Hey, I'm Jamie
Hi, I’m Jamie, the founder of Holistic Chef Academy, a holistic chef educator and regenerative farmer.
Over the past 25 years, I’ve cooked in Michelin-starred kitchens, worked on private yachts, led retreat kitchens around the world, and now I’m bringing all that experience back home to Ireland, where I’m developing Tanglewood Retreat, a cookery school and permaculture farm on my family land in County Galway.
My culinary journey
I began my chef career in the west of Ireland at age 15 as a pot washer! After years of intense training and travel, I had the privilege of working under legendary chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Thomas Keller, Michael Caines, Rasmus Kofoed, and Corey Lee - in kitchens including The French Laundry, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Gidleigh Park, and Geranium.
This chapter taught me discipline, precision, and deep respect for ingredients. However, over time, I felt drawn to a different path - one rooted in nutrition, sustainability, and a connection to the earth.
Why I went plant-based
After over a decade in fine dining kitchens, surrounded by meat-heavy menus and indulgent ingredients, I began to feel disconnected from the deeper purpose of food.
My energy was low. My creativity was fading. And I started questioning the impact of my work, not only on my health, but also on animals, the environment, and the food system as a whole.
In 2015, I paused and travelled. I studied nutrition, Ayurveda, and traditional food cultures. I fasted, cleansed, and experimented. And gradually, I transitioned to a wholefood, plant-based way of eating, not out of ideology, but from experience.
This shift changed everything. My energy returned. My cooking became more creative. I felt aligned with my values again. I started to see food not just as fuel or flavour, but as a tool for healing, connection, and regeneration.
Today, I eat and cook plant-based because it’s the most sustainable, nourishing, and inspiring way of eating I’ve found.
From kitchen to academy
That turning point in 2015 didn’t just change the way I ate - it changed the way I cooked, taught, and lived.
Out of this transformation, I created Holistic Chef Academy, a platform to share everything I’ve learned about food, health, and sustainability through recipes and cooking courses.
Where I work today
Today, I divide my time between:
- Holistic Chef Academy: A platform for cooking courses, food education, and recipe development rooted in whole, seasonal, plant-based foods. We operate from a cosy kitchen studio nestled in the jungle of Phuket, Thailand.
- Tanglewood Retreat: A regenerative permaculture farm and cookery school being developed on a 20-acre site of family land in west Ireland.
- Private Chef Work: I take on select private chef projects in France, London, and aboard superyachts, creating bespoke culinary experiences.
- Retreat Chef Residencies: I travel seasonally for chef residencies at holistic retreats around Europe and Asia, bringing nourishing, plant-rich cuisine to immersive healing environments.
My food philosophy
I believe food is life.
My cooking is guided not just by flavour and nutrition, but by a deep dissatisfaction with the current food system, one that is often violent, unjust, and driven by profit over people.
Farmers are rarely paid fairly for the food they produce. Corporate interests dominate what ends up on our shelves, while manipulative marketing targets children and adults alike, promoting addictive, ultra-processed foods that harm health and disconnect us from nature.
This fuels my drive. I want to raise awareness of the systems behind our food and help people break free from their traps.
Through my work, I aim to support the development of localised, holistic food systems - where farmers and growers are valued, nutritious food reaches communities, and everyone benefits.
My cooking is grounded in these values:
- Rooted in whole, minimally processed ingredients
- Seasonal, sustainable, and locally sourced, where possible
- Culturally rich and globally inspired
- Respectful to the earth, animals, and future generations
No shortcuts. No lab-made substitutes. Just good, honest food that tastes good and makes you feel good. We need not overcomplicate the simple act of 'eating real food'!
A few fun facts
- I’ve cooked in over 20 countries, including Thailand, Morocco, Spain, the US, Taiwan, the Maldives, and China
- I meditate and stretch every morning, and I take time twice a year to attend silent meditation retreats to reset and recharge.
- I love Lindy Hop dancing! I spent 4 years learning this fun and expressive style while living in Cheltenham, UK.
- I’m most content and at peace in the garden, in the kitchen, or up in the snow-capped mountains!
