Iain Lawless states emphatically that "you don’t become a chef if you want easy money, you really have to love the job!" It’s an Iain Lawless motto and yes, this mad Scot loves to cook! So how did Perth acquire this witty chef? Trained in Scotland, Iain says he really learned how to cook in Australia. Lawless has been in Australia for nearly 20 years and is a great believer that Australian cuisine is the front-runner in the food race. From modest beginnings in Glasgow, doing his bit for king and country working in Michelin Star and Egon Runey approved restaurants, to Restaurant Owner, celebrity chef, and winning chef from Room Nineteen on Channel Seven’s My Restaurant Rules Series 1... Lawless is sharp as a tac, never short of a joke, laughs at his own funnies, and he also has some extraordinary cooking experience under his kilt.

Not only has Lawless consulted to other restaurants including award winning restaurant Kuppa in Bangkok, where he taught Thai chefs how to cook Western, he has successfully run five star resort hotels with multiple outlets, as well as worked in a 100 year old bakery in the Barossa Valley - just because they made really good naturally fermented bread. Lawless has hand picked his career. If there has been an opportunity to learn something new, he has chased the knowledge.

Since being co-owner of Lawless & Chapman, Lawless has the upmost respect for anyone who owns a restaurant, because it’s a tough job. At the same time it is extremely rewarding, especially when you’re recognised for cooking nice things. Lawless and Chapman contributed to a shift in cooking, with the concept ‘Comfort Food’. Iain says "we put things on the menu that we once used to laugh at, but then we made them cool."

Whilst travelling and working in Thailand for many years, Iain has ultimately been snared by its food culture - the fullness of flavour and refined balance of hot, sweet, salty, sour and crunch. Today, Lawless takes on another new challenge of opening a small bar in Leederville, WA called Kitsch. Annita Potter, Head Chef of Kitsch has been a long suffering trusty assistant to Lawless for many years. Now she heads up the Kitsch-N, where it’s all about collaboration and having no line separating the floor and the kitchen. The customers are always first, including the internal ones. A small bar serving Asian street food, Kitsch is all about conversation with a drink, great service and great shared Asian food. Visit the brother business at www.kitschbar.com.au

As well as proving his skills as a chef, Lawless comes as an entire cooking package. As a Head Chef, Lawless is a leader, and leads by example. Having worked in 160 kitchens...probably more...,Lawless has seen all types of chefs (and their personalities) come and go. Iain says "there is no need to be an arrogant, self indulgent chef who lives by blame and thinks they are the only person who cares about the food. What works in the kitchen is reliance and making everyone proud of what they do." Lawless chefs come to work happy, and they show their food some love. They learn, they absorb and they laugh.

Iain Lawless is currently the host for new Loco TV show "Perth’s Best Restaurant" www.locotv.com.au