This week we’re joined by Isaac McHale — the legendary Scottish chef behind the two-Michelin-starred Clove Club and neighbourhood favourite Bar Valette.
From his start as a fishmonger in Glasgow to one of London’s most quietly influential chefs, Isaac shares the raw, funny and fiercely honest story of how he got to the top. We talk scallops and truffle (and why he “f***ed it” but it still works), sardine sashimi that takes hours to prep, and the very real economics of running a fine dining restaurant in 2025. Along the way, we detour through midnight pasta with Massimo Bottura, Rene Redzepi slinging tacos in his kitchen, white truffle risotto in Napa, cod sperm in Japan, and his fried chicken that refuses to die.
Isaac reflects on why British produce is some of the best in the world, the lessons he learned from working with Mark Best, Brett Graham, and the early team at Noma, and the problem with tasting menus that move too fast — or guests who just want to talk.
This is a deep cut — rich with storytelling, hard-won wisdom, and just the right amount of chaos. A proper mise en place of a life spent in kitchens.
---------
Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges.
Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
View all episodes
By Go To Podcast Company
5
1616 ratings
This week we’re joined by Isaac McHale — the legendary Scottish chef behind the two-Michelin-starred Clove Club and neighbourhood favourite Bar Valette.
From his start as a fishmonger in Glasgow to one of London’s most quietly influential chefs, Isaac shares the raw, funny and fiercely honest story of how he got to the top. We talk scallops and truffle (and why he “f***ed it” but it still works), sardine sashimi that takes hours to prep, and the very real economics of running a fine dining restaurant in 2025. Along the way, we detour through midnight pasta with Massimo Bottura, Rene Redzepi slinging tacos in his kitchen, white truffle risotto in Napa, cod sperm in Japan, and his fried chicken that refuses to die.
Isaac reflects on why British produce is some of the best in the world, the lessons he learned from working with Mark Best, Brett Graham, and the early team at Noma, and the problem with tasting menus that move too fast — or guests who just want to talk.
This is a deep cut — rich with storytelling, hard-won wisdom, and just the right amount of chaos. A proper mise en place of a life spent in kitchens.
---------
Please leave us a great rating and a comment and share it with your friends - it really helps us grow as a show.If you're in the industry and are looking for the greatest POS system in the world than look no further as Blinq are tearing up the rulebook—no long-term contracts, no hidden fees, and no per-device charges.
Just £49 a month for unlimited devices and 24/7 UK-based support that’s always there, in person when you need it.Built for hospitality, by hospitality, blinq is the fastest, easiest POS system on the market—so intuitive, anyone can use it. And while others take weeks to get you up and running, with blinq, you’re live in just 2 hours.Join the hospitality revolution today & use the code GOTOBLINQ to get your first month free - https://blinqme.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1,984 Listeners
260 Listeners
147 Listeners
114 Listeners
98 Listeners
611 Listeners
3 Listeners
177 Listeners
771 Listeners
667 Listeners
324 Listeners
461 Listeners
79 Listeners
516 Listeners
0 Listeners
109 Listeners