Meet the chefs fuelling football fans on match day

For Brorritos co-founder Marco Faratro, growing up in an Italian household meant saying you weren't hungry was never really an option. The same went for co-founder Samet, who was raised in a Turkish-Cypriot family, and the pair quickly bonded over their shared obsession with food. “Our mums would offer people food first before asking how they were. It was always food, food, food,” Marco says. After graduating with degrees in banking and finance, the friends realised the corporate world wasn't for them. “Thankfully those four years weren’t a total waste – we did realise that we both loved food and wanted to build something together!”

With a little help from Samet’s brother, who owns a catering company, the pair found an empty cafe and their culinary journey began. “We basically threw ourselves into a crash course in cooking, food safety, customer service and everything else that comes with running a kitchen,” Marco says. And in 2021, the first Brorritos site opened in Eltham, serving up Mexican food – but not as you know it. “Our food is inspired by Mexican street food, but we're not trying to claim it's completely traditional or authentic. We describe it as British-Mexican.”

That means a clear focus on good quality ingredients, generous portions, and consistency, consistency, consistency. And the menu? Packed with burritos, rice bowls, tacos and sides that have kept the hungry hordes of South London more than satisfied for the past five years.

In a nutshell: Classic Mexican flavours and cooking techniques with a twist – from breakfast burritos to birria tacos

Order now on Uber Eats

 Poor Boys’ Phil Neal doesn’t really remember a time he didn’t care about food. “Growing up, food was all about family,” he says, “Proper hearty meals that felt like a hug, always served with fresh buttery bread.” 

When he moved to London, that love of food turned into a love of the food industry. “Suddenly I was surrounded by incredible restaurants, different cuisines and flavours I'd never really experienced before,” says Phil, “It opened my eyes to just how exciting food could be.”

It’s that kind of enthusiasm that Phil brings to his role at Poor Boys, where for the last seven years he’s worked to grow the restaurant from a single outpost to a solid brand, found all around the city. “For me, it’s never just about what is on the plate,” he explains, “I want to create something people come back to time and time again.”

Poor Boys itself was founded by two brothers in 2017, with a menu that takes inspiration from the cuisine of Louisiana and New Orleans. Around the capital, they serve creole cuisine, locally made ice cream and New Orleans craft ale and cocktails – with each dish bold, honest and full of flavour. Delicious.

In a nutshell: Creole-inspired cuisine with shrimp sandwiches and grilled lobster

Order now on Uber Eats

Food has always played a huge role in the life of Bun & Sum chef and co-founder Farbez Uddin. “From getting money from my parents as a young kid to eat out, getting my first payslip and enjoying my first ever cheeky Nando’s, to travelling the world trying everything there is out there,” he says, “I have a huge passion for food – something I’m trying to pass on to my children!”

After closing a previous business during Covid, Farbez saw the opportunity to finally bring a long-held dream to life. “I really wanted to bring a Smash Burger joint to life as no one at that time was offering a good quality one.” So, he joined forced with his wife, found a unit in Bow, and immediately got to work. The result? Smash burgers that changed the game.

“We pride ourselves on using fresh ingredients daily, creating our own sauces, fresh beef mince everyday, forming patties by hand and even using beef dripping for our fries the old fashioned way,” Farbez says, “That’s what sets us apart. We care about the freshness and the quality of the ingredients.”

In a nutshell: Smash burgers like no others around the capital

Order now on Uber Eats

The secret to success for Butchies’ operations and business development manager Carlos Conde? Starting from the restaurant floor and learning every part of how a business operates, from the ground up. 

“My journey hasn’t ever been about fine dining or formal culinary training – it’s been about understanding what makes people come back for great food,” explains Carlos, “Food has always been about people for me.”

That ethos has certainly served him in helping to grow Butchies, alongside CEO Garrett FitzGerald, who founded the restaurant as a street-good concept back in 2013. Inspired by the incredible fried chicken sandwiches he tried over in New York, Garrett wanted to “create a London version that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best,” says Carlos, “The mission has always remained simple: make the best damn fried buttermilk chicken in town.”

In a nutshell: Classic fried chicken done to perfection – crispy buttermilk fried chicken thighs, house-made sauces and soft brioche buns

Order now on Uber Eats

“I wasn’t actually that big a foodie growing up,” admits Chams, restaurant operations manager of burger chain BIM’s, “My mum would cook all types of dishes and introduce me to different flavours. But it took me a while to realise the joy food can really bring to people.”

Bringing joy through food is at the heart of what the team at BIM’s do. “Our food is built on big flavours and real comfort,” says Chams, “Right from the beginning, our founders – who are four brothers – wanted to focus on how people feel after they eat our food.”

That translates to all the classics you would expect from a burger joint: juicy burgers, flavoursome fries – but also ever-rotating flavours on a menu that’s treated a bit like a living project.

“We’re always testing new ideas and seeing what truly earns a place on the board,” says Chams, “There’s always something new to try!”

In a nutshell: Juicy burgers and fast-food classics with Algerian and French inspiration

Order now on Uber Eats

For Ryan O’Flynn, after a cheffing career that spanned almost three decades, pizza arrived as an outlet: a way of decompressing away from the stress of a prestige kitchen. 

“I found my way into kitchens at a young age, completing my apprenticeship before travelling through Europe, working in Ireland, Wales, France and eventually settling in London. Most of my career was spent in fine dining and luxury hotels, where I learned discipline, technique and respect for great ingredients,” he says, “But after years in those environments, I wanted to focus on something that felt more personal and fun.”

Enter: pizza. “It’s simple on paper, but when you dive into fermentation, dough development and quality ingredients, it’s endlessly fascinating,” Ryan adds, “I’m still learning every day.”

At Detroit Pizza, which Ryan opened in 2020, that kind of attention to detail sings through the authentic Detroit style pies: a light, focaccia-like dough, a crispy, cheesy edge, and sauce which goes on after cheese – a technique that ensures every bite still feels fresh and bright. Comfort food at its finest.

In a nutshell: Detroit-style pizza pies topped with cheese then smothered with rich tomato sauce.

Order now on Uber Eats

Valentino Orestano, development chef at Franco Manca, was always destined for a career in food. “I was only 12 years old when I first stepped into the kitchen of my family’s restaurant,” he says, “I wasn’t there because I was a huge help at that age, but because I had a real passion for food. I loved being around the chefs, trying different dishes, and learning the ropes.”

What followed was years spent at catering school, where Valentino built the discipline needed to become a professional chef. These days, he puts that training to good use leading menu development at Franco Manca, one of the first major restaurants to champion sourdough pizza in the UK. “Franco Manca actually started as a small Italian restaurant in Brixton market,” Valentino says, “ Simple, authentic, and focused on doing things well.” 

For Valentino, these principles remain an essential part of his recipe development, with seasonality playing a huge role.

“We work with local suppliers as well as selected Italian suppliers to create the perfect balance of Italian tradition and Mediterranean cuisine,” he explains “We always try to refresh our menu a couple of times a year – but there’s always a seasonal special or unexpected collab to try too!”

In a nutshell: Light and fluffy Neapolitan sourdough pizzas topped with the best of the season

Order now on Uber Eats