There are few places we’d rather spend a weekend than cooking with the team alongside some of the best live fire chefs in the world.
This weekend, we’re heading back to Meatopia at Tobacco Dock – a festival that has become something of a pilgrimage for food lovers, bringing people from across the UK and around the world together to enjoy some seriously good food cooked over fire.
Born in New York and brought to London in 2013, Meatopia has spent more than a decade championing live-fire cooking, inviting chefs from the UK, Europe and beyond to cook one unique dish each, using wood or charcoal. It’s not just a festival of food, either. Alongside the grills and roaring fires, there’s live music, drinks, and the Cutting Room, where chefs and producers take to the stage for live cooking demonstrations and talks throughout the weekend.
Blacklock has been along for the ride nearly every year, so it feels rather good to be heading back this year with two very special dishes.
Saturday 5th – Lamb Chops, led by Wojciech Smietalo
Wojciech, our Group Head Chef, brings a thoughtful, grounded approach to cooking centred around fire, flavour and simplicity. Originally from Poland, his style is honest and unfussy, with a deep respect for great ingredients and a natural instinct for cooking meat with precision and care.
For Meatopia, he’s bringing that philosophy to the grill with our Lamb Chops, a one-off dish created especially for the festival. Cooked over the fire until caramelised on the outside, juicy and tender within. They’ll be served with a crisp fennel slaw and punchy green sauce that cuts through the richness of the lamb.
Sunday 6th – Blacklock Sunday Roast, led by Karel Calek
Karel, Head Chef at Blacklock Canary Wharf, is all about bold flavours and cooking with instinct. He thrives in the buzz of service and has a natural affinity for fire, embracing its unpredictability to add depth and character to his food.
His Sunday Roast has already earned its stripes, with Blacklock Canary Wharf named Best Group Dining in The Good Food Guide’s 2024 Best Sunday Roast awards.
For Meatopia, he’s bringing that award-winning roast to the fire with dry-aged whole roasted bone-in sirloin, blushing at the centre, served with crisp Yorkies, rich gravy and a zingy hit of horseradish sauce.
Two days, two very different plates!
And with a whole weekend of chefs demonstrating their craft there’s plenty more to eat, see and learn along the way.