Mark Hix to host dinner inside HMP Brixton

The Clink Charity has announced that award-winning British chef, restaurateur and food writer Mark Hix MBE has joined as a culinary ambassador. To launch the collaboration, Hix will host a one-night-only dinner at The Clink’s flagship restaurant inside HMP Brixton on 16 July.

In this role, Hix will help raise awareness of The Clink’s life-changing work with people in prison. The event marks the beginning of a new series of high-profile chef collaborations designed to raise both funds and awareness for The Clink’s mission.

One of the country's most celebrated chefs

With over three decades at the forefront of hospitality, Hix is one of the UK’s most influential culinary figures. After 17 years as chef-director at Caprice Holdings—where he oversaw iconic London restaurants including The Ivy, Scott’s, and Le Caprice—he went on to open several establishments under his own name, including HIX Oyster & Chop House, HIX Soho, HIX Tramshed and HIX Oyster & Fish House in Lyme Regis.

For the exclusive dinner, Hix will collaborate with Clink chef trainers and student participants to develop a bespoke, produce-led menu. Diners will not only experience Hix’s signature cooking style but also witness how hospitality can provide purpose, structure and transformation within the prison system.

The Clink Charity runs innovative training programmes inside UK prisons, offering participants professional qualifications, real-world restaurant experience and structured support to secure employment after release. Its restaurants, including the one at HMP Brixton, are open to the public and staffed by students working towards hospitality careers as part of their rehabilitation.

The results speak for themselves; Clink graduates are significantly less likely to reoffend, with many going on to successful roles in top kitchens, hotels, bakeries and cafés.

“With all that’s happening on the global stage, it’s easy to overlook the vital work charities like The Clink are doing right on our doorstep,” says Hix.

“For me, cooking has always been a lifeline—it breaks down barriers, it nourishes and nurtures us in so many different ways and can provide purpose and structure. As a disillusioned kid growing up in the south-west, it was a cookery teacher at college who opened my eyes to the creativity of cooking. That experience changed my life. Hospitality has given me great opportunities, helped me forge life-affirming relationships, and given me creative fulfilment. I’m honoured to support The Clink and hope this dinner is just the beginning.”

You may also be interested in…