Aussie Lambassadors
Meet our UK Aussie Lambassadors
Meet our UK Aussie Lambassadors, a group of influential food professionals with extensive experience cooking Australian lamb. These talented chefs partner with us to promote awareness of Australian lamb in the UK.
Join our Aussie Lambassadors as they embark on a journey to bring the amazing flavours of high-quality, nutritious Australian lamb into restaurants, homes and hearts around the UK. See their latest creations by following them on social media and visiting their websites.
Tom Cook
Started out in my local hotel washing pots and pans, then moved into cooking and took my professional chefs course.
Worked in Michelin London restaurants, City Rhodes (3 years), Le Gavroche(2 1/2) and Capital Hotel(2) learning the skills of the kitchen as a young chef. Then moved out to Cambridge(1 ½) and worked at Midsummer House as Sous chef.
Then got the travel bug and worked in Paris for a year at a patisserie. After which move to NZ to open a 5* hotel in Auckland (1). Followed by Sydney Australia at Pier restaurant, 2 ½ years there.
Before moving back to London to be head chef at Tom Aikens 1* Michelin restaurant (1 year).
Then 7 years with D&D restaurants in 3 different sites.
Now 8 years in Smith and Wollensky London and doing the international openings.
Obviously having spent 2 and half years in the land of Oz I know the products well and have worked with them a lot. They have amazing lamb that is second to none in the world. It has an amazing flavour, always so consistent, and tender.
Favourite Footy Team:
Tottenham Hotspur (Manager is an Aussie!)
Favourite Cut of Lamb:
Lamb shoulder is my favourite cut of lamb. It can be slow braised in the cold winter months, for amazing stews or curries. And deboned, marinated and put on the BBQ in the summer. Truly versatile piece of the animal with great flavour!
Tim dela Cruz
Tim dela Cruz is Head Chef at The Grill at Smiths of Smithfield in Farringdon, London, specialising in charcoal and wood-fire cooking. Known for blending refined European techniques with Filipino flavours, Tim has worked alongside renowned chefs such as Jason Atherton and Jamie Oliver and appeared on MasterChef: The Professionals.
His passion lies in showcasing premium meats, with Aussie lamb a particular favourite due to its year-round consistency and exceptional quality. Tim’s signature dish is slow-cooked lamb belly, glazed with pomegranate molasses and served with homemade flatbread and a vibrant parsley, onion, and sumac salad.
A Manchester United fan, Tim brings the same dedication and passion to his kitchen as he does to the pitch.
Kate Walker
Originally from New Zealand, Kate’s childhood travelling the world instilled a love for global cuisines and flavours.
With a passion for developing products that taste great and deliver quality, Kate has spent 10 years in FMCG product development. In that time she has worked for businesses in New Zealand, Australia and currently in the UK across a wide range of categories.
She now works as a Senior Innovation Consultant, helping both FMCG and foodservice businesses apply trends & consumer insight to their innovation.
Fran Martinez
Fran is the Executive Chef of Fazenda Bar & Grill, which has six locations across the UK.
Fran trained at Alicante and then worked at the formerly 3 Michelin starred El Bulli, which at the time was considered the best restaurant in the world.
Fran also opened ‘Agua’ in China, which was awarded ‘Best International Restaurant in China’. Living in Beijing for two years introduced Fran to aromas and flavours he never even knew existed.
Fran joined the Fazenda group in 2014 and became a Lambassador in 2023.
Favourite Cut of Beef and/or Lamb and How You Like it Cooked:
Personally, my preferred cut of meat though has to be the sirloin. Cooking sirloin with garlic, thyme and a bit of butter is my favourite way of flavouring and serving the meat.
Lara Norman
Chef and creative director, founder of Euphoria and co-founder of Mise en Play, creating theatrical dining experiences that unite food, storytelling, art and performance. Born in Ibiza and raised partly in Galicia.
Lara began cooking professionally at 14 before training in Michelin-starred kitchens, including The Ritz London with John Williams, Bibendum with Claude Bosi and Hide with Ollie Dabbous.
Fascinated by food’s power to stir emotion and transport people into another world, Lara uses it as a medium for storytelling, symbolism and philosophical exploration. Her narrative-led menus transform each dish into something experienced, not simply eaten.
Her work spans multisensory dining, private bespoke events, creative consultancy and collaborations with chefs, artists and luxury brands. Pushing beyond convention, Lara brings imagination and a spirit of play to the world of fine dining.
Restaurant(s):
Founder of Euphoria and Co-founder of Mise en Play