Chef
Tim Dela Cruz
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- London, United Kingdom
i. Biography
Now Head Chef at Smiths of Smithfield in London, United Kingdom, Tim Dela Cruz has travelled a route that begins in Manila and moves through London, Cebu, and Cockfosters. The arc is one of kitchens and turns: Sous Chef work, Head Chef titles, and an arrival defined by wood-fire cooking, seasonal British ingredients, and Southeast Asian flavors drawn from his heritage.
Beginnings
Dela Cruz was born in Manila. That beginning remains present in his cooking through authentic Southeast Asian flavors inspired by his heritage. His craft is not built on heritage alone. The style credited to him blends classic French techniques with seasonal British produce, then brings those elements into contact with the flavors that connect him back to the Philippines. Wood-fire cooking is one of his specialties. It gives his work a directness and heat-led character without separating it from the structure of French technique or the produce-led rhythm of British seasonality.
The Rise
A London chapter placed him at Jason Atherton’s The Social Company, where he worked as Sous Chef. The role sits in the middle of a career path that moved across countries rather than staying fixed to one city. In Cebu, Philippines, he served as Head Chef at the Pig & Palm. That title marked a turn from senior support into leading a kitchen. Another Head Chef role followed at Skewd Kitchen in Cockfosters, United Kingdom. Across those posts, the through-line is clear: technical cooking, leadership, and a palate shaped by both British ingredients and Southeast Asian memory.
Today
At the London restaurant, Dela Cruz leads as Head Chef with menus focused on seasonal British ingredients, classic French cooking techniques, and flavors inspired by his heritage. The cooking brings together structure and fire, produce and memory, without treating any one element as decoration. His menu includes changing seasonal specials and signature dishes that span bar bites, mains, steaks, and plant-based options. That range gives the kitchen more than one register: informal, substantial, meat-led, vegetable-led, and tied to the calendar through dishes that change with the season. An AA Rosette is part of the honors associated with Smiths of Smithfield. For Dela Cruz, the current chapter brings the journey back to London, now with Manila, Cebu, Cockfosters, and wood fire all folded into the work of a Head Chef.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Tim
What roles has Tim Dela Cruz held?
He worked as Sous Chef at Jason Atherton’s The Social Company in London and served as Head Chef at the Pig & Palm in Cebu and Skewd Kitchen in Cockfosters.
What is Tim Dela Cruz doing now?
He serves as Head Chef at the London restaurant, where his menus focus on seasonal British ingredients, classic French techniques, and flavors inspired by his heritage.
