Johnny Drain

Dr Johnny is a fermenter, cook and scientist who has pioneered the use of fermentation as a tool to amplify flavour, increase sustainability, and create novel ingredients.

Combining his PhD in Materials Science from Oxford and years of cooking experience, his clients and collaborators have included Michelin-starred restaurants, 50 Best-winning bars and challenger food brands across the globe. He is the director of fermentation for zero-waste chef Douglas McMaster's London restaurant Silo, where he has spearheaded innovative techniques to turn food waste and by-products into delicious things to eat and drink. In 2021 he co-founded WNWN Food Labs to use fermentation to develop substitutes for unethical, unsustainable foods and ingredients.

He writes and speaks about the future of food and challenges in global food systems particularly through his work with MOLD magazine, a critically acclaimed editorial platform about designing the future of food.