Michael Thompson named as Cub head chef

The appointment follows news that McMaster’s Brighton-based Silo restaurant is on track to relocate to London after a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Thompson, who was awarded the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Award of Excellence in 2015, has worked at a number of Michelin-starred restaurants including Pollen Street Social and Fera at Claridges.

In 2017, he opened pop-up restaurant Fodder in East Dulwich’s Platform1, which was nominated for Foodism’s best sustainable pop-up award alongside Wasted and Flank.

In the role, Thompson will work alongside fermentation expert Dr Johnny Drain, who collaborated with Chetiyawardana and his team to open the Cub Cave fermentation space in the basement of the restaurant.  

Embodying McMaster’s waste-free ethos, Thompson and Drain will focus on creating fermented ingredients for the menu that includes recrafting bread otherwise destined for the bin into miso paste.

“Having the opportunity to work with someone like Doug, and learn from him, is a great opportunity,” says Thompson.

“I’m keen to explore sustainability not just from a sourcing point of view, but looking at other elements and aspects of being sustainable that can be brought in to a venue.”

“Michael is fiercely impressive; his cooking ability and his flair for sustainable luxury are driving Cub forward to a very special place,” adds McMaster