Resident Creative Director (2022–2024)

From 2022 to 2024, I served as the Resident Creative Director at Michelin Green Star restaurant Where The Light Gets In and as Project Coordinator at The Landing CIC. My role was to document and interpret the intimate stories of this iconic restaurant—an ever-evolving space dedicated to sustainability, food sovereignty and deep engagement with nature.

Chef and patron Sam Buckley once shared the story behind the restaurant’s name: in a Nigerian tradition, a single stitch is left unfinished in garment making to allow the light to get in. This resonated with me. I began to see light as a metaphor for the divine, and my work became an attempt to capture the essence of WTLGI beyond food—an act of meditation, a philosophy rooted in thoughtful, nature-led creation.

Beyond the restaurant, I played a key role in developing The Landing CIC, a community garden situated atop a car park in Stockport. Recognising the economic and environmental disparities within the area, I worked to democratise access to sustainability and creativity, ensuring that our work extended beyond the high-end dining experience. Through funding initiatives and partnerships, I helped facilitate subsidised arts and ecology workshops, providing opportunities for people of all backgrounds to engage with nature, food systems, and craft.

Throughout my time at WTLGI, I documented the interactions between chefs, suppliers, produce, and the many fascinating characters who shaped the space. I also curated the Arts & Ecology Programme, collaborating with artists from diverse disciplines to host workshops and exhibitions that engaged both the restaurant and the wider community. My aim was always to use creativity to elevate, interpret, and amplify the ethos of WTLGI—ensuring that the light not only got in but was shared.