Meet Chef Jake Kellie

Jake Kellie is one of Australia’s brightest culinary talents. Formerly the head chef of the Michelin-starred barbecue restaurant Burnt Ends in Singapore, Kellie has been leading Arkhe in Adelaide since its opening in 2021. Arkhe, derived from the Ancient Greek word for the principal element of fire, features a three-and-a-half-tonne wood-burning oven that powers four elevation grills and an open hearth.

As the co-owner and executive chef of Arkhe, Adelaide’s first open-flame restaurant, Kellie has garnered a reputation for creating dining experiences that transcend the palate. His culinary journey began at age 16 in a small restaurant on the NSW Central Coast. After studying commercial cooking at TAFE Hunter and Central Coast, Kellie moved overseas, which solidified his career path.

From 2017 to 2019, Kellie was the head chef at Burnt Ends in Singapore, working alongside chef/owner David Pynt. During his tenure, Burnt Ends climbed to #53 on the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants List and earned its first Michelin star. Kellie also won the San Pellegrino World Young Chef of the Year Award for Southeast Asia and placed second globally in Milan in 2018 with his signature dish of aged pigeon.

Kellie’s impressive resume includes stints with renowned chefs such as Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck, UK), Brett Graham (The Ledbury, Notting Hill), Scott Pickett (Estelle, Melbourne), and Matt Moran (Aria, Sydney). He has also participated in prominent festivals and events, including headlining Tasmania’s Dark MOFO in 2015 and the Tasting Australia programs in 2021/2022, and serving as the food curator for the 2022 Harvest Rock Food Festival.