Adam Handling

Handling started his culinary training aged 16 as apprentice chef at Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. He went on to work in London before becoming sous chef at the Malmaison hotel in Newcastle. He then moved back to Scotland to become the Fairmont Group's head chef at the Fairmont St Andrews.[2][3]

In 2013, Handling took on the role of head chef at St. Ermin's Hotel in St James's Park, London. From there, he entered and became a finalist in series 6 of Masterchef: The Professionals.[4]

In 2014, Handling officially opened Restaurant Adam Handling at Caxton,[5] which won a three rosettes award from the AA.[6] The next year, it was named Best Newcomer UK Restaurant by Food and Travel Magazine.[7]

Handling published his first cookbook in October 2014, entitled Smile or Get Out of the Kitchen, with a foreword by Masterchef judge Monica Galetti.[8]

In June 2016, Handling opened his first independent restaurant, The Frog, in Spitalfields, London,[9][10] and appeared in series 11 of Great British Menu.[11]

In September 2017, Handling opened his flagship restaurant, Frog by Adam Handling in Covent Garden[12] and his first stand-alone bar, Eve Bar.[13]

Handling was chosen to cook for the G7 world leaders during the G7 Summit 2021 in Cornwall. In keeping with the goal of making the event “carbon-neutral,” most ingredients were sourced from within a 100-mile radius.[14]

In 2021, Handling opened his first restaurant outside London - The Loch & the Tyne, restaurant and pub with guest bedrooms in Old Windsor.[15] Later that year, he also opened Ugly Butterfly restaurant and bar in St. Ives, Cornwall.[16]

Handling published a set of three books in 2023, Frog by Adam Handling, Why Waste? and Perfect, Three Cherries.[17]

In March 2023, Handling was a guest judge of the segment Quickfire Challenge on Top Chef: World All Stars.[18][19]

In April 2023, Handling won BBC's Great British Menu Champion of Champions award.[20]

Adam Handling Restaurant Group encompasses four food and drink venues across London. The Group is committed to a zero waste policy and eventually eliminating all food waste by creating dishes from offcuts that are usually thrown away.[21] Frog by Adam Handling opened in September 2017,[22] alongside bar venue Eve Bar.[23][24][25]

The Group’s first pub, The Loch & the Tyne in Old Windsor was opened in May 2021.[26] Handling opened his first restaurant and bar by the coast, Ugly Butterfly on the Carbis Bay Estate in St. Ives Cornwall in August 2021.[27]

The Group also launched Hame in May 2020, a home delivery service that provides their restaurant food at home and delivers nationally.[28]

• Acorn Award 2013 by magazine The Caterer as one of "30 under 30 to watch".[29]
• British Culinary Federation "Chef of the Year 2014".[30]
• Scottish Chef of the Year Award 2015.[31]
• Chef of the Year Food and Travel magazine 2019.[32]
• Restaurateur of the year British GQ Food and Drink Awards 2020.[33]
• Scottish Power’s COP26 Green Power List.[34]
• Restaurant Chef Award 2023 Craft Guild of Chefs Awards.[35]

• Handling, Adam; Galetti, Monica (1 October 2014). Smile or get out of the kitchen (1st ed.). Sheffield: Meze Publishing. ISBN 9780992898120.
• Handling, Adam (2022). Why Waste? A Way With Media Ltd. ISBN 978-1-910469-58-3[36]
• Handling, Adam (2022). Frog. A Way With Media Ltd. ISBN 978-1-910469-57-6[37]
• Handling, Adam (2022). Perfect, Three Cherries. A Way With Media Ltd. ISBN 978-1-910469-59-0[38]