George is the brains behind Cooke Hospitality, a man who swapped the insurance boardroom for the kitchen heat and never looked back. After an early career crunching numbers, he dove headlong into hospitality, helping launch London’s cult Dum Biryani House and sharpening his knives with the Conran Restaurant Group and Harts Group, as well as trailblazing teams like Super 8 and the wine haven Noble Rot. George’s journey has been anything but ordinary: one minute he’s working with Michelin-star mentors, the next he’s opening a hip East End eatery in an unlikely corner of Wales. In 2019, he co-founded Môr, a seaside restaurant in Mumbles born from a dream of bringing “low-fuss east London bistro” vibes to South Wales.

Môr (meaning “sea” in Welsh) became an instant hit for its friendly, farm-to-table flair, inspiring George to add Elwyn – an offbeat cocktail bar up the road where an ox-tongue sandwich became a surprise bestseller. When the pandemic hit, George’s community spirit kicked into high gear: he spearheaded the Feed the NHS Wales campaign, turning his kitchens toward nourishing frontline health workers in Swansea Bay and the rest of Wales. Equal parts culinary adventurer and altruist, George infuses Cooke Hospitality with a bold sense of purpose, whether he’s forging friendships with local fishermen for the freshest catch or rallying chefs to cook for a cause.

In true bon vivant (the original meaning, as in “one fond of good living”) fashion, he’s the kind of founder who leads from the front (often in a sauce-stained apron), blending big-hearted hospitality with irrepressible imagination every step of the way.