Ana Ortiz

If you were lucky enough to join us for Ana’s first spin on the Carousel in 2023, you’ll know that for her, live fire cooking is a way of life. 

Ana grew up on the Galapagos Islands, where weekend-long feasts cooked over smouldering embers were a regular occurrence. With her grandfather (‘Papi Polo‘) a skilled hunter and butcher, her uncle a seasoned fisherman, and her father an asado obsessive, Ortiz family get-togethers would centre around the fire, where the entirety of the weekend’s haul would be cooked over flames, seasoned simply with a brush of a rosemary branch, and enjoyed as a family.

After falling in love on a visit to London, where her brother was studying at the time, Ana swapped the volcanic paradise of the Galapagos sixteen years ago for a quiet rural life in Somerset with husband Tom. There they run Fire Made, handcrafting bespoke fire cookery equipment for top chefs and restaurants like Tomos Parry, Paul Ainsworth and Marcus Wareing.

Returning for another white-hot week at Carousel, industry legend Ana has crafted a menu showcasing the smoky Ecuadorian flavours that she grew up eating. Expect generous dishes like her ‘Ceviche de Trucha’ (chalk stream trout ceviche with heritage beetroot); ‘Conchas Asadas’ (hay-smoked mussels with burnt chilli & tomato sauce); and ‘Seco de Chivo y Ají de Maní (spiced braised lamb, peanut chilli sauce, corn tortillas and encebollado — an Ecuadorian fish stew). 

Her first residency back in December 2023 sold out in a matter of days. Get booking early to avoid disappointment.