Chef profile: Luke Larsson, head chef at Khao Bird, Borough Market, London

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m a chef driven by curiosity, with a love for vibrant flavours and quality produce. I lead the team at Khao Bird, a restaurant that celebrates the boldness of Northern Thai cuisine. Our cooking here involves applying traditional techniques while using produce sourced from Sussex. Each dish on the menu reflects the thrill of experimentation and the beauty of tradition. Khao Bird is where my inspiration and curiosity come together—it’s fast-paced, demanding, creative, and fun.

 

What’s your favourite thing about where you work?

The constant variety keeps every day fresh. The multiple menus across our sites mean there’s always something new to test, taste, and challenge ourselves with.

 

What was your first job in catering?

It all began with a work experience stint that transitioned into an apprenticeship with a catering company—it was a pretty chilled job that came with lots of freedom to experiment.

 

What do you do to relax?

I swim to clear my mind and when I can, I escape to a forest for some fresh air and solitude away from the city’s noise and kitchens.

 

Which is your favourite restaurant?

Currently, it’s Manteca, but I have a special spot for the Little Fish Market in Hove—it’s a place that feels like home.

 

What’s your favourite hotel?

The Great Bustard in Salisbury—it’s beautiful and welcoming, and the food is phenomenal 

 

What is your favourite drink?

Sauternes or a single-estate cold brew

 

What is your favourite food/cuisine?

Italian food, especially from the Piedmont region, holds a special place for me. I love its simplicity and focus on high-quality ingredients.

 

Which ingredient do you hate the most?

I don’t truly hate any ingredients, but the texture of cod cheeks doesn’t appeal to me much. And lobsters are like giant sea cockroaches to me.

 

Are there any foods/ingredients that you refuse to cook with? If so, why?

I’ve moved away from cooking with salmon, given the environmental impact and the damage to the fish’s health in farming practices.

 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Take a long-term view on people.

 

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?

Anthony Bourdain and chef Num Samauy. Bourdain’s insights into the culture of food were unmatched and he gave a platform to so many interesting chefs and chef Num’s dedication and respect for food are simply inspiring.

 

If you had not gone into catering, where do you think you would be now?

Probably doing another high-intensity job—I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of working on a fishing vessel or an oil rig.

 

Describe your ultimate nightmare

The kitchen extract fails at 8 pm, cutting out all the gas right when there’s a full line of checks and no way to cook them (yes, this has happened). Then the fire alarm goes off, a critic is in the room and just to top it off, environmental health walks in for an inspection. Close second: someone was having an anaphylactic shock in the dining room.

 

Tell us a secret…

There’s so much data in my head at any given moment—table checks, covers, timings—that I’ve become terrible at remembering people’s names, at least until I meet them a few times. I keep daily notes to help me keep track.

 

What irritates you most about the industry?

A lack of understanding of the mental and economic toll it takes to keep a restaurant thriving. We’re in constant pursuit of perfection and with the open platform for reviews, any guest can publicly critique our work.

 

What is your favourite prepared product?

There’s a lot of talk about Pret’s prices, but I secretly love their jambon beurre.

 

Who would be in your “fantasy” brigade?

• Jordan Taylor – the Great Bustard, Salisbury
• Brittney Barling – Redroaster
• Tor Patcharaong – Samauy and Sons
• Rudi Thompson – Khao Bird
• Malin Karlsson – a talent who, unfortunately, left the industry