Mark Hix

Mark Ernest Hix is an English chef and restaurateur whose traditional English menus often feature foraged and local foods. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hix was based in London, but announced in January 2021 that he would be relocating to Dorset permanently after five of his restaurants were put into administration. and his first job was in the staff canteen at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Since then, he has worked at both The Ivy and Le Caprice, and became Caprice Holding's Chef Director in 1999. HIX Soho, opened in 2009 and closed in 2019; HIX Belgravia, opened in London's Hotel Belgravia in 2011 and closed the following year; The City and Soho locations also featured a Mark's Bar.

HIX has also operated a number of restaurants outside his main London HIX brand. In 2005, while still working for Caprice, Hix opened The Rivington Bar and Grill, which he operated anonymously until Caprice later bought the restaurant. It closed in 2017 and was replaced by the Blacklock Shoreditch. The Tramshed, also in Shoreditch, opened in 2011 and Hixter Bankside in 2014; both closed when Hix's restaurants went into administration in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Back home in Dorset, Hix opened the HIX Oyster and Fish House (2008—2020, 2020—present) and boutique hotel the HIX Townhouse (2014—2020), both in Lyme Regis. He also previously operated a Champagne and caviar bar inside Selfridges on Oxford Street, which was open between 2010 and 2013, and a small pop-up cocktail bar, opened in 2013 and now closed. He and longtime friend Damien Hirst collaborated on the opening of Pharmacy 2, a revival of Hirst's Notting Hill restaurant Pharmacy (1997—2003), in Vauxhall next to Hirst's Newport Street Gallery. Pharmacy 2 is now closed.

In 2016, he went into business with hospitality group Westbury Street Holdings (WSH) and became a minor shareholder. In April 2020, shortly after COVID-19 shutdowns began, WSH put Hix's restaurants in administration, which closed Hix Oyster and Chop House, Bankside, Tramshed, Mark's Bar, HIX Soho, and HIX Oyster and Fish House. Prior to the closures, HIX restaurants employed 130 staff members. Hix moved home to Dorset to regroup. Just two months later, Hix started the HIX Oyster and Fish Truck out of a converted Chevrolet ambulance he found on eBay for £8,000. In July, he reopened the Oyster and Fish House and was hired as the Director of Food and Drink and as art curator for 1 Lombard Street's reopening. He has also purchased The Fox Inn in Corscombe from PJ Harvey's mother, a family friend, and opened the country pub in December 2020 on his 58th birthday. The inn's restaurant features local ingredients. Hix reopened Mark's Bar in Soho in October 2020.

In January 2021, he announced he would be relocating permanently to Dorset.

Television and Publications Hix competed in the BBC television series Great British Menu in 2007, winning the South West England heat and beating the reigning champion, Michael Caines. In doing so, two of his courses were put forward for the public vote. The main course was a crayfish and rabbit stargazy pie and, for dessert, a perry jelly with summer fruits with an elderflower ice-cream.

In addition to his cookbooks, Hix has written for The Telegraph (2020—present), City A.M., GQ, The Independent (2002—2016), and Esquire UK. In March 2021, he started hosting Soul Kitchen on Lyme Bay Radio with Neil Charlton. After Floyd's death, Hix offered a special on the menu called 'Keith Floyd's Last Lunch' which was seen by some as an appropriate tribute and was criticised by others.

Personal life He and his ex Lara Cazalet have a daughter. He also has twin daughters from a previous relationship.

Honours and awards Hix was awarded an MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to hospitality.

Cookbooks Eat Up: Food for Children of All Ages (, 2000) Simple Ways to Success: British (, 2003) Fish etc. The Ultimate Book for Seafood lovers (, 2004) British Food (, 2005) Simple Art of Marrying Food and Wine (with Malcolm Gluck) (, 2005) British Regional Food (, 2006), (, 2008) British Seasonal Food (, 2008), (, 2011) Easy Everyday British (, 2009) Hix Oyster & Chop House (, 2010) Fish Etc: The Ultimate Book for Seafood Lovers (, 2011) Mark Hix on Baking: Savoury & Sweet Recipes (, 2012) British Regional Food (, 2012) Valeria Napoleone's Catalogue of Exquisite Recipes (with Valeria Napoleone and Jennifer Higgie) (, 2012) Mark Hix: The Collection (, 2013) Hooked: Adventures in Angling & Eating (, 2019)