For an event that is, at its heart, a big smoky ‘beer’n’meat’ party, Meatopia will be fielding one hell of a line-up of top chefs when it rolls back into Glasgow’s SWG3 next month.
First held in New York City, then successfully exported to London in 2013, last year’s Scottish debut for the live-fire cooking festival exceeded its organisers’ expectations, drawing 6000 punters to the Clydeside indoor/outdoor venue.
It was very notable at Meatopia Glasgow 2025 that the people slaving over its hot grills were not your run-of-the-mill burger flippers.
Amongst the Scottish chefs on duty in 2025 were Roberta Hall-McCarron and Dominic Greechan of Ardfern and The Little Chartroom, Dean Parker of Celentano’s, Robin Aitken from Margo, Ashley Bennett of Ka Pao, Danny Carruthers of Sebb’s, Craig Nelson of Ox and Finch and Nick Watkins of El Perro Negro.
Many of those culinary stars are back for more smoke in their eyes this year, joined by a whole lot more, including Jake Clayton from The Loveable Rogue, Lee Murdoch from Ondine, Louisa Boulazreg from Qasba, Michael Hunter from The Spanish Butcher, and Andrew Toogood from Porter & Rye.
Loveable Rogue executive chef Clayton has racked up quite the CV working in a plethora of five-star and Michelin-starred restaurants after moving to London aged 18.
A gig at Cail Bruich brought Jake north of the border, and he then went on to head up the opening of Glasgow eatery, Brett.
He said: “I’m genuinely buzzing to be joining Meatopia in Glasgow this June. Cooking over fire is one of the most honest, instinctive ways to cook, there’s nowhere to hide, just skill, timing, and respect for the ingredients.
“Meatopia has such a brilliant energy to it. It’s more than just a food festival: it’s a proper community of chefs and guests who are all there because they love fire, smoke, and bold cooking. I can’t wait to get stuck in and be part of it.”
The flames of Finnieston will offer a very different cooking environment for Murdoch of Ondine, a fine dining restaurant within St Andrews Seaton House luxury hotel.
During his time at Scotland’s renowned Turnberry Resort Hotel, Lee was awarded the prestigious Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Award for Excellence – but he honed his openfire cooking in Abu Dhabi where he won Best Steakhouse in the BBC Good Food Guide followed quickly by Restaurant of the Year.
He said: “I’m really excited to be joining Meatopia in Glasgow this June especially as it marks Ondine’s first time taking part in the festival. It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring what we do at Ondine into a completely different environment.
“Live-fire cooking has always been something I’m deeply passionate about. There’s a real honesty to it; no shortcuts, just great produce, fire, and skill. After working across kitchens around the world, I always find myself drawn back to that simplicity and intensity.
“What makes Meatopia so special is the atmosphere — it’s a community built around fire, flavour, and a shared love of proper cooking. I’m looking forward to being part of that energy and representing Ondine for the first time at the festival.”
Boulazreg from Qasba in Glasgow’s southside is rooted in Saharan desert cooking, bringing a ‘deeply personal and story-led’ approach to her menus. Drawing from Touareg heritage and shaped by travels across South America, North Africa, Spain, and Mexico, her food is said to reflect a ‘dialogue between landscape and migration’.
Working with seasonal Scottish produce, Chef Louisa creates bold, soulful dishes that honour ancestral traditions while embracing a fusion of flavours and techniques. She has received recognition from food critic Chitra Ramaswamy in The Times as well as her monthly sold out supper clubs and immersive cooking workshops.
She said: “Joining Meatopia in Glasgow this June and representing Qasba at such a brilliant celebration of live-fire cooking makes me feel so proud.
“Cooking over fire is where everything feels most honest. It connects you to instinct, to ingredients, and to the landscape they come from.
“At Meatopia, I’m excited to translate the spirit of Qasba into a festival setting, working with incredible seasonal Scottish produce and layering it with bold, soulful flavours from my background.”
The full list of participating chefs is: Ali Clem, La Barbecue; Amin Sheikh, Fire and Smoke; Andrew Manson, Cafe XO; Andrew Toogood, Porter & Rye; Ashley Bennett, Ka Pao; Bobby Gillespie, Margo; Brad Carter, One Star Döner Bar; Cai Ap Bryn, Game and Flames; Chris Roberts aka Flamebaster; Craig Nelson, Ox and Finch; Danny Carruthers, Sebb’s; Dave Summertime, The Big Taquero; Dean Parker, Celentano’s; Dylan Pinder, Moss; Elliot Cunningham, Lagom; Finn Steele-Perkins, Corner Shop; Gavin Fitzpatrick, West Side Tavern; Gemma Da’Lyn; Gerrard Warrender, The Big Taquero; Iain Gourlay, Dungeon at Dalhousie; Jake Clayton, The Loveable Rogue; Jakub Konrad, KO:TE; Johan Åkerberg, Holy Smoke BBQ; Johan Fritzell, Holy Smoke BBQ; John Molloy, Gōst; John-Ross Patrick, The Winged Ox @ Saint Luke’s; Kaori Simpson, Harajuku Kitchen; Lee Murdoch, Ondine; Lee Tiernan, fkaBAM; Lloyd Morse, The Palmerston; Louisa Boulazreg, Qasba; Michael Hunter, The Spanish Butcher; Nick Nairn, Nick’s at Port of Menteith; Nick Watkins, El Perro Negro; Rob Hallas, Bastards Bistro; Roberta Hall-McCarron, Ardfern; Ryan Singh, SABZI; Sam Yorke, Heron; Terri Mercieca, Happy Endings; Thomas Greer, BABA; and Tom Lane, of Ka Pao.
Meatopia On-Fire Glasgow 2026 takes place Friday 12 to Sunday 14 June.
