Welcome to the New Wave: A conversation with Executive Chef Craig Johnston, Angler
- James Massoud
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Perched above the City at South Place Hotel, Angler has long been one of London’s most quietly assured Michelin starred dining rooms — a seafood-led restaurant defined by precision, restraint and consistency. Now, under the leadership of Executive Chef Craig Johnston, a new chapter is unfolding. The youngest ever winner of MasterChef: The Professionals and a recent Roux Scholar, Johnston is bringing a refined, ingredient-first approach that honours Angler’s legacy while subtly reshaping its future.
The Knife caught up with him to talk evolution, excellence, and the art of modern seafood cookery.
Angler has now held a Michelin star for 13 consecutive years. When you were stepping into a kitchen with that legacy, how did you decide what to preserve and where to gently shift things?
Walking into Angler I oversaw the restaurant's 12th consecutive year of retaining the Michelin star. The first thing I wanted to preserve was the integrity: the clarity of flavour, the respect for British seafood, and the quiet confidence that’s always defined the restaurant. That foundation didn’t need reinventing.
I believe that in my time here I have brought a slightly lighter touch to the food and introduced a sharper sense of personality. It’s about evolution, not disruption.
You’re leading one of the UK’s very few seafood-focused Michelin starred restaurants. What does modern seafood cooking mean to you?
For me, modern seafood cooking is about restraint and clarity. Fish and shellfish don’t need disguising, they demand precision and timing. It’s also about sustainability and seasonality. We’re far more conscious now of lesser-used species and responsible sourcing.
Your cooking is often described as precise yet bold. When you’re developing a dish, which usually comes first: flavour, technique, or the ingredient itself?
Always the ingredient. Especially with seafood. If the fish is exceptional, the dish is halfway there. From there we think about what flavour we want to introduce. The final step is introducing technique.
Seafood demands a particular sensitivity and speed. What are the non-negotiables you look for when sourcing fish and shellfish for Angler?
Freshness above all! We do this by maintaining a great relationship with our suppliers; we work closely with trusted day-boat fishermen who have the same passion for the produce as we do.
Retaining a star is often about consistency as much as creativity. What systems or rituals in your kitchen help maintain that level of precision service after service?
Consistency comes from structure. I have an amazing team behind me that I have worked with for several years. They are the structure of the kitchen. In order or to maintain our standards we taste everything before service.
London’s fine-dining scene is increasingly relaxed in tone. How do you balance the formality associated with Michelin dining with the warmth today’s diners expect?
I think hospitality has evolved. Formal doesn’t have to mean stiff, at Angler our service is polished but personal. Guests should feel relaxed as if they are a guest in our home.
The food remains exacting, but the atmosphere can still be warm and welcoming; that balance is important.
Since taking the helm in 2024, what has been the most significant evolution in Angler’s identity?
The most significant shift has been injecting my personal cooking style into the menu. There’s perhaps more boldness in flavour now, a slightly more contemporary edge, but still grounded in classical technique.
It feels like Angler is entering a new chapter.
Winning the Roux Scholarship is often described as a career inflection point. How has it influenced your ambitions for Angler over the next few years?
The Roux Scholarship instils a mindset of constant development. It’s never about standing still, at Angler that means continual refinement – pushing our cookery further – and most importantly, nurturing young chefs in the brigade.
The ambition isn’t just to retain the star, but to ensure the restaurant keeps evolving and remains relevant in London’s dining scene.
