Cut and Craft: Master butcher and head chef Ollie Brearley on Leeds’ rise as a culinary destination
After two decades working in the kitchens of top hotels and award-winning indie restaurants, master butcher Ollie Brearley has found the perfect home as head chef at The Cut & Craft in Leeds.
The luxurious steakhouse, on King Edward Street, leaves an immediate impression on diners - think high ceilings, polished marble and opulent lighting. But while the interior is undeniably striking, it’s the venue’s thoughtful menus that keep people coming back.
Ollie, who has been running the kitchen for the last nine months, brought with him an impressive wealth of experience having led some of the region’s most well-respected teams.
We caught up with Ollie as part of our new #LoveYour campaign. He explained why he wanted to combine his love of great food with a desire to make high-end dining accessible to all - and how Leeds has become a culinary destination.
At 16-years-old, the Bradford native was pursuing A Levels in advanced mathematics, quantum mechanics and law. But it was washing up in the kitchen of The Queens pub in Apperley Bridge where he found his true passion.
His dedication to cooking, instilled by a mother who was also a chef, quickly encouraged him to trade the books for aprons.
“I grew up with home-cooked meals. Nothing was ever store bought. And then I found that I had a talent for cooking,” explained Ollie, 35.
After picking up some qualifications at Thomas Danby College, he cut his teeth at Bar 166 in Horsforth, a neighbourhood brasserie that introduced the young chef to the fast-paced world of crowd-pleasing food.
From there, he spent time in the kitchens of the Malmaison hotel and The Carpenters Arms in North Yorkshire, where he met his wife.
Over the years, Ollie’s career has seen him tackle some daunting challenges, like serving chocolate-infused dishes at the now-closed cult favourite Roast and Conch, before managing the pressures of The Ivy’s high-profile opening on Vicar Lane.
He also ran the kitchen at Argentinian steak restaurant Gaucho, as well as its operations team in the north of England. The lessons he learnt in each of these demanding roles have come in useful at The Cut & Craft, which he found to be an “instant click”.
“When I walked in, I fell in love with the building,” said Ollie. “I sat down for an interview, and it was like I’d been friends with the team for 20 years. This is home.”
He described The Cut & Craft as “a steakhouse for everybody”, blending affordability and luxury. “You can come in and have our two-course lunch menu for £22, or you could have a tomahawk steak for £85,” he explained.
His recent updates to the menu feature some clever twists on classics, which is perhaps best showcased in the chicken caesar croquettes.
“They’re essentially everything that’s in a chicken caesar, but you take away the lettuce and make it into a deep-fried croquette,” explained Ollie. “They are divine.”
Another standout is the melt-in-your-mouth British pork cheek, which is braised in house lager and decorated with pieces of cooked apple and chorizo, as well as anchovy croutons.
“It’s a really wintery dish that just makes you feel warm inside,” he said.
Ollie’s favourite dish at the moment? The crowd-pleasing Baked Alaska, with brownies, winter berry compote, fresh vanilla ice cream and Italian meringue. He said: “After a big steak, it’s just what you need - something a little bit sweet, but not too heavy.”
Much of his approach is rooted in respect for quality ingredients, particularly meat. “If somebody loves an animal enough to look after it properly, it should be respected when the meat is cooked,” he said.
Seasonality is important too, as the chef explained that he works with suppliers to ensure the team are using the freshest products.
Having worked across the city for years, Ollie has watched the Leeds’ food scene morph into the culinary destination it is today.
“It’s weird, it’s wonderful, it pushes the boundaries,” he said. “Ten years ago, people were still in the burger craze. At one time, there was something like 23 burger restaurants in Leeds. They were everywhere - and now they’re not.
“Palates have become more developed. You can pick a country, a style, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and there will be a restaurant to suit you. You can have whatever you want.”
He credits this evolution partly to the covid pandemic, which he said encouraged many chefs to move away from larger chains to start their own ventures once lockdown had been lifted.
Ollie continued: “Covid gave chefs some well-needed downtime. We were all running the race, but then we had to stop. It was a chance to ask: what do I actually want to do?”
Ahead of Christmas, the team at The Cut & Craft are already working on the restaurant’s January specials, including a vegan mushroom pie and a spiced brill dish. They’re also gearing up for the launch of a new location in Manchester next year, the third to be opened by the brand.
What else is coming up for Ollie? “Watch this space,” he hinted, “because you never know, we might just do something wacky and wonderful.”
We’re writing a love letter to Leeds - here’s how you can get involved
We’ve launched our new #LoveYour campaign to celebrate the amazing local businesses, people, places and quirks that make Leeds so great.
The campaign, which comes in the run-up to the festive season, will be a love letter to the city as we focus on everything from amazing pubs to top notch chippies, from the most beautiful walks to family favourite attractions.
Our reporters are out and about experiencing the community afresh and reporting back, but we also need you to share your top local tips. If you #LoveYour - we want to know what and why.
Let us know what you think makes Leeds special by emailing [email protected].