Andrew Sawyer on cooking with the seasons at Brown's Hotel

Andrew Sawyer runs the kitchens at Brown's Hotel in London, overseeing Charlie's, The Drawing Room, The Donovan Bar and room service alongside Michelin-starred chef director Adam Byatt. Before that he led The River Restaurant at The Savoy, opened Siren at The Goring and cooked at The Capital under Nathan Outlaw.

He says he fell in love with eating before cooking, at big family gatherings at his grandparents' house, where relatives from around the country and Ireland each brought something to the table. The cooking came later, on his first day on cold starters, slicing red and yellow peppers in a sunny, buzzing kitchen. He cut every finger on his left hand that week, and was hooked anyway.

At Charlie's the style is modern British and led by the seasons. Provenance matters as much as technique: scallops from a free diver in Devon, fish from small day boats in Cornwall, vegetables from nearby organic farms and meat from regenerative producers in Sussex. Plates stay focused, with three to five ingredients, and every element has to earn its place. There's a fish-ageing cabinet, and herbs are grown in the kitchen.

His current favourite is bluefin tuna with pea and jalapeño tea, apple and mint. His biggest lesson: assume nothing, and stay calm.

Our summary of a story from Supper, published 25 September 2026. Read the original