Isaac Mchale

Scottish island of Orkney is the birthplace of Isaac McHale, the patron chef of the Clove Club in Shoreditch, London. His career started quite early; he worked for a fishmonger at first, then learned the ropes in a restaurant during high school. He made the decision to move to London after graduating from college. When someone leaves their community, they usually herald a “new beginning.” Indeed, it was evident almost once that Isaac wanted to extend the borders of the Orkney islands, the place of his birth. He gained experience working at Mark Best’s Marque in Sydney before moving to London and taking a job in Tom Aikens’ kitchen. Then, throughout the course of the six years, the young Scottish chef displayed his abilities. His short stay in Noma taught him the value of spending time in nature, which helped him refine his studies for the authenticity of his customs. In order to create an avantgarde based on a projection of English tradition towards a lighter expression, McHale, along with friends Ben Greeno and James Lowe, founded the Young Turks collective in 2011. Through this collective, they founded a series of pop-up restaurants that redefined the concept of restaurant in London in the first decade of the millennium. He established himself as one of the greatest chefs in London and abroad in 2013 when he and his buddies Daniel and Johnny opened Clove Club. He was confirmed as the Best International Chef in the Guida di Identità Golose 2016 edition.