Henry Dimbleby
Henry Dimbleby | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, culinary author |
| Known for | Co-founder of Leon Restaurants and the Sustainable Restaurant Association; lead non-executive board member for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2018–2023) |
| Notable work | The School Food Plan (2013), Ravenous: How to Improve Our Health and the Planet's (2023) |
| Spouse | Jemima Lewis |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | David Dimbleby, Josceline Dimbleby |
Henry Richard Melville Dimbleby (born May 1970) is a British entrepreneur and culinary author, best known as the co-founder of Leon Restaurants and the Sustainable Restaurant Association. In March 2018, he was appointed as the lead non-executive board member for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He is the son of BBC presenter David Dimbleby and culinary writer Josceline Dimbleby.
Early life
Born in May 1970, Dimbleby is the child of broadcaster David Dimbleby and food writer Josceline Dimbleby. His sister, Kate Dimbleby, is a performer specializing in cabaret singing. He received his education at the Dragon School followed by Eton College, where he was a Newcastle scholar and studied alongside Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg. He pursued higher education at the University of Oxford, focusing on Physics and Philosophy. In 1984, he appeared in the television series Swallows and Amazons Forever!.
Cookery writing
Dimbleby’s culinary career began as a commis chef under Michelin-starred chef Bruno Loubet before transitioning to journalism as a food columnist for The Daily Telegraph. He later contributed regularly to The Guardian and participated in programs such as BBC Radio 4's The Kitchen Cabinet and BBC One's Saturday Kitchen.
Management consultancy
Between 1995 and 2002, Dimbleby was employed by management consulting firm Bain & Co.
Restaurant entrepreneurship
During his tenure at Bain, Dimbleby met John Vincent, with whom he co-founded Leon Restaurants, alongside chef Allegra McEvedy. Leon has since become a prominent name within the fast-casual dining market. Additionally, Dimbleby co-established the Sustainable Restaurants Association in 2009 and launched The London Union, which operates some of London’s largest street food markets.
School meals
In 2013, Education Secretary Michael Gove commissioned Dimbleby and Vincent to develop the School Food Plan, aimed at enhancing UK school meals and food education. This initiative resulted in free school lunches for all infants in Reception through Years 1 and 2, along with the integration of cooking and nutrition into the National Curriculum for children aged 4 to 14. Two key food projects were also initiated in Lambeth and Croydon. By 2015, the government confirmed that funding for free infant school meals would be safeguarded against budget cuts.
National Food Strategy
The National Food Strategy, Part One, led by Dimbleby and published in July 2020, put forward recommendations to assist disadvantaged children while improving environmental sustainability and animal welfare standards. These proposals received support from Marcus Rashford during his Covid-related campaign that same year.
Other
From 2018 until 2023, Dimbleby held a non-executive board position at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In January 2024, he launched Bramble Partners, a venture capital firm focused on investing in companies that enhance food security.
Recognition
In recognition of their contributions to the School Food Plan, Vincent and Dimbleby were appointed Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours. They were also honored with the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s Raymond Blanc Sustainability Hero award in 2017. In July 2025, Dimbleby received an honorary doctorate from Newcastle University.
Dimbleby is married to journalist Jemima Lewis. Together they have three children and live in Hackney, east London.
Bibliography
- The School Food Plan (2013)
- Ravenous: How to Improve Our Health and the Planet's (2023), co-written with Jemima Lewis