i. Biography
He helped open Goat on the Roof in May 2022, turning the old Lloyds Bank building on Bridge Street into a dining room built around British tapas. The work was as much about fit-out and focus as it was about cooking: a civic shell recast into a room with a clear brief and a tighter scale. In that opening phase, Sam May was part of the team shaping the restaurant’s identity from the ground up.
The Path
Since 2022, Sam May has held the role of Head Chef at Goat on the Roof. That position puts him at the centre of the service pattern, where the opening concept has to be translated day after day into timing, consistency and pace. His route to the role is defined by the opening itself: helping bring the restaurant into being, then carrying it forward once it was trading.
The Work Today
British tapas asks for dishes that can travel fast, hold their shape and still read clearly on the pass. In that format, Sam’s work is to keep the restaurant’s original intent intact while maintaining the discipline that makes an opening idea last. The old Lloyds Bank building on Bridge Street set the frame; his kitchen work keeps the room moving inside it.
Signature
Sam's signature dishes include Pulled 72-Hour Pork Bao Bun. The dish points to a style of cooking that values patience alongside immediate impact: long-cooked meat presented in a compact, handheld form. As a signature, it sits comfortably within Goat on the Roof’s wider brief, combining recognisable format with technical control.
Acclaim
The key marker in May’s career is the 2022 opening. His role in the launch, and his place in the Bridge Street conversion, make that moment the central reference point for his work at Goat on the Roof. For a chef, helping define the restaurant before it fully exists is different from joining a finished concept; in May’s case, that early involvement is what fixed his contribution in the record of the place.
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of Sam
What is Sam May's current role?
As of 2026, Sam May is Head Chef.
What is Sam May known for?
British tapas.
