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Podcast Episode

Jack Coggins - Creating Smash Hits In Goodbye Horses & The Dreamery & Why Food Creators Need to Stop Stealing Recipes

The Go To Food Podcast··12 September 2026·47 min

About this episode

This week we’re joined by Jack Coggins, the chef behind Goodbye Horses, Stable Wines and The Dreamery, for a brilliant journey through one of the most unconventional careers in London food. Jack started helping out in an East London café at just 12, studied English with dreams of becoming a food writer, then found himself unable to afford the entry-level jobs in publishing and instead earning his living in kitchens.We hear about the moment during lockdown when Jack decided to take cooking seriously, the glorious lawlessness of Hot 4 U, and the extraordinary night out that ended with him having what he describes as “half a fight” with Matthew Scott, only to be offered a job by him the following morning. From there came pop-ups around the country, Papi, and eventually Good Boy Horses, where Jack has built one of London’s most distinctive restaurants alongside the wildly successful ice-cream parlour The Dreamery.Over an outrageous spread of raw beef, tomato tart, cheese toasties, chicken rice and plenty of wine, Jack explains the childhood food memories that still shape his cooking, why hospitality should offer genuine escapism, and why familiar food done brilliantly beats novelty for novelty’s sake. Plus, he has plenty to say about chefs and food creators lifting other people’s recipes without giving them credit. A funny, thoughtful and wonderfully unfiltered conversation with one of the most exciting young cooks in London. You can book a virtual demonstration with Quooker to find the right setup for your kitchen and remember, until the end of August, if you use the code GO TO FOOD, you’ll get free installation and a free Quooker glassware set. Just head to www.Quooker.co.uk now! Get 2 Months of Blinq For Free - With Code - GOTOBLINQ - https://blinqme.com/ Watch and Subscribe To Our Youtube Videos Here - https://www.youtube.com/@gotofood Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.