings: Ramoramen in Soho at the end of July and Mamasons in Westfield Shepherds Bush in August. We also talked about welcoming people back to...
2021-07-1535 minMike Meets London TastemakersTrailerA quick trailer to explain what the show's all about and some clips from my first few chats - enjoy!You're hearing the voices of:Mathew Carver - The Cheese Bar, @thecheesebarldnFlorence Mae - Maginhawa, @maginhawagroupJohn & Debs - Filthy Buns, @filthy_bunsAlex Ridley - The South East Cakery, @secakeryYou can find me at @mikeeatslondon on Instagram and the pod at @mikemeetslondon.The music you're hearing is 'Swinging London 1966' by Lucas Perný & Miloslav Kollar, under a Creative Commons license.
2021-07-0502 min