After earning a Diplôme de Cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu London, Marnix gained valuable experience as a commis chef at Hide under chefs like Ollie Dabbous, Josh Angus, Yiannis Mexis and Martin Carabott. 

Learning from the Best 

Marnix soon moved to Belgium to develop his skills further, first as senior chef de partie at The Jane, then at Zilte, a three-Michelin-starred kitchen. It was this experience and working under Viki Geunes that he says really taught him about precision and luxury guest standards at the highest level. 

Inspiration and Culinary Style 

Now sous chef at Pyro alongside mentor Yiannis Mexis, Marnix has developed a distinct culinary style focused on live-fire cooking, sustainability and craftsmanship. To keep evolving, Marnix says he is always watching what other chefs are doing, revisiting technique, and treating every service as a chance to refine rather than repeat. He is also currently exploring seasonal pop-up dining events of his own, giving him new ways of expressing his identity as a chef. 

Challenges and Satisfaction 

For Marnix, the biggest turning point in his career was working towards junior sous chef on the meat and fish section at Hide. He highlights this as being where he really learned how to cook, run a service, and manage a team all at the same time.  

He believes there’s real satisfaction in a perfectly cooked piece of meat or fish and knowing that you’re doing justice to the produce that arrives each morning. This together with the pursuit of consistency and the camaraderie of the kitchen is what he says makes everything feel worthwhile. 

Life in and out of the Kitchen 

Recognising the importance of clearing the mind, Marnix hits the gym regularly and enjoys walking along the Thames. He loves exploring new restaurants in London and travelling around the world to eat out whenever he can. While life outside the kitchen is important, he admits that creating new dishes is one of his favourite things to do, even in his downtime. 

Looking to the Final  

While Marnix says that winning would mean everything, he adds that the title isn’t a finish line to him, and he wouldn’t stop challenging himself.  

With his unrelenting pursuit of consistency, Marnix is stepping into the final ready to test himself and showcase everything he’s learnt to date.