Paul Askew
Paul Askew, Chef Patron of The Art School Restaurant, is one of the North West’s most popular Chefs. A stalwart of the hospitality industry, Paul champions seasonal and local ingredients whilst supporting artisan producers from across the U.K.
Paul’s restaurant, the critically acclaimed, Art School Restaurant, is listed in the 2018 Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants, having been awarded “Taste of England” at the 2017 Visit England Awards and appeared in 2017 Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants, the first restaurant in Liverpool to make the list. 2018 has also seen The Art School named in the Top 10 UK Restaurants for Vegan Fine Dining by Peta UK. It has also received critical acclaim from the Michelin, Good Food and AA guides.
Paul has a passion and unmatched level of commitment in developing the next generation of culinary talent. For over three decades Paul has worked with apprentice and trainee chefs, investing time away from the pass in mentoring, nurturing and improving their skills to succeed in the industry. In 2017 Paul released his debut book, “Onwards and Upwards” part autobiographical, documenting his early years in the industry and the experiences that shaped him. Part gastronomic visual masterpiece, with 40 stunning dishes from The Art School Restaurant.
Paul is a fellow of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, and joint Chair of the Northern Branch, having been invited to join the Academy by his industry peers. In 2018 Paul was invited to join the judging panel for the National Chef of the Year.
Paul is a TV regular and a favourite of Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch and has appeared as an expert/tutor on MasterChef. He competed in the North West heats of The Great British Menu scoring a perfect 10 for his main course on his way to reaching the regional final. He's definitely a chef's chef!
As if that wasn't enough, Paul was invested with the cape and cap of the order of Le Grand Conseil du vin de Bordeaux, the first British chef to do so and has this year has also become Chef Ambassador for Estrella Damm and Attilus Caviar.
He is a member of the UK’s Tourism Industry Council and joint Chair of Liverpool’s newly formed Hospitality Association.