James Knappett is chef patron and co-founder of Kitchen Table in London’s Fitzrovia. Born in Soham, Cambridgeshire, James had an early interest in cooking and attended a Cambridgeshire catering college before moving to London and landing formative positions in some of the capital’s most prestigious dining establishments, including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, The Berkeley and The Ledbury. Following a number of fulfilling years learning the ropes of the London hospitality scene, James relocated to Rick Stein’s The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall for three years, where his appreciation for provenance and locality continued to flourish. In 2005 he ventured further afield to take up positions at world-renowned restaurant institutions, including Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York and then with René Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen, where he met his wife, sommelier Sandia Chang. James and Sandia opened Kitchen Table in September 2012 and the restaurant has since been celebrated as a world-class dining experience. Kitchen Table was awarded a Michelin star in 2014, Michelin Welcome & Service Award in 2017, followed by a coveted second Michelin star in 2018.

The open theatre-style kitchen encourages full interaction with the chefs, putting their remarkable talent and exacting standards centre stage. Seating 20 guests, a daily changing tasting menu highlights James’s culinary pedigree. Using meticulously sourced and often foraged British ingredients, each day James and the Kitchen Table team prepare a modern menu using the very best of what’s available to them on any given evening. Each course focuses on a single ingredient – like oyster, caviar, scallop, or lamb – and amplifies exceptional produce to its very best. This produce is sourced from James’ long-trusted network of independent suppliers, who have been the cornerstone of Kitchen Table since its opening.