MasterChef star Ritchie Stainsby joins Natural Innovations

We’re thrilled to welcome Ritchie Stainsby, Nottingham chef and MasterChef: The Professionals semi-finalist, as our new Innovation Chef.

Ritchie is celebrated for his award-winning plant-led cuisine, inventive flavour combinations, and zero-waste approach. From founding Nottingham’s acclaimed No. Twelve restaurant to earning national recognition for his tasting menus, he has consistently pushed the boundaries of modern, plant-led dining. Now, he’s bringing that same vision to the heart of Natural Innovations.

Speaking about his appointment, Ritchie said:

“For me, food should always start with flavour. I’ve always believed in creating things that people genuinely want to eat. My focus has never been on imitation meat or alternatives, but on doing clever, delicious things with fruit and vegetables. Working with Natural Innovations means I can take that philosophy further, sharing plant-led creations with thousands every day and inspiring bold new flavours across restaurants and foodservice”

In his new role, Ritchie will focus on developing innovative menu solutions for both retail and foodservice brands. He’ll collaborate closely with our Innovation Director, James Burgess, and the NPD team, exploring new techniques, bold flavour combinations, and creative uses of plant-led ingredients. His work will help chefs and operators create dishes that are as exciting as they are practical, bringing chef-level creativity into large-scale kitchens without compromise.

As consumer demand for plant-led and sustainable food continues to grow, Ritchie’s arrival reinforces our commitment to combining innovation, flavour, and integrity in everything we do. Our Commercial Director, Tom Edwards, adds:

“Ritchie brings exactly the kind of creativity, curiosity and technical expertise that defines Natural Innovations. His philosophy of making plant-led food exciting for everyone, not just vegetarians or vegans, perfectly reflects our mission to make sustainable eating simple, delicious and mainstream. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team as we expand our development capabilities”

We can’t wait to see the incredible ingredients, menu solutions and innovative ideas come to life under his guidance. If you are curious about how Ritchie and the team can help, get in touch today and take your menu to the next level.