Mark Hix


Mark Ernest Hix is an English chef and restaurateur.

Career

Hix is a restaurateur known for his original British gastronomy. After 17 years as Chef Director at Caprice Holdings, he opened his first restaurant in 2008 – HIX Oyster & Chop House in Farringdon. Following the success of Chop House Hix opened HIX Mayfair, HIX Soho, HIX City and his chicken and steak concept restaurants Tramshed in Shoreditch, and Hixter Bankside. In autumn of 2015 he opened his first stand-alone bar in The Old Vic theatre, offering a late-night venue in Waterloo.
Hix and long-time friend Damien Hirst announced their collaboration on Pharmacy 2, combining their passions of art and food. The restaurant in Vauxhall opened its doors on 23 February 2016.
Outside of London in Hix's native Dorset is HIX Oyster & Fish House and HIX Townhouse, a boutique hotel, both in Lyme Regis. Hix has a weekly column in The Independent, and is the author of a number of cookbooks on British cuisine.
Hix was awarded an MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to hospitality.
In April 2020, it was announced that Hix's restaurant businesses had gone into administration.

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.
Hix has written a number of cookbooks including Fish etc., British Seasonal Food and British Regional Food, reflecting his interest in traditional, local and sustainable produce. He also writes a regular column on food for The Independent newspaper and is a contributing editor to Esquire UK.

Controversy

Popular British television chef, Keith Floyd lunched at Hix Oyster and Fish House hours before he suffered a fatal heart attack in September 2009. 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 criticized by others.

Cookbooks