0151 230 8600 / eat@theartschoolrestaurant.co.uk
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THE ART SCHOOL CELLARS

Paul Askew

Paul Askew is one of the UK’s most pioneering figures in hospitality. Chef Patron and owner of The Art School for over a decade, since September 2014 Paul and his team have brought innovative fine-dining to Liverpool. Since opening, The Art School has proudly been Michelin Recommended and held two Rosettes in the AA Guide.

Paul is focused on maintaining the highest standard of gastronomy in Liverpool and to showcase how good the city can be, as he strives to achieve the region ever more recognition.

In honour of his career and commitment within the hospitality industry, last year Paul was proudly elected as President of Disciples of Escoffier UK. Paul became a Disciple of Escoffier in March 2023 and he now has the immense honour being the President of Disciples of Escoffier UK. His new role includes to modernise the organisation with diversity, help bring the next generation of chefs to the fore in the hospitality sector and mentor and support the young chefs of the future.

Integral to Paul’s overall work is to nurture and train the next generation through the early stages of their careers, both at The Art School and also volunteering his time at Hugh Baird College and other sites across the North-West for Master Classes with the students. Finding and supporting the new kitchen stars and gastronomic talent is wedded to Paul’s founding ethos as a chef and mentor.

Paul is Fellow and Chair in the North of England for the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.  This position is reflective of his ongoing commitment to developing local talent and culinary culture in Liverpool and across the UK. Paul was also influential in bringing the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts qualification to the city, which is the only course available in the North of England.

Paul was instrumental in helping The Commanderie de Bordeaux à Liverpool receive its Charter from Le Grand Conseil de Vins de Bordeaux in spring 2025. As part of the ceremony and the charter being received, Paul was bestowed the role of Maitre De La Commanderie de Bordeaux. Working closely with the Le Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux, history has been made launching The Commanderie de à Liverpool.

In addition, during his time in Liverpool Paul has cooked for the G7 delegation in December 2021, recreated The Art School at The Grand National in Aintree over the last four years and cooked for The Turner Prize December 2022 and Eurovision celebrations in 2023.

With his son Harry Askew, Paul opened their Scouse brasserie in Liverpool, Barnacle, in December 2021, which is now Barnacle Restaurant and Bar set in the city’s Georgian Quarter. Barnacle captures Liverpool’s storied history as a port city and how the region’s gastronomy has been shaped by the huge boats which brought flavours and inspirations to the docks from all over the world. Their latest restaurant brings to life Liverpool’s maritime past to the present.

Paul’s list of credentials includes:

  • Author of Onwards and Upwards – 40 signature dishes from The Art School Restaurant
  • LVEDP Board member for Culinary Arts
  • Patron of Taste Liverpool drink Bordeaux
  • Judge for Young National Chef Of The Year
  • Judge for National Chef of the year
  • Board member of Liverpool’s Hospitality Association
  • Master Craftsman Craft Guild Of Chefs
  • Ambassador of Le Grand Conseuil de Vin Bordeaux
  • Patron John Haynes Haynes Foundation
  • President of Wirral Met College Alumni
  • Ambassador for Estrella Damn UK
  • Ambassador for Thrive
  • Ambassador for Owen McVeigh Foundation
  • Ambassador of Hospitality Action
The Art School

CAREER HISTORY

Starting life in Sunderland, Paul moved to the Wirral at the age of 4, before Dubai aged 11, then Singapore with his family. It was here that his fascination with good quality food and ingredients began after being exposed to different cultures and different foods – finding these international cities to be centres of culinary excellence and diversity.

Paul started his career in the industry as a kitchen porter at Thornton Hall on the Wirral, working there during schooldays before attending culinary school from the age of 18. After finishing his training, Paul began working at a local restaurant on the Wirral, where he undertook a three-year training programme with De Vere hotels. During this time, he also worked as a relief chef, a role in which he would move around different hotels and restaurants to shadow chefs and learn key skills and techniques of the trade.

In 1987, Paul moved to New York, where he worked for the Herberts Group of restaurants which owned an extensive outside catering business. This experience taught Paul how to be adaptable as a chef due to the incredibly varied nature of the role; events ranged from a 500-cover sit down dinner to a private event for 12.

Moving back to England, Paul began his first Head Chef position at Wincham Hall in Cheshire, before taking on the role of Head Chef at the newly opened Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool in 1995. He worked here for 7 years, managing a brigade of chefs before moving to join The London Carriage Works and Hope Street Hotel team in 2002.

BROADCAST APPEARANCES & COOKBOOK

Paul has appeared on Saturday Kitchen and Sunday Brunch in 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively, as well as appearing as a mentor on Celebrity MasterChef in 2018. Earlier this year, he appeared on ITV’s Friday Night Fakeaway, teaching busy families not to rely on takeaway food and to prepare healthier alternatives at home.

Paul competed in the North West heats of series 12 of The Great British Menu, scoring the ‘Perfect 10’ for his main course ‘Memories with Marjorie’ from two-starred Michelin Chef Daniel Clifford, on his way to reaching the regional final alongside friend Chef Ellis Barrie.

2017 saw Paul released his debut book, “Onwards and Upwards”, part autobiography, part cookbook, which documents his early years in the industry and the experiences that shaped him alongside 40
stunning dishes from The Art School.

The Art School
The Art School

THE NEXT GENERATION

Paul has an unmatched level of commitment to developing the next generation of culinary talent. For over three decades, he has worked with apprentice and trainee chefs, investing time away from the pass to nurture their skills and to encourage success in the industry.

Paul has coached 3 national finalists in Hotel Olympia, 10 different winners of the Young Merseyside Chef of the Year award and 2 winners of North West Chef of the Year. Paul has an unmatched level of commitment to developing the next generation of culinary talent.

PARTNERSHIPS & AMBASSADORSHIPS

Paul is a fellow of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and Joint Chair of the Northern Branch alongside his mentor and great friend Steven Doherty of Le Gavroche, having joined the academy in 2006 on invitation from Paul Heathcote. In 2018 Paul judged the National Chef of the Year semi-finals having again been invited by Gary Jones (Head Chef of Le Manoir À Quatre Saisons) and the Craft Guild of Chefs. Paul is a chef and brand ambassador for Estrella Damm and Attilus Caviar and, in 2018, became the first British chef to receive the cape and cap of the order of Le Grand Conseil du Vin de Bordeaux.

He also curated and advised the Bordeaux Festival of Wine – Liverpool after bringing them to the city for a debut festival in 2018. He hopes that these upcoming events in the city will help to develop and show the level of gastronomy on offer in Liverpool. He has been instrumental in helping to secure the Bordeaux Wine Festival for the forthcoming years after outperforming Brussels & Quebec in Year 1, with plans for a sommelier competition, celebrity chef demonstrations and food matching with his industry colleagues.

His ambitions are to lead the positioning of Liverpool on the international gastronomic map in terms of reputation, quality, provenance of ingredients and, ultimately, to drive food tourism to the Liverpool City region. He also wishes to achieve Liverpool’s first Michelin star and to be the first recipient of 3 AA Rosettes in the city, whilst inspiring the next generation of chefs and restauranteurs in the Liverpool City region and beyond.

For more information, please contact harry@theartschoolrestaurant.co.uk

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