Chef Ian McAndrew Dies After Five Decades in British Cuisine

Ian McAndrew, a British chef celebrated for earning a Michelin star at Eastwell Manor in 1982 and later securing another for his Canterbury restaurant, has died, prompting tributes from colleagues and chefs he inspired throughout a career spanning more than five decades. The Master Chefs of Great Britain confirmed his death on October 12, 2026, according to reports from The Caterer and Restaurant Online.

McAndrew became widely recognized for achieving a Michelin star at Eastwell Manor in Kent, reportedly making him the youngest chef in the UK to lead a venue to the distinction at the time. In 1985, his Restaurant Seventy Four in Canterbury also received a Michelin star, establishing his reputation in British fine dining.

His career included positions at The Dorchester, the Carlton Tower, Intercontinental Hotels, the Capital Hotel and London's Waldorf Hotel. He later operated Restaurant One Sixteen in Knightsbridge and, alongside his wife Jane, took over Blackaddie House Hotel in southern Scotland in 2007. They managed the property and its restaurant for 14 years.

After moving to Norfolk in the late 1990s, McAndrew concentrated on culinary consultancy. He also served as culinary director of London contract caterer In House Catering and chaired Visit South West Scotland until 2021. His published work included three books, among them A Feast of Fish, Poultry & Game and his memoir, Just Call Me Chef, released earlier in 2026.

Simon Young, a former executive chef at Rosewood London, recalled McAndrew's early career achievement and its influence on aspiring chefs.

"When I was a young chef in the 1980s just starting out in my career, I clearly remember Ian being awarded his first Michelin star at Eastwell Manor." Simon Young, former Rosewood London executive chef and founder of Simon Young Culinary Solutions, recalled.

Young said Michelin recognition was particularly unusual in Britain at the time, making McAndrew's achievement a significant example for younger professionals.

"At the time, when Michelin stars were incredibly rare in the UK, Ian’s historic achievement was a revelation. He didn’t just make culinary history, he inspired a young generation who saw what was possible and went out to find our own success in the hospitality industry." Young said.

Phil Howard, chef-patron and co-owner of Michelin-starred Elystan Street in London's Chelsea, credited McAndrew's Canterbury restaurant with influencing his decision to enter the profession. Howard first ate there as a student in the late 1980s.

"Farewell Ian. The first Michelin-starred restaurant I ever ate in was Restaurant 74 in Canterbury. Saved up when I was a student there in the late 1980s.

From cooking nut loaf for mates I knew, from that moment, I wanted to be a chef. Changed the course of my life. What a gift."

Phil Howard said.

Howard continued to follow McAndrew's work and later invited him to cook at The Square, although McAndrew's responsibilities at Blackaddie prevented him from participating.

"I followed Ian’s journey after that, ate everywhere he cooked – and always left inspired. I asked Ian to come and cook for a night at the Square, before collabs were a thing, but his commitment to his then business, the Blackaddie, meant he couldn’t step away. Such a gifted cook, such an inspiration, such a gent." Howard said.

Kenneth Culhane, head chef at the Michelin-starred Dysart Petersham in London's Richmond, said McAndrew's cookbooks had influenced his own approach to food, even though the two had not met personally.

"Although I didn’t know him personally, his books have been a great inspiration to me. His cookery truly embodied honest, classical cooking, grounded in a deep understanding of ingredients and a profound respect for our craft." Kenneth Culhane said.

Culhane highlighted the lasting relevance of McAndrew's methods and the knowledge he shared through his cooking and writing.

"His work reminds us of the enduring value of patience, discernment and care, and of how much can be expressed through classical cookery particularly through the art of a beautifully judged sauce. Through his cooking, his books and the knowledge he passed to others, Ian leaves a precious inheritance for future generations of chefs. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends and all who had the privilege of working alongside him." Culhane said.

George McIvor, chairman of the Master Chefs of Great Britain, confirmed the organization's loss and paid tribute to McAndrew's contribution to the profession.

"Ian was a dear friend and an inspiration to many young chefs. His knowledge, passion and commitment to the industry was exemplary. Our thoughts and condolences are with Jane and the family." George McIvor said.

Paul Rowntree, chef-patron at Texture at the Green Room in Newcastle, also praised McAndrew's achievements and influence on British cooking.

"We are absolutely heartbroken to hear the sad news of Ian’s passing this morning. A proud north east-chef who went on to become one of the UK’s most highly acclaimed culinary talents, Ian enjoyed an extraordinary career, earning Michelin stars and becoming a respected author. His passion, talent and contribution to British cooking inspired generations of chefs." Paul Rowntree said.

Rowntree emphasized that McAndrew's standing in the industry extended beyond his professional accomplishments.

"But beyond his remarkable achievements, Ian was a genuinely lovely man who meant so much to so many people. His incredible legacy in the culinary world will live on, but today, above all, we remember the wonderful man behind the chef. Our love and thoughts are especially with Jane and all of Ian’s family at this incredibly sad time.

Rest peacefully, Ian. You will be so very missed." Rowntree said.

McAndrew's memoir explored the less celebrated realities of professional kitchens, from early-morning preparation to the pressure of working in large hotel brigades. In an interview with the Craft Guild of Chefs, he described the experiences that shaped the book.

"People love the shiny bits: the plates, the tweezers, the applause. But the real story of a chef’s life lives in the less glamorous places: the larder at five in the morning, the burns you don’t mention, the daft mistakes that nearly end you, the moments of pride you’d never admit to at the pass. This book is those bits.

It starts where mine started: not with a grand culinary vision, but with a teenage lad trying to dodge metalwork and ending up in cookery by accident. From there it’s proper graft through big brigades, proper standards, and the sort of kitchen pressure that makes you either better or broken. Sometimes both.

There are stories in there that still make me wince. A few that still make me laugh. And plenty that will make any working chef nod slowly and mutter, ‘Yep.

Been there’." Ian McAndrew said.

The Master Chefs of Great Britain described McAndrew's commitment to the industry as exemplary in its announcement of his death. Chef Tom Kerridge also paid tribute, describing McAndrew as an "outstanding chef and wonderful man."