Leeds restaurant The Swine Bistro has promoted Angus Evans to head chef as the award-winning Headingley restaurant enters a new chapter focused on produce-led, sustainable, and innovative cooking.
Angus steps into the role after joining the restaurant as sous chef in 2025, working alongside executive chef, Stu Myers, following his success at Leeds organic restaurant Eat Your Greens.
The promotion signals an evolution for The Swine Bistro as it further cements its reputation as a produce-led neighbourhood bistro, placing seasonality, low-waste cooking and local sourcing at the centre of its menus.
Originally from a hospitality background which spans everything from fast-food kitchens to refined small plates restaurants, Evans has worked in the industry since the age of 16. After graduating from Leeds Beckett University, he committed to hospitality full-time, progressing from grill chef to operations manager at Leeds burger concept Slap and Pickle before moving into the city’s independent restaurant scene.
At Eat Your Greens, Evans helped elevate the restaurant to national recognition, earning a place in The Good Food Guide before joining The Swine Bistro team last year.
Now, as head chef, he is helping shape a menu that champions Yorkshire produce that maximises ingredients through thoughtful, low-waste cooking techniques.
Angus Evans, head chef at The Swine Bistro, said: “For me, it’s about making the absolute most of incredible local produce while creating food that still feels exciting, generous and full of flavour.
“We’re working with suppliers and growers that are right on our doorstep and in the heartland of Yorkshire, looking carefully at how every ingredient can have multiple lives in the kitchen. Whether that’s preserving green tomatoes for winter sauces, making our own dairy products in-house, or using by-products in other dishes, sustainability has to be built into the way we cook naturally.”
Stu Myers, executive chef and co-owner of The Swine Bistro, said: “Angus has brought a huge amount of creativity, energy and thoughtfulness to the kitchen since joining us, and this felt like the natural next step.
“The future of The Swine Bistro is about continuing to evolve whilst staying true to what we’ve always believed in – incredible produce, proper hospitality and inventive cooking without pretension.
“Developing and supporting talented chefs is also hugely important to Jo and I. Angus represents the next generation of chefs pushing things forward in Leeds, and we’re excited to support and nurture Angus and the wider team, to see where we can all take the kitchen – hopefully to a Bib Gourmand.”
The Swine Bistro features in both The Good Food Guide’s and Square Meals Top 100 Best Local Restaurants and has been named one of the Yorkshire Post’s 50 Best Restaurants in Yorkshire. The restaurant is located opposite the Arndale Centre on Otley Road, Headingley, and is open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.
Bookings can be made at www.theswinebistro.co.uk.