Arthur Potts Dawson

"At the heart of that I do in my business is the fundamental desire to do what I believe to be right, to be a part of London's environmental salutations rather than part of its problems, and London's problems are wide ranging and not easily solved. What I hope I am achieving is inspiration for future business owners and creating answers for existing ones."

Arthur Potts Dawson has been cooking for twenty one years. He started with a three year apprenticeship with the Roux brothers, worked with Rowley Leigh at Kensington Place for two years, with Rose Gray & Ruth Rogers at the River Café for four years, Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall and Pierre Khoffman both for a year. He worked as Head Chef at the River Café and went on to restyle Petersham Nurseries Cafe, re-launch Cecconi's restaurant, and to work as executive head chef for Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Restaurant.

In 2006 Arthur created two sustainably aware urban restaurants, Acorn House & Water House in London. Arthur is passionate about the variety of food on offer in towns and cities and created a menu of 'Modern London' cuisine for Acorn House that exemplifies the diversity of the city in which he was born.

Arthur has written his first book The Acorn House Cookbook, and teaches 10 young 'trainees' a year in sustainable catering at Acorn House, is a trustee of the Blue Marble trust/the Living Medicine Project and is a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. Arthur has just returned from Turin Italy where he represented England as Ambassador Chef at Terra Madre.

Arthur appears on the television show Market kitchen every week, is a guest chef on Saturday cooks, writes for the Guardian food/travel section and has worked on three shows for BBC radio 4 food programme.

Arthur teaches Wing Chun Kung Fu, which he has practised for twelve years, has two young children and lives with his partner in North London.