i. Biography
“We are using the same great suppliers and produce for Koxedo that we always use for Ox and Finch and followed our usual testing and development process for all of the dishes.” In that line, Aurelien Mourez, Head Chef at the Glasgow restaurant since 2016, set out a working method rather than a branding position. Supplier continuity, produce quality, repeated trials and dish development sat ahead of novelty. The craft was in making comfort precise: testing until seasoning, texture and structure held without making the work visible to the guest.
The Route
Classical hotel-school training gave the foundation for the kitchen discipline later seen in Aurelien Mourez’s work. École hôtelière de Poligny supplied the formal base; Lameloise in France added the expectations of serious restaurant precision; Domaine de Lonvilliers in Saint-Martin, Caribbean, placed that training in a different setting where timing, control and clarity still had to carry the service. Pâtisserie work in the city from 2010 sharpened the measured side of the craft. Subsequent kitchens — Michael Caines at Abode, Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or, and Cail Bruich — broadened the professional base without replacing the need for exact execution. That phase tightened around the Glasgow kitchen and the later fried-chicken project. Mourez was chef at the former in Scotland in 2015–2016, took on the latter in Scotland from 2021, and has been Head Chef of the Glasgow restaurant since 2016. Across those roles, the through-line was produce first, technique kept in service of flavour, and a development process that asked a dish to justify its place before it reached the menu.
At Work Now
Seasonal, ingredient-led cooking there depended on restraint as much as impact. Since 2016, Mourez has been Head Chef there, working with menus described as simple, seasonal and ingredient-led, combining big, bold flavours with global influences. That kind of cooking left little cover: the ingredient set the terms, the season limited the options, and the finished plate had to carry flavour without excess decoration. Casual formats did not remove the need for testing. In the fried-chicken work, Mourez applied the same supplier base and development process used at his main kitchen. “Fried chicken done well is great, simple comfort food, but there are a few tricks to getting it right. We must have tried more than 20 variants with different cuts, dredges and marinades.” The point was practical: crunch, seasoning, moisture and the cut of the richness were not accidental, even when the format read as comfort food. The Ka Pao chicken sandwich showed that approach in a compact build: buttermilk fried chicken breast with sriracha fish sauce caramel, nam prik num and pickled cabbage in a milk bun. Sweetness, heat, sourness, salt, softness and crunch had to be balanced inside a format that gave the diner no pause between components. Westender Magazine called it the highlight and described it as a blend of sweet, spicy, sour and salty. Across the two ventures, the work was process-led rather than format-led. Mourez’s cooking used bold flavour, but the discipline sat underneath it: supplier choice, repeated trials, adjustment, and enough restraint to let the final bite feel direct.
Distinctions
Competition recognition includes Aurelien Mourez being named a Game Chef of the Year finalist (2017).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Aurelien
What is Aurelien Mourez's current position?
Aurelien Mourez is Head Chef.
Where did Aurelien Mourez train or study?
Aurelien Mourez trained at École hôtelière de Poligny.
What recognition has Aurelien Mourez received?
Game Chef of the Year finalist (2017).
