On this episode of Chefs on the Pass, Phil sits down with 2026 Great British Menu Champion of Champions, MasterChef: The Professionals winner, and chef owner of Maai by Nikita, Nikita Pathakji.

What follows is a refreshingly honest conversation about ambition, self-doubt, family, competition, creativity, and the reality of building a restaurant from the ground up.

From making afternoon tea sandwiches at the Lanesborough and working in some of the UK's most respected Michelin starred kitchens, to backpacking across Southeast Asia, winning MasterChef The Professionals, competing on Great British Menu, and opening her own restaurant alongside her mother and sister, Nikita shares a story that proves success is rarely a straight line.

Full of warmth, humility, determination, and a healthy dose of reality, this episode is a fascinating look at what happens when talent meets persistence—and when family backs a dream completely.

• Why Nikita abandoned a planned university path in science to pursue a career in professional kitchens.
• Learning the craft at the Lanesborough and the importance of creating opportunities by simply showing initiative.
• Working at Michelin starred restaurants including Bibendum, CORE by Clare Smyth, and Kitchen W8.
• How travelling across Southeast Asia shaped her understanding of flavour and continues to influence her cooking today.
• The importance of finding mentors who listen, support development, and help chefs grow.
• Why being ambitious doesn't always mean chasing stars and how defining success for yourself changes everything.
• The unexpected journey onto MasterChef: The Professionals and how family helped her create dishes under pressure.
• What it really feels like to win one of the UK's biggest culinary competitions.
• The reality of life after MasterChef, from private dining and collaborations to stepping into leadership roles.
• Experiencing uncertainty and career doubt, despite outward success.
• Being invited to represent the Central Region on Great British Menu and the emotional rollercoaster that followed.
• Coming agonisingly close to multiple banquet dishes before ultimately cooking at the banquet and being crowned Champion of Champions.
• Why imposter syndrome can still exist even after major success.
• Opening Maai by Nikita with her mother and sister and creating a restaurant that feels like an extension of their family home.
• The challenges, excitement, and lessons of launching a new restaurant business.

"As soon as I stepped foot into my first kitchen, that was it." – Nikita Pathakji

"I just wanted to cook for the critics and have them enjoy it." – Nikita Pathakji

"You always see what you don't achieve rather than what you do." – Nikita Pathakji

"Just say yes and see what happens." – Phil Street

• Aspiring chefs looking to build a career in professional kitchens.
• Anyone considering apprenticeships as an alternative to university.
• Hospitality professionals navigating career uncertainty or transition.
• Fans of MasterChef: The Professionals and Great British Menu.
• Restaurateurs and entrepreneurs launching independent hospitality businesses.
• People interested in the role family can play in building something meaningful.
• Anyone who enjoys stories of resilience, creativity, and determination.

• Phil Street (Host): LinkedIn & Instagram @hospitalitymeets
• Craft Guild of Chefs
• Maai by Nikita
• Nikita Pathakji Instagram @chefnikita.p

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On this episode of Chefs on the Pass, Phil sits down with Ian Page, Group Executive Chef at Sodexo Live and Craft Guild of Chefs Young Chef Ambassador, for a fast-moving, hugely passionate conversation packed with stories from military kitchens, major sporting events, global aviation catering, and the future of hospitality.

From cooking in the Royal Air Force and feeding troops in the field, to running large-scale operations at Royal Ascot, Chelsea Flower Show, Henley Regatta, and The Open, Ian shares the adrenaline, chaos, camaraderie, and pure buzz of life behind some of the UK’s biggest culinary operations.

Full of energy, humour, honesty, and serious passion for developing young chefs, this episode is a brilliant reminder that hospitality is about far more than what happens on the plate.

• Ian’s journey from wanting to become a helicopter pilot in the RAF to discovering life as a chef in the military
• Cooking in every environment imaginable, from silver-service officer dining to feeding troops in the middle of nowhere
• The excitement and pressure of Greenfield event catering and why major events became his passion
• Building temporary kitchens from scratch at world-famous events like Chelsea Flower Show and Royal Ascot
• Why reacting quickly under pressure is one of the most important skills any chef can learn.
• Ian’s move into global aviation catering and managing international culinary operations across the UK, USA, and Johannesburg.
• The incredible cultural food experiences that come from working with chefs around the world.
• Why hospitality still offers some of the best life skills and career opportunities anywhere.
• His mission as Craft Guild Young Chef Ambassador to inspire, nurture, and sustain the next generation entering the industry
• Why the industry needs chefs everywhere, not just in Michelin-starred restaurants, but in schools, hospitals, care homes, prisons, events, and the military.

“You’ve always got to have a plan B, plan C, plan D” – Ian Page

“There’s nothing better than when a kid makes something and feels proud of themselves” – Ian Page

“If we don’t have young chefs, we don’t have an industry” – Ian Page

“Nobody else in the world is getting to do this at that moment” – Phil Street

• Young chefs exploring the huge variety of opportunities hospitality offers.
• Hospitality professionals who thrive on energy, teamwork, and pressure.
• Anyone fascinated by the hidden world behind major events and aviation catering.
• Industry leaders passionate about mentoring and developing future talent.
• People who believe hospitality is about people as much as food.

• Phil Street (Host): LinkedIn & Instagram @hospitalitymeets
• Craft Guild of Chefs – Craft Guild of Chefs
• Ian Page – LinkedIn

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Guest: Duncan Biggs, Yacht Chef, Founder of Ocean Wave Monaco & Maritime Culinary Trainer

Host: Phil Street

In this episode, Phil dives into a world Chefs on the Pass hasn’t explored before, the high-pressure, high-reward life of a yacht chef.

Joining the show is Duncan Biggs, a chef with over 30 years’ experience in the yachting industry, who has cooked for billionaires, travelled the globe, and now trains the next generation of chefs entering the maritime world.

From the Bahamas to Antarctica, Duncan shares what it really takes to cook at sea, where planning is everything, produce is world-class, and your “kitchen” could be anywhere on the planet.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Duncan’s journey from cooking with his mum to joining the Royal Navy.
• How a chance opportunity led him into the world of superyachts.
• The reality of life on board, from 30m family-style boats to 160m floating cities.
• The importance of preparation when your nearest supplier might be thousands of miles away.
• Cooking for billionaires, celebrities, and high-profile guests.
• Why feeding crew is just as important as feeding guests.
• The camaraderie and lifestyle that keeps chefs in yachting for decades.
• How the industry has evolved with bigger yachts and more adventurous global routes.

Listen now for:

• Why planning and logistics are everything when cooking at sea.
• The balance between fine dining and simple comfort food on board.
• What it’s really like cooking for high-profile guests (including a few familiar names 👀).
• Why the yacht kitchen is “like Hogwarts”, where the magic just has to happen.

Memorable Quotes:

• “You get the best produce and get paid well — it’s a great industry” – Duncan Biggs
• “When it clicks, it’s one of the best teams you’ll ever be part of” – Duncan Biggs
• “Sometimes the best meal is just something simple done really well” – Duncan Biggs

This episode is for:

• Chefs curious about alternative career paths beyond restaurants.
• Hospitality professionals with a love of travel and adventure.
• Young chefs considering yachting as a career move.
• Anyone fascinated by life behind the scenes on superyachts.

Links & Resources:

• Phil Street (Host): LinkedIn & Instagram @hospitalitymeets
• Duncan Biggs: LinkedIn
• Ocean Wave Monaco

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