Chef & co-founder
Sam Whitlock
Sam trained in London and San Sebastián before coming home to open The Paring Knife. He runs the fire, writes the menu and still does the morning bread.
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About The Paring Knife
Built around our guests.
The people, principles and story behind The Paring Knife.
0117 496 0732Monday · Closed
About The Paring Knife
A restaurant in Bristol, run by people who know our guests by name and still care about the small things.
The Paring Knife is a neighbourhood restaurant in Bristol cooking over fire with produce from farms we know by name. Relaxed lunches, long dinners and a short, honest wine list, served by people who love what they do.
Meet the chefs- 01
Cooked over fire
Our wood-fired grill and oven give everything we cook depth, char and a little bit of smoke.
- 02
Local & seasonal
We write the menu around what our farmers and fishermen bring us each week.
- 03
Something for everyone
Vegetarian and vegan dishes on every menu, and every allergen clearly labelled.
What we stand for
Six strands. One rope.
On its own each one is just a good intention. Twisted together they’re what guests can rely on at The Paring Knife.
- 01
Listen first
Every conversation starts with what you need, not with what we’d like to sell.
- 02
Do it properly
Our chefs are trained, careful and proud of the details nobody else checks.
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Say it straight
Clear prices, honest advice and no small print we wouldn’t sign ourselves.
- 04
Stay local
Rooted in Bristol: local suppliers, local partners and a lot of local guests.
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Easy to reach
Call, message or drop in. Quick answers from people who know your name.
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Keep improving
We learn from every visit, every review and every awkward question.
By the numbers
The short version.
No dashboards, no jargon: just what The Paring Knife adds up to so far.
The Paring Knife, so far: 0 yrs cooking in Bristol, 0 mi most produce travels less than, 0★ average from 1,200+ reviews, and 0% less food waste since 2024.
Meet the chefs
One by one, the people of The Paring Knife.
Scroll through the team. Every card is someone you might meet on your first visit.
Head chef
Amara Osei
Amara leads the kitchen day to day and heads up our ferments and preserves. Her roast celeriac converted half of our regulars.
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Sommelier
Lucía Ferrer
Lucía grew up among vineyards in Catalonia and looks after our natural wine list, alcohol-free pairings and the occasional wine class.
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Restaurant manager
Elliot Price
Elliot makes sure every guest feels looked after, from the first phone call to the last espresso. He also runs our private dining.
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Pastry chef
Mei Tanaka
Mei is behind the cheesecake, the ice creams and the tart for two. She churns, bakes and tempers everything in-house.
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