Speakers

Hailing from a Birmingham estate, and a pot washer at his local pub at the age of 13, Adam Smith is now considered one of the UK’s most talented executive chefs with an ethos of ‘taste is king’ and a reputation for accomplished, classically-based cooking with modern presentation.

In 2004 Adam received his first break and joined The Ritz under chef John Williams where he was put in charge of the larder. By 2012 he was executive sous chef at The Ritz with a string of culinary awards under his belt including Observer Food Monthly Young Chef of the Year. In the same year Adam won the Roux Scholarship prompting chef Michel Roux senior to describe him as “one to watch”.

In 2013 Adam joined The Devonshire Arms as head chef, overseeing all food operations including The Burlington Restaurant, Devonshire Brasserie, and conference & banqueting. During this time The Burlington Restaurant was the only new restaurant to be awarded a coveted four AA Rosettes in the January 2015 guide. In 2016 Adam joined Dorchester Collection’s only country house hotel, Coworth Park, as executive chef overseeing all culinary operations with a focus on Restaurant Coworth Park.

In 2017 Adam was announced as a Master of Culinary Arts by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, the UK’s highest culinary and hospitality honour awarded only every four years. In 2018, Restaurant Coworth Park was awarded a Michelin star for the first time in the Michelin Guide UK & Ireland, an accolade it has retained ever since. Adam was awarded Hotel Chef of the Year at The Hotel Cateys 2018, described by the judges as ‘the real package’, praised for his intuitive, adaptive and passionate approach to leading his team at Restaurant Coworth Park. In 2019, Adam was shortlisted for Best Chef in the GQ Food & Drink Awards.

Restaurant Coworth Park closed in summer 2022, to make way for the launch of a new restaurant at Coworth Park: Woven by Adam Smith.

Woven by Adam Smith, which opened in September 2022, offers diners an unforgettable culinary experience in a stunning new space overlooking 240 acres of picturesque parkland. Adam has created dishes inspired by classic flavours and techniques, presented in fresh, creative, and contemporary ways. The finest produce from Britain’s famed larder act as inspiration for the seasonally changing menus.  Woven by Adam Smith was awarded a Michelin star in its first Michelin guide.

September 2025 saw Woven by Adam Smith awarded 5AA rosettes, one of only 19 restaurants in the UK.  As discrided by the AA guide 5 AA rosettes puts Woven in the category of the pinnacle in terms of culinary skills to which others aspire, yet few achieve.

Adam represented the central region on Great British menu earlier this year, impressing the esteemed judges Tom Kerridge, Nisha Katona and Ed Gamble, as well as visiting Olympians. For this BBC Two series, 32 of the UK’s top chefs competed with creative menus that celebrate The Olympic and The Paralympic Games. 

Adam’s fish course was triumphant in Finals Week and resulted in him winning a place in the Great British Menu banquet at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Paris.

2025 also saw Adam and the Woven team welcome the final 3 in celebrity Master Chef, who cooked some of his signature dishes for a table of acclaimed celebrity chefs.