Luke Thomas (chef) facts for kids
| Born | 2 October 1993 Connah's Quay, North Wales |
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Luke Thomas was born on October 2, 1993. He is a famous chef, writer, and business owner. He became well-known at just 18 years old for being the youngest head chef in the United Kingdom.
Luke Thomas owns Blacks, a historic club in London. It's in a beautiful old building from the 1700s. He also owns and cooks at Luke's Dining Room in Cookham. You might have seen him on TV shows like Junior MasterChef and Great British Menu. He was also featured in a BBC Three show called Britain's Youngest Chef.
Luke is also involved in other food businesses. He became the boss and part-owner of Café Habana in New York City in 2021. This restaurant serves tasty Cuban and Mexican food. He also helps with other food companies, including one that makes plant-based meat alternatives called Plant Punk.
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Luke's Cooking Journey
Luke Thomas was born in Connah's Quay, North Wales. He started cooking when he was only 12 years old.
He gained experience working in famous kitchens around the world. These include the Chester Grosvenor Hotel in England and the amazing Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. He also worked at Alinea (restaurant) in Chicago.
Luke learned from some of the best chefs. He worked with Michelin star chefs like Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck. He also cooked with Thomas Keller and the well-known chef Gary Rhodes.
In 2009, when Luke was 15, he won the FutureChef competition in the UK. This was a big achievement for a young chef.
Becoming the Youngest Head Chef
In 2012, at just 18 years old, Luke Thomas became the youngest head chef in the United Kingdom. He took charge of a restaurant in Cookham. The restaurant was first called Sanctum on the Green. It was later renamed Luke's Dining Room under his leadership.
This exciting event was filmed for a BBC Three documentary called Britain's Youngest Chef. Even though this was his first time being filmed, his first TV appearances were on Junior MasterChef and Russell Howard's Good News.
In 2013, Luke competed on the TV show Great British Menu. He was the youngest person to ever compete on that show.
Pop-Up Restaurants and Cookbook
Luke also opened special temporary restaurants called "pop-ups." In 2013, he opened one in Mayfair, London. He opened another pop-up in Dubai in 2015. Both of these were known as Retro Feasts.
In 2014, Luke wrote his first cookbook. It was called Luke's Cookbook: 100 Classic Favourites Given a Modern Makeover. It shared his recipes with everyone.
In 2019, Luke helped bring back the famous Blacks club in Soho, London. He became the head chef and a co-owner of this historic building.
Britain's Youngest Chef Documentary
Britain's Youngest Chef is a BBC Three TV show. It followed Luke Thomas for seven months. The show explored his journey as a young head chef. It showed his efforts to achieve a Michelin star, which is a very high award for restaurants.
The documentary showed the challenges Luke faced. It highlighted his hard work and how he quickly became a successful chef. The restaurant featured in the show was Sanctum on the Green, which later became Luke's Dining Room.
