At Edinburgh’s intimate Michelin starred Condita, Chef Tyler King is crafting tasting menus built on Scotland’s exceptional produce, bold flavours and a larder rich in ferments and preserves. In this conversation with The Knife, he reveals how unexpected flavour pairings, global techniques and close chef-to-guest interaction shape one of the city’s most distinctive dining experiences.

At Rogan & Co, Tom Reeves is championing a style of cooking that’s confident, ingredient-led and quietly precise. Drawing on produce from Simon Rogan’s farm just down the road, the Michelin starred chef shares how simplicity, preservation and a deep respect for flavour shape the menu, and why the dishes that look the most understated often take the most work.

Newly crowned Chef of the Year, Ayesha Kalaji opens up about identity, imposter syndrome, Jordanian heritage and the Glastonbury community behind Queen of Cups. Honest, funny and fiercely personal, this is a chef at the height of her powers, still surprised by the spotlight, but utterly certain of her voice.

From Patrick Guilbaud to Pollen Street Social and back home to Dublin, Library Street's Kevin Burke reflects on building a restaurant rooted in pure flavour, team culture and a city he says is "seriously cool". With The Knife, Kevin talks about Michelin pressure, coddle cravings, and why stripping a dish back is often the hardest – and most rewarding – move.

Chef Daniel Watkins is rethinking tofu at Holy Carrot. In collaboration with organic Japanese brand Clearspring, he’s created a limited-edition Koji Flatbread that showcases the ingredient’s creamy texture and versatility. In this interview with The Knife, Watkins talks traceability, technique and why tofu’s future in modern plant-based cooking is only just beginning.

After a decade abroad, Kevin O’Donnell returned to Dublin from 2 Michelin starred Kadeau to open Comet with his wife, Laura. In this candid interview with The Knife, he talks about creative risk, Bastible’s backing, the pressure of early Michelin hype, homesickness in an airport departure lounge, and why sometimes the most beautiful thing in the kitchen is simply peeling carrots.

At just 26, Francesco Sarvonio is quietly redefining modern Italian cooking in London. At Casa Felicia in Queen’s Park, the Naples-born chef cooks with restraint, clarity and soul, where semolina and water become a statement, dry-aged fish is handled with reverence, and tradition is interpreted, not performed. Less noise, more identity. This is Italian food that listens.

From Stockholm to Dublin via Finland, Mickael Viljanen’s journey is one of graft, instinct and quiet ambition. In this candid interview, the Chapter One chef patron reflects on immigration, pressure, Michelin stars and the responsibility of cooking at the highest level; why accolades matter, why humility matters more, and what it really takes to make people leave happier than they arrived.

From clay pots and banana leaves to live-fire cooking classes in Saint Lucia, Chef Nigel Mitchel’s journey is rooted in observation, intuition, and island produce. In this interview, he talks Caribbean vegan traditions, ancestral ingredients like breadfruit and dasheen, sustainable cooking at Ladera, and why cooking with love still matters more than trends.

From reviving a 17th-century village pub to earning a Michelin star, Kevin Tickle has built Heft as an extension of Cumbria itself. In this interview with The Knife, he talks about being "hefted" to the land, sourcing with integrity, the power of food communities over competition, and why the Lake District’s dining scene continues to go from strength to strength.

For Ryan Cole, success isn’t trophies or rankings, it’s a full restaurant, a growing team and ingredients treated with respect. From catching his own fish to reshaping the meaning of a historic Cape Town landmark, the Executive Chef of Salsify is redefining what modern fine dining can stand for. In this conversation with The Knife, Cole reflects on seasonality, simplicity, inclusivity and why true confidence in cooking is knowing what to leave off the plate.

From 14-cover precision at Solstice to sun-lit Mediterranean plates high above London, Kenny Atkinson is entering a new chapter. In this interview, the Michelin starred chef talks identity, sourcing, pacing, leadership and what changes (and what doesn’t) when you take a deeply personal cooking style from Newcastle to the capital.

From Michelin starred precision to Bristol neighbourhood cool, chef Zak Hitchman has built something special with OTHER. In this candid conversation, he talks to The Knife about swapping tasting menus for toasted doughnuts, why small is sustainable, and how doing things differently became his new creative freedom.

Head Chef Somaia Hammad celebrates Nipotina’s first anniversary with A Feast for Friends, a soulful collaboration with chef and writer Nina Parker. She talks to The Knife about cooking with honesty, crafting dishes that inspire ‘scarpetta’ moments, and why generosity – not grandeur – is what truly defines great Italian food.

At Shwen Shwen in Sevenoaks, chef Maria Bradford is redefining what fine dining looks like. Her Afro-fusion menu celebrates the depth, intelligence and elegance of Sierra Leonean cuisine, – from moringa desserts to fiery pepe chicken – served with warmth, pride and precision. This is heritage reimagined for a new generation.

At Laugarás Lagoon on Iceland’s Golden Circle, Gísli Matt opens Ylja – a hyper-local, geothermal-powered restaurant rooted in warmth, community and the wild character of Laugarás. From greenhouse-grown tomatoes to arctic char that shifts with the seasons, Gísli unveils a new chapter for Icelandic dining where nature, flavour and place become one.

From cedar plank salmon to one of London’s best margaritas, Jake Finn’s Cinder is setting neighbourhood dining alight with its bold, flame-driven menus. In this conversation with The Knife, Finn shares the story behind his cult Belsize Park and St John’s Wood restaurants, his rooftop kitchen garden, and why fire is the soul of his cooking.

Two decades after starting out as a commis, Paul Green has returned to The Three Chimneys, now as Head Chef. Drawing on years under mentors like Martin Wishart and Michael Smith, he’s crafting dishes that honour Skye’s legendary shellfish, sustainable sourcing and simplicity over showmanship. This is a story of coming home, and of a restaurant deeply rooted in place.

At Hiraeth in Cardiff, chefs Lewis Dwyer and Andy Aston are building something heartfelt – part Japanese precision, part Welsh soul. From late-night menu ideas to home-grown produce and a vibe that’s pure Cardiff, the duo talk roots, rituals and redefining what modern Welsh dining looks like today in this exclusive interview with The Knife.

Five years on from opening in the eye of lockdown, Smoke & Salt has become one of South London’s most thoughtful neighbourhood restaurants. Chef Remi Williams reflects on memory-driven cooking, sustainability without slogans, and why “the ingredient always leads.”