Ollie Templeton: Where the Chefs Eat

Ollie Templeton is immensely proud of Carousel and explains that “we’re proud to be part of the stories, but it’s also great for me, personally, to be opening myself up to working with different chefs. I’ve become extraordinarily interested in Mexican food, for example, and many Mexican chefs have become very good friends of mine and have inspired me; they have led me to care about artisan Mexican products and have been super inspiring. I had a chef once who brought over 80 kilos of luggage into the UK, including grasshoppers. It was very educational for me and really inspired me to travel and discover that part of the world.”

Carousel not only continues to wow the masses with its guest chefs, but it has opened its own wine bar, too. Offering “seasonal snacks and small plates,” alongside some excellent wines, of course, it’s fast becoming a hot spot for those who love the Charlotte Street restaurant belt, and Ollie now has a long list of chefs contacting him asking for Carousel consideration. And, in February 2026, Ollie and his brother Ed will be opening Cometa, a Mexican seafood restaurant, also in Fitzrovia. Cometa, (which means comet in Spanish), will utilise the British seafood they already get from their Carousel suppliers to offer up local fish with Mexican flavours. When not in the kitchen, Ollie heads up and down the country looking for collaborations, which has opened up some wonderful culinary doors for him and, as such, he has picked five UK restaurants that delighted him on his travels, all of which have either collaborated with Carousel or will be doing so in the not-too-distant future.

Barley cake with malted barley ice cream and custard at Higher Ground

Higher Ground, Manchester

I knew Higher Ground was going to be good. The founder, Dan [Barber], and I talked for a while about collaborating at Carousel. As well as Higher Ground, the team have their wine bar, Flawd, and also Cinderwood Market Garden, where they grow all the vegetables served in the restaurant. You’ll find a really mixed bag of people here from all over the country, as well as lots of locals, too. The sommelier really laid it on with wine, so it was a great place to be. The menu changes pretty much every day. It’s à la carte, but there’s an option to sit back and let the chefs take care of your order, so I went for lunch and ate what they gave me. The menu is extraordinarily good value and allows them to showcase the produce they are growing. Dan is incentivised not to waste anything and to make sure everything is utilised. I had three cuts of pork: the belly, loin and shoulder with split beans. The standout for me was the dessert, though: barley cake with malted barley ice cream and custard.

Pudding at Where The Light Gets In

Asparagus and egg yolk, Where The Light Gets In

Where The Light Gets In, Stockport

I had dinner here, following lunch at Higher Ground. It has a beautiful name and a beautiful space, with a fantastic guy [founder Sam Buckley] behind it. Sam has become a really good friend. He came to Carousel for two weeks; we try to be super organised, try and stay ahead, and Sam’s approach to food is insanely hands-on, but it’s also what I would call organised chaos. It was really refreshing working with him, though, and to see that not everything needs to be super organised. His residency was very successful. Sometimes we’re worried about booking people for two weeks, but he showed up, everyone was blown away by what he was doing, and word of mouth spread. One of the most incredible things – my takeaway from eating at the restaurant – was the sink in the loo. I asked Sam about it and, of course, he made it. It was two pieces of varnished oak creating a deep V shape, so it didn’t really look like a sink, but it was beautiful; it’s details like that which I love and tend to remember. Where The Light Gets In now has a green Michelin star, so it isn’t just locals from Manchester and nearby Stockport that come here anymore. Where The Light Gets In only offered a set menu when I went, but the standout dish for me was a curry. Actually, I think the perception of that restaurant’s menu is that it’s strictly British, but it’s actually a celebration of the whole team and the diversity in Sam’s kitchen. He has land on top of what’s basically a shopping mall, where they grow their own herbs, including ginger, lemongrass, and chillies. The curry was so good and really spicy, really salty, sour, and sweet, all the things you want with lots of produce grown by Sam on that rooftop.