GPFO Battle of the Chefs Dinner
A members-only dining event will see two leading chefs, including multiple Michelin star winner Tom Aikens and Dr Johnny Drain the chef-scientist, battle it out to see who will produce the best dishes, as chosen by our guests.
Tom Aikens is one of the UK’s most acclaimed, creative, and technically gifted chefs. Known for his intense focus, commitment to sustainability, and mastery of classical French techniques inflected with modern British sensibility, he made history early in his career as a culinary prodigy. Aikens honed his skills under some of the world's most legendary chefs.
Current London Flagship: Muse
Aikens returned to the London fine-dining spotlight with the opening of Muse in Belgravia.
The Concept: Muse is an intimate, 23-to-25-seat restaurant set inside a converted Georgian townhouse mews.
The Food: The dining experience is deeply personal and experience-led. The seasonally driven tasting menus are designed around pivotal memories, places, and people from Aikens' life and career (such as nodding to his childhood or his mentors).
Acclaim: Opening to critical acclaim, Muse quickly secured a Michelin star and serves as the primary stage for Aikens' highly precise, sustainable, and dramatic culinary style.
Dr. Johnny Drain is one of the culinary world’s most unique figures. Often described as a "chef-scientist" or a "microbial poet," he bridges the gap between high-end gastronomy and hard science. Rather than following a traditional culinary apprenticeship, Drain has used his background in chemistry to become a globally recognized expert in fermentation, sustainability, and flavor innovation.
Before entering professional kitchens, Drain pursued a high-level academic career in the sciences. Rather than running a single kitchen, Drain acts as an elite consultant and R&D chef for some of the world's best restaurants and bars, focusing heavily on sustainability and zero-waste techniques: His work has taken him from setting up cheese-making and dairy courses in the UK and Argentina, to working on ice cream and ramen noodle formulation in Switzerland and Japan.
Food Tech Innovation: Cocoa-Free Chocolate
In 2021, looking to tackle major ethical and environmental issues in the global food chain, Drain co-founded WNWN Food Labs (Win-Win).
Serving as Chief Technology Officer, he used proprietary fermentation techniques to transform plant-based whole foods and upcycled local ingredients into the world's first cocoa-free chocolate. The innovation provides a highly sustainable, slave-labor-free alternative to traditional chocolate without sacrificing flavor.