We’re delighted to announce our 30 under 30 class of 2024/25. Our annual list spotlights the most influential young people in hospitality right now. From sommeliers to suppliers, butchers to bakers – congratulations to everyone on this year’s list.
Wenjun Xiang, 27
Founder & director, XI HOME DUMPLINGS BAY
Bringing authentic north eastern Chinese cuisine with three London restaurants
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d have been a fine art painter.
Day off: Padel, painting & horse riding.
Bart Pawley, 27
Operations manager, Public House Group
Running operations for The Pelican, The Hero, Canteen and The Fat Badger
Inspiration: My first boss, Murray Ward, the general manager of Soho Farmhouse.
Career highlight: Looking after Jeremy King when I was restaurant manager at Babington House.
Camilla Bonnannini, 29
Wine & beverage director, Albatross Death Cult
Curating a wine list in Birmingham deserving of its own cult following
Inspiration: Jancis Robinson.
Last meal: My grandma’s fettuccine with butter & truffle.
Khadija Ningue, 27
Restaurant manager, OMA
Leading the team at OMA, one of the busiest and hottest openings of the year
Inspiration: David Carter really embodies the drive, commitment & attention to detail.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I think I’d like to be a psychologist.
Jun Au, 27
Owner & head chef, Pomelo
Bringing Asian inspired dishes with local Scottish produce to Edinburgh
Last meal: Creamed corn, taleggio with Summer squash from Vern’s in Charleston. Honestly life changing.
Career highlight: I would say getting our first Times review and receiving the keys to the new restaurant.
Kayla Lawrie, 30
Producer, TOPJAW
The organisational mastermind behind TOPJAW’s rise to the top
Inspiration: My grandad, Hoy Yew Hew, to me he was the definition of a relentless work ethic.
Favourite restaurant: It’s Rambutan. Cynthia made me love coriander, I don’t know any higher praise I can give.
Honor Freeman, 26
Head baker, E5 Poplar Bakehouse
Regularly rising at 3 am to bake sourdough bread in this famous east London micro bakery
What got you into hospitality: After somehow turning my arts degree into a baking course, resulting in my workshop ‘coup de cake’, I applied for a bakery assistant role.
Last meal: Jam roly poly & custard.
Benjamin Wood, 20
Head waiter, Hjem
The youngest entry on this year’s 30 under 30 shows how much you can achieve in hospitality at a young age
Inspiration: Remy the rat from Ratatouille.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d be a social worker.
Ben Reilly, 30
Co-founder, Stray
Making waves in the Manchester bar scene
What got you into hospitality: I stumbled into an industry that turned out to be something I’m massively passionate about.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d probably be a professional darts player.
Zoë Guild, 28
Owner, The Dog House
The driving force behind this haven in Dorset
What got you into hospitality: I started working in hospitality when I was 16 at a French restaurant.
Last meal: Roast chicken & broccoli-flower cheese.
Christina Nuval, 30
Finance director, JKS Restaurants
Overseeing the finances of one of London’s most successful restaurant groups
What got you into hospitality: I sort of fell into it after COVID, a challenging time that made me fall in love with the industry’s energy & connections.
Day off: Reformer pilates, infrared sauna & a coffee on Broadway Market.
Rosie Maguire, 27
Head chef, Higher Ground
The ‘Queen of the grill’ at one of Manchester’s best restaurants
Last meal: Pan con tomate. Vienna schnitzel, braised red cabbage. Affogato for dessert.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I think I would probably work in a haberdashery.
Alex Mellors, 26
Head maître d’, Café François
Keeping the dining room running smoothly at one of London’s biggest openings of the year
Favourite restaurant: The Tamil Prince & its sister The Tamil Crown. Get the paneer butter masala and at least 3 roti per person.
Day off: Usually painting or baking, something very calming to help me refresh.
Xiao Yi Qiu, 25
Restaurant manager, Sabor
Described as ‘a true professional’ by Nieves Barragan
Inspiration: Will Guidara, Massimo Bottura, Thomas Keller.
Career highlight: The first time opening a wine bottle older than myself.
Ria Morgan-Ratcliffe, 29
Founder, Ria’s
A stand out in the crowded pizza landscape
Favourite restaurant: The Drunken Duck Inn in Ambleside
Day off: Running around Hampstead Heath and swimming in the Ladies Ponds.
Katie Messer, 28
Owner & Operations manager, SKUA, CARDINAL, MESSER
Running operations at this fast growing, eclectic group in Edinburgh
If I didn’t work in hospitality: After many a restaurant refit & a lot of DIY on our shop, I have seriously considered becoming a joiner.
Last meal: The whole menu at Clamato in Paris.
Roxane Dupuy, 30
Executive head sommelier, Row on 5
Responsible for the former Pollen Street Social wine list and now Atherton’s newest opening, Row on 5
What got you into hospitality: I started cooking to avenge my mother’s terrible cooking. My survival instinct turned into a passion.
Favourite restaurant: I really like Josephine Bouchon.
Samuel Fiddian-Green, 30
Chef director, The Merry Harriers & Hilltop Kitchen
Sally Clarke describes Sam as ‘brilliant passionate and raring to go’
What got you into hospitality: When I was 13, I cooked tarte tatin for Sally Clarke.
Day off: Mowing the lawn if the sun is shining. Followed by fiddling about with my Triumph Spitfire in the shed.
@samfiddiangreen | @hilltop.kitchen | @merryharriershambledon
Opeoluwa Odutayo, 28
Chef, The Future Plate
Putting African and Caribbean cuisine firmly on the menu at The Future Plate
Favourite restaurant: Any restaurant that celebrates authentic flavours like Chishuru.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I would have worked with kids as a counsellor or teacher.
Katie Morton, 23
General manager, Edinbane Lodge
Putting the spotlight on the remote Edinbane Lodge
Last meal: I have never yet been able to look past lasagne & chips!
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I fancied Sports Science for a wee while in school.
Hugh Graham, 25
Restaurant supervisor, Claridge’s Restaurant
Offering some of the best hospitality and service in London’s iconic Mayfair hotel
Last meal: Ribeye steak & my grandmother’s mashed potatoes.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d like to be a professional golfer.
Natasha Goldsmith, 29
Communications manager, Maison Estelle & Estelle Manor
Responsible for the public image of Mayfair’s Maison Estelle and Oxfordshire’s Estelle Manor
Last meal: Langoustines with proper mayonnaise, a ribeye with béarnaise & piles of fries, the Arlington fishcake, and a soufflé to finish.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: For years I wanted to be a pilot.
Anthony Yukio Takamoto Tunstall, 30
Head sake sommelier, Kioku
Anthony is at the forefront of a new wave of sommeliers getting us drinking sake
What got you into hospitality: I got into it by chance.
Favourite restaurant: Ikoyi.
Tallulah Small, 26
Restaurant manager, COR
Leading COR to be loved by locals and one of CODE’s Happiest Places to Work in 2024
What got you into hospitality: I started working as a part time kitchen porter while in school.
Inspiration: I take great inspiration from Angela Hartnett.
Kelly Abbott, 29
HR & training coordinator, Noble Rot
Levelling up the training programme across all of the Noble Rot restaurants
Inspiration: All of the incredible women working in the wine industry.
Favourite restaurant: Kiln.
Ryan West, 28
Butcher, The Butcher’s Block
Flying the flag for butchery and supplying some of the UK’s best restaurants
Inspiration: Victor Churchill butchers in Australia.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d work in construction.
Claudia Bovey, 28
Senior markets & development manager, KERB
Discovering, nurturing and presenting us with some of the best street food concepts
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I would have loved to be a radio host or television presenter.
Day off: Cooking whilst binge watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Jeremy King Restaurants
A trio of under 30s working across both of Jeremy King’s restaurants
Felix Firth, 27
Restaurant manager, Arlington
Inspiration: Mark Hix & my first manager, Spiros Koutsouris.
Last meal: Any Sunday roast at home with my family.
Leo Pembroke, 25
Floor manager, Arlington
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d be an art dealer.
Last meal: Louët-Feisser oysters with mignonette, wild boar ragu with pangrattato, Côte de boeuf with bearnaise & triple-cooked chips and a selection of cheese.
@leosclub.london | @arlingtonrestaurant
Giuseppe Vaiuso, 28
Senior sous chef, The Park
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I would be a gardener.
Last meal: My mum‘s beef ragu cannelloni.
The Devonshire
The biggest opening of the last year, spearheaded by a team of 20 somethings
Lara Rogers, 27, Assistant general manager
What got you into hospitality: I started pouring pints with my dad when I was six years old.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d be Mary from finance.
@lararogers_ | @devonshiresoho
Mia Hiscox, 26, Communications executive
Last meal: Oysters, a rare beef roast & a large glass of red.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d probably cry!
@miafhiscox__ | @devonshiresoho
Molly Bish, 23, Restaurant manager
Last meal: My mum’s salmon & pea risotto.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d like to work in something to do with sport, maybe as an agent.
@mollybish__ | @devonshiresoho
Alex Minshull, 24, Restaurant manager
What got you into hospitality: I got a job in a small restaurant in Lisbon.
If I didn’t work in hospitality: I’d have become a nutritionist.
@alex.minshull | @devonshiresoho
Chrissy Needham, 28, Head waiter
What got you into hospitality: I started off in hospitality working in a Chiquita’s in Wolverhampton.
Favourite restaurant: Otto’s.
Dinner for One Hundred
The cult pizza slingers from south London with recent collaborations with Lululemon and The Hoxton
Jake Bucknall, 28, Co-founder
Last meal: Truffle cacio e pepe with a glass of crémant, a Florentine steak with French frites & a glass of Barolo, then an endless bowl of coco pops moons & stars.
Favourite restaurant: L’amatriciana in Rome or Manteca in London.
@jakebucknall123 | @dinnerforonehundred
Jacob Stuttard, 29, Co-founder
Inspiration: I’ve got to say my mum. She’s a single mum, raised 8 kids, orphaned at 17, extremely qualified & works so hard. Still finds time for everyone.
Day off: Hit the sauna, then go for a long walk that ends in a warm pub.
Discover previous years’ lists
