Meet Our Head Chef

Antonio De Gracia is a highly-talented Pan-Asian chef whose impressive cooking career has taken him across the globe. With a love of Japanese cuisine that was ignited in his early years, Antonio brings a dynamic energy to Mizu which has heavily influenced both our menus and values. After being inspired by all the vibrant cuisine around him, Antonio began studying the art of Japanese cooking at the tender age of 16 in his hometown of Manilla in the Philippines. The gifted chef has since been doing what he loves for the past 4 decades; continuously expanding his culinary expertise and perfecting a diverse range of Asian cooking styles.

His professional cooking career began at the 5-star InterContinental hotel in Abu Dhabi and since then, Antonio has been awarded Head Chef positions at some of the finest hotels and restaurants in Dubai, London and Birmingham including the Grand Hyatt (Dubai), Kurobuta (London), Moshi Moshi (London) and Miyako Teppanyaki (Birmingham). Although Japanese cuisine will always be his first passion, Antonio’s professional cooking career has since seen him expertly trained in Thai, Burmese, Malaysian and Indian cuisines among others. Throughout his vast career working in high-end hotels, Antonio has also found culinary inspiration from experience assisting as a translator. During such times, he found himself exposed to lots of new and exciting foods which only prompted him to expand his culinary expertise further.

Our skilled chef is extremely excited by the prospect of introducing authentic and flavoursome Pan-Asian cuisine to the Lake District, and finds joy in the opportunity to offer locals and visitors a unique, cultural dining experience which they will not forget.

P.S Antonio’s favourite dish from our new menu is the Beef Rendang Curry, however his signature sushi and sashimi dishes will always remain highly esteemed in the chef’s eyes.