The Go To Weekend

Welcome to The Go-To Weekend, where chef Kate Austen welcomes one of the most influential voices in modern British seafood cooking into her kitchen. This episode features Tom Brown, former Michelin starred head chef of Cornerstone, Great British Menu winner, and the chef behind some of London’s most talked about openings in recent years. From Cornwall to Hackney Wick, Brown’s career has been defined by ambition, precision, and a refusal to stand still. Tom reflects on the reality of competing on Great British Menu, from the chaos behind the cameras to the life changing effect it had on his restaurants. He speaks candidly about the pressure to win, the disappointment of criticism, and how reviews can shape not just public perception but personal confidence. It is a frank look at success, ego, and the cost of visibility in hospitality. In the kitchen, Tom cooks one of his signature dishes, the Cornerstone hake kebab filled with pesto butter, while breaking down technique, sustainability, and why hake deserves far more respect than it gets. Alongside the cooking, he opens up about closing Cornerstone, the emotional weight of shutting a restaurant, and why knowing when to walk away can be as important as knowing how to build. The conversation moves beyond food into burnout, viral dishes, London dining culture, and Tom’s work as a consultant on the film Boiling Point. Honest, sharp, and deeply human, this episode captures the reality of modern chef life, the highs, the losses, and what comes next after the lights go out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step into this week’s episode of The Go-To Weekend as Kate Austen swaps her Michelin-trained kitchen for one of London’s most talked about cult restaurants. Formerly known as Black Axe Mangal, the space feels charged with history and flavour, and Kate joins chef owner Lee Tiernan for an unforgettable deep dive into food, culture, and the reasons behind his bold decision to pause the restaurant after eleven influential years.It all begins with a borschtback, a punchy signature drink that sets the tone for the afternoon. From there, Kate and Lee roll up their sleeves to cook one of the restaurant’s most loved dishes, working with his Tartine-inspired flatbread dough and the trout roe and warm butter topping that regulars obsess over. As they cook, Lee opens up about the philosophy that shaped him at St John, the thrill of feeding queues around the block during the early kebabstand days, and how creativity, art, and instinct have defined his work.The conversation goes deeper into the realities of running a restaurant in today’s climate. Lee speaks candidly about rising costs, shifting food culture, and the balance between ambition and family life. From Copenhagen kebab revelations to the magic of a perfect lunch, Kate draws out the stories that reveal how a chef builds a truly singular identity and why stepping away can sometimes be the bravest move of all.Kate wraps the episode with a feast, a flurry of quickfire questions, and a celebration of the pubs, Brick Lane bagels, date nights, and Christmas pantos that shape Lee’s London. It is warm, honest, funny, and full of the kind of food moments that stay with you. Follow The Go-To Weekend on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, and all the usual platforms, and settle in for a brilliant conversation to kick off your weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ex Michelin chef and Great British Menu winner Kate Austen is back in The Go To Weekend kitchen, this time with towering 6 foot 6 Sunday Times bestselling author and MasterChef judge Big Has. Together they cook one of the sleeper hits from his new book Smoke and Seasoned Bread: stuffed onions with rice, caramelised shallots, heaps of herbs and pomegranate molasses. It is big on comfort, huge on flavour and, sacrilege to some, happens to be accidentally vegetarian.As the onions slowly steam in garlicky tomato water, Fig traces the journey from flunking GCSEs and plumbing college to Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, brutal Michelin trials and finally finding his voice cooking food rooted in Turkish Cypriot home kitchens and Italian restaurant training. He and Kate get properly nerdy about rice, soffritto, tomato technique and why the smallest tweaks in prep can turn simple ingredients into something deeply special that still feels doable at home.Between mouthfuls, the conversation flies from three dinners in four and a half hours in Soho to late night Chinatown eats, dream kebab dates, Kew Gardens at Christmas and whether cheffing is still a sustainable career. Fig talks honestly about industry abuse, social media fame, wanting kids and the kind of small, kebab led restaurant he might open one day. It is funny, sweary, properly heartfelt and sponsored by Square, who keep those busy Saturday night services running smoother than a perfectly cooked pot of rice.------Soğan DolmasıStuffed Onions • Serves at least 6IngredientsFor the onions2 kg onions (about 4 lb 8 oz)1 mug short-grain rice (such as sushi rice)400 g shallots, finely dicedOlive oil, for frying2 beef tomatoes5 tbsp pomegranate molasses7 g mint, finely chopped25 g parsley, finely chopped1 tbsp pul biberSalt and pepperFor the sauceOlive oil10 cherry tomatoes5 garlic cloves, crushed1 tbsp tomato purée1 tsp sugarTo serve (optional)YogurtPul biber Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kick off your festive season with a full Thanksgiving feast and a side of brutal industry honesty. In this episode of The Go To Weekend podcast, Kate Austin is joined by chef and development maestro Anna Søgaard, ex head chef of Bistro Freddie and current head of tastings and development at luxury caterer Rocket. While Kate confesses she has never cooked a Thanksgiving before, Anna walks her through the all American classics: roast turkey, roasties instead of mash (when in England), controversial sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows, tart clementine cranberry sauce and a seriously indulgent sourdough stuffing that behaves like bread and butter pudding’s savoury cousin.Around the stove they swap stories of homesickness, Friendsgiving traditions and the kind of feasting that only Denmark can deliver. Think all day Christmas lunches, crackling topped pork, rice pudding with hidden almonds and that very Danish obsession with brown gravy colouring. Kate remembers cooking in Copenhagen and being wheeled home after dessert, while Anna shares how her own half Danish, half American background shaped the way she cooks and celebrates. It is cosy, chaotic and full of those tiny cultural details that make holiday rituals feel so personal.Between basting the turkey and blowtorching marshmallows, the chat goes deep on life after the pass. Anna talks about becoming head chef at Bistro Freddy, the pressure of having your name above the door, navigating sexism as the only woman in the room and the moment she knew it was time to walk away. She explains why she chose creativity and stability over restaurant ownership, her role at Rocket, and the story behind Superb, the women led supper club raising money for underfunded charities and giving brilliant female chefs a platform. If you love big roasts, big conversations and women backing other women, this episode is your new weekend listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the Go-To Weekend season finale — and we’re going out with a bang. We kick things off, as always, with High, Low & Regret (and a little spicy industry gossip: Straker and Carrie? Victor Garvey’s surprise closure? Drake at Claridge’s?!). Then it’s onto the “slutty chef” internet sensation, TikTok’s royal wedding.Finally, a powerful interview with chef, author and Bourdain confidante Laurie Woolever. From the raw realities of 90s New York kitchens to her deep reflections on addiction, fame, and legacy, Laurie doesn’t hold back. Plus, her NYC black book picks, weekend go-to recs, and the one thing she cannot stand. Don’t miss this bold, brilliant finale — and thank you for spending your weekends with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.