beneath the apron
max nevile
Max has a long-held passion for cooking, imbued in him from childhood by his very patient and accommodating mother. A love of licking the bowl, although not completely grown out of, has evolved into a love of quality home cooking aided by his experience in professional kitchens. The mission now is to bring that passion to your table.
culinary journey
Max has worked as a chef in a variety of settings since 2016. After training at The Wyld Cookery School in London he spent six months as a chalet chef in the French ski resort of Morzine. It was here Max learned how to host and cater for parties without making his presence felt. To this day Max derives more satisfaction from hearing people having a good time and enjoying their food than from any direct thanks for his efforts.
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From Morzine, Max moved back to London and started his first ventures in to private catering. He knew he wanted to add more skills to his toolbox however so spent two years working at Bayley & Sage in Fulham. Here he established a thorough understanding of modern European cuisine and grew in confidence, whilst continuing to cater for private events whenever possible.
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The life of a London chef can be gruelling though! In 2020 Max felt a radical change was required. In search of a new and far-flung challenge, he moved to Thórsmörk nature reserve in Iceland. He spent consecutive summer seasons as the head chef at Volcano Huts, surrounded by volcanoes and glaciers, separated from the nearest village by a mountain ridge and half a dozen river-crossings. This new chapter involved learning the local cuisine, stock management (vital in the mountains!), foraging, preserving and pickling, and large scale dining.
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The following two years Max spent in London doing a Masters degree at SOAS in Anthropology of Food whilst continuing to grow his private dining business. This has given him a more holistic perspective to the food system, how humans interact with it and the discourse that surrounds it. After two years of study however, the lure of mountains and adventure was once again too great so he spent the 2023/24 southern hemisphere summer living in New Zealand and working at a brunch café in Wanaka. Upon his return he spent the summer tutoring young chefs at the prestigious Orchards Cookery School. And most recently, for 24/25 winter Max worked as the chef in a luxury 14-bed ski chalet in La Plagne, France.
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Now back in the UK, Max is looking forward to sharing his passion for food by bringing his knowledge and skills to life in your kitchen.
wild side
Despite the urban upbringing, Max has a profound love for the great outdoors. A love of hiking and bushcraft developed in Iceland and New Zealand combined with a new perspective on the food industry courtesy of his Food Anthropology studies, has led to a passion for foraging.
wild garlic pesto
swedish bilberry tart
As much as is possible living in Margate, Max grows and forages for his own ingredients whenever he can. Few joys in life can compare to the feeling of turning wild or homegrown plants into a delicious meal.
chanterelle carbonara
nettle soup
rhubarb fool
