Gaz Herbert

Born in Mexico City in 1994, British Chef Gaz Herbert’s childhood unfolded through Mexico, Colombia, England and Russia, shaping his culinary identity through travel, curiosity and home cooking. His father’s work as a geologist took the family across continents, exposing him early to diverse cultures and flavours that would later define his approach.

Food was constant in family life. His earliest memory is of his father preparing ajiaco in their home in Bogota, the traditional Colombian soup made with chicken and papas criollas. Back in England, his interest deepened, encouraged by his aunt, a professional chef for AGA Range Cookers, where he assisted with demonstrations and recipe development.

In 2004, the family relocated to Moscow. Immersed in the city’s cultural growth, Gaz cooked obsessively at home. At 12, before boarding school, he spent a formative weekend in Cornwall cooking at Rick Stein’s in Padstow, crystallising his ambition to become a chef. After his A-levels, he worked in wildlife conservation on the Nigeria–Cameroon border, encountering West African flavours that would inform his palate.

Returning to London, he completed his Grand Diplôme at Le Cordon Bleu while working at Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Italian. A stagiaire role at The River Café led to a commis position at Portland under Merlin Labron-Johnson, before three formative years back at The River Café.

In 2017, he joined Jeremy Chan’s opening team at Ikoyi, earning a Michelin star in 2019. During COVID-19, he worked privately and travelled to Oaxaca. In 2022, he became Culinary Creative Director at Casa Cruz New York and later opened as Executive Chef of Jupiter. His debut restaurant, Comal, opened in June 2025.