Mark Hix to host fundraising dinner at The Clink, Brixton in support of prisoner rehabilitation

British chef and restaurateur Mark Hix will host a one-off dinner event at The Clink restaurant, located inside HMP Brixton, on Wednesday 16^th July. Starting at 6pm, the event marks the beginning of a new collaboration between Hix and The Clink Charity, which provides hospitality training to prisoners as part of a wider rehabilitation programme. The initiative aims to raise awareness and funds to support the organisation’s ongoing work to reduce reoffending through vocational training.

Hix, who has been named a culinary ambassador for the charity, will work alongside Clink chef trainers and student participants to design a bespoke, ingredient-led menu for the evening. A proponent of seasonal British produce and author of several cookbooks, he is best known for his work at Caprice Holdings, where he oversaw establishments such as The Ivy and Le Caprice, and later for opening restaurants under his own name including Hix Oyster & Chop House and Hix Soho. Hix’s dinner will be the first in a planned series featuring prominent chefs, with further dates scheduled through 2025 and 2026.

Simon McKinnon-Brahams, restaurant manager trainer at The Clink, said: “We’re enormously excited to welcome Mark to Brixton. He’s one of the UK’s most respected chefs and shares our belief that food can be a powerful force for good. For our students, this will be an important learning opportunity.”

The Clink Charity, founded in 2009, operates training restaurants in UK prisons, offering inmates the opportunity to gain industry-recognised qualifications and practical experience. The restaurant at HMP Brixton is open to the public and staffed by prisoners training for careers in hospitality. According to the charity, participants in its programmes are significantly less likely to reoffend and many go on to secure employment in the food and hospitality sector after release.

“With all that’s happening on the global stage, it’s easy to overlook the vital work charities like The Clink are doing right on our doorstep,” said Hix. “For me, cooking has always been a lifeline: it breaks down barriers, it nourishes and nurtures us in so many different ways and can provide purpose and structure. As a disillusioned kid growing up in the South West, it was a cookery teacher at college who opened my eyes to the creativity of cooking. That experience changed my life. Hospitality has given me great opportunities, helped me forge life-affirming relationships and given me creative fulfilment. I’m honoured to support The Clink and hope this dinner is just the beginning.”

Food Desk

Mark Hix’s dinner at The Clink, Brixton is on at 6pm on 16^th July 2025. To book tickets, visit here.

For further information about The Clink, visit the charity’s website here.