Chef Andrew Clarke is always keen to challenge perceptions. Although he has the look and reputation for cooking barbecued meats, he has become known for creating delicate, vegetable-forward dishes in the latter part of his chef career. His East London live-fire restaurant, Acme Fire Cult, is a unique and revolutionary concept within the London restaurant scene.
Andrew founded the mental health campaign Pilot Light, created to support those struggling in the catering industry. He's also a DJ and musician and uses his music in shamanic ceremonies.
In 2021, Andrew founded Acme Fire Cult after a hugely successful residency at London Fields Courtyard in Hackney. Acme Fire Cult is a live-fire concept with a focus on vegetables; taking a supporting role are regeneratively-farmed native breed meats and day-boat fish. Their inspiration is pulled from around the globe, evident in their grilling and fermentation techniques as well as their heavy use of chilli and spices.
Jay Rayner described Acme Fire Cult’s food as ‘a demonstration of the virtuous interplay of the best vegetables and the most acutely managed indirect heat and smoke’. Time Out, which gave the restaurant four stars, called it ‘an ingeniously creative and thrilling veg-heavy charred menu’.
Andrew was initially a reluctant chef, who first stepped into the kitchen to earn enough money to support his music. But his rock guitarist career eventually made way for Andrew’s new passion for food. After working in a few local restaurants, Andrew’s real culinary journey started at The Swan in West Malling, Kent. There, his eyes were opened to local produce, farming and foraging, hunting and butchery. Andrew rose through the ranks to become Head Chef before moving on to London.
Andrew next staged with Marco Pierre White, St John, Wild Honey, Arbutus and The Square, until he settled at the Anchor & Hope, all the while heading up bespoke catering events on the side. His next post was Head Chef of Salt Yard, the Italian-Spanish tapas restaurant on Goodge Street. Upon leaving Salt Yard, Andrew joined the team at Rita’s Bar & Dining after they approached him for his help in developing their first restaurant. Rita’s opened in Hackney in 2013 and received much praise from Giles Coren (The Times) Faye Maschler (Evening Standard) and John Walsh (Independent).
At the beginning of 2016, Andrew became Chef Director at Brunswick House alongside Jackson Boxer. This brought him to the attention once again of Fay Maschler, as well as A.A. Gill and Jay Rayner – who loved the place so much, he asked to celebrate his 50th birthday there. Andrew and Jackson then opened restaurant St Leonards in 2018 with great anticipation and support from the London restaurant critics. His menu had a fire and ice theme, with an ice bar for raw fish and an open-hearth fire and spit for cooking meat and vegetables.
Andrew is a prominent face at Meatopia and curates Glandstonbury: London’s annual offal festival.
Andrew won 'Maverick of the Year' at the 2017 London Restaurant Festival Awards. In 2019, Andrew was honoured to receive the Innovation Award at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards. He was particularly humbled, as it was the only award of the night voted for by the other attending professional chefs.
Andrew was the cofounder of Pilot Light, a campaign created to raise awareness about mental health within the hospitality industry. While he's no longer associated with Pilot Light, Andrew is still a prominent voice for mental health and wellbeing within the industry.
In his free time, Andrew actively contributes to his community by holding shamanic ceremonies and retreats. He facilitates these gatherings with music, plants, breath work and meditation. Andrew is a multi-instrumentalist, and if not playin guitar in metal brands, he enjoys DJing progressive and tech house music.
Andrew's Website
