The Staff Canteen Live 2026: Chef networking lunch at The Devonshire, Soho
Today (Monday, May 18), we hosted our latest TSC Live chef networking lunch at The Devonshire in Soho.
The Staff Canteen launched chef networking lunches in 2016, later incorporating front of house events from 2020. The concept is simple: bring chefs and key industry suppliers together in an environment where meaningful conversations can happen away from the pressures of service.
Located in the heart of Soho, The Devonshire has quickly become one of London’s most talked-about restaurants and pubs, known for its open-fire cooking, premium British produce and classic pub hospitality.
The venue is led by executive chef Ashley Palmer-Watts and has built a reputation for ingredient-led dishes, exceptional meat cookery and a lively dining room atmosphere.
Today’s lunch brought together chefs from across London and beyond, with guests beginning the afternoon with a drinks reception before sitting down to a menu showcasing The Devonshire’s bold, produce-driven style of cooking.
The guests
Today 15 chefs joined us for the lunch. They were:
Chet Sharma, chef patron, BiBi
Daniel Fletcher, head chef, Morchella
Thomas Frake, head chef, The Silks
Liam Whittle, senior chef, The Daylesford Group
Laurie Gear, chef patron, Artichoke
Elliot Miller, head chef, Cabotte
Charlie Crote, head chef, Brasserie Constance
Jamie Shears, executive chef, The Audley Public House and Mount St Restaurant
Jay Styler, head chef and co-owner, The Kerfield Arms
Nathaniel Mortley, chef director, 2210 by NattyCanCook
Tomas Morkvenas, head chef, Wild Tavern
Pip Lacey, executive chef, Open Gate Brewery
Josh Hughes, head chef, Hide & Fox
Curtis Bell, owner, From the Ashes
Martin Anderson, owner, From the Ashes
Josh Hughes, head chef of two-Michelin-starred Hide & Fox in Kent, said: “It’s great to meet other hospitality professionals and come and have a chat with them and talk to other suppliers and people who could help us out in the restaurant.
“We’ve been made to feel really comfortable. No-one is too pushy, which is always a good thing, so you can just have a good time with them.
"A couple of them I’ve learned quite a lot about, things I didn’t know, so it will be interesting to follow up on some things with dry-ageing fridges from Williams and different uniforms with Bragard we can use across the kitchen.”
Asked for his favourite dish from today’s menu, Josh, a star of Great British Menu 2026, opted for the crab salad.
Charlie Crote, head chef at Brasserie Constance, added: “It’s been great to meet different people in the industry and suppliers that supply us with all of our daily needs.
“It’s really nice to speak to everybody that’s going through the same struggles, because obviously it is not the easiest time for our industry.
“I’m currently going through the process of designing a new stove, so speaking to Exclusive Ranges has been perfect today.”
Nathaniel Mortley, chef owner at 2210 by NattyCanCook, said: “Today was amazing. I had a really nice time. I connected with tons of chefs.
“I didn’t really know what to expect from the whole experience. Everybody’s very welcoming and I’ve made some serious connections in terms of uniforms and equipment.
“I will 100 per cent follow up with Chef Works to get better uniforms.”
Both Charlie and Nathaniel highlighted the steak and chips as their favourite course from the menu, with Charlie insisting: “Steak, chips and peppercorn sauce, you can’t go wrong with that.”
The sponsors
These events would not happen without the support of our sponsors. Today’s chef networking lunch was supported by: Exclusive Ranges, Square, Chef Works, Nyetimber, Winterhalter and Williams Refrigeration.
Natalie Courbet, commercial manager at Exclusive Ranges, said: “Today was a really good chance to network with a bunch of chefs and find out a bit more about what they do, their personalities, their style of cooking and it’s nice for us to get to know the chefs on a personal level as well as an equipment level.
“There were some really interesting conversations.
“The Staff Canteen networking lunches are so well organised and always such a nice day out.”
Natalie also picked out the steak as the best thing from the menu.
The menu
Canapés
Smoked steak tartare bites
Mini tomato tarts
Mini prawn cocktails
Nyetimber Prestige Cuvée Rosé 2016
For the table
White crab salad
Brawn toast
Iberico ribs
Skirt steak
Peas, onion and bacon
Duck fat chips
Creamed leeks
Salad vinaigrette
Sticky toffee pudding
Wines
Portugal, 2023, Siria, “Devonshire White”
Portugal, 2023, Touriga Nacional, “Devonshire Red”
Portugal, 2023, Touriga Nacional–Castelão, “Devonshire Rosé”
Portugal, N.V., “Devonshire Sparkling”
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The Staff Canteen Live 2026: Chef networking lunch at The Devonshire, Soho
