Born and raised in Southampton, Max Coen's interest in cooking began while working in a local pub, where the excitement of the kitchen quickly caught his attention. ‘I'd always loved food, cooking and produce,’ he explains. ‘I was always curious.’

After moving to London, Max joined Gordon Ramsay's Maze Grill in Chelsea around 2015, working under chef Ben Waugh. It was here that he developed the foundations of his cooking, learning to execute simple dishes to a high standard. ‘Maze Grill was all about learning how to be a chef. It was so inspiring to be able to cook such simple food at such a high level.’

In 2018, Max moved to Stockholm to work at Frantzén, which had recently been awarded its third Michelin star. The experience introduced him to an entirely different level of fine dining, with a focus on precision, technique and attention to detail.

‘I liken it to driving a Ferrari,’ he recalls of his time there, ‘with all the top Ferrari engineers at their peak.’

After returning to London, Max briefly reunited with Ben Waugh at The Savoy Grill before joining James Knappett's Kitchen Table, which earned its second Michelin star during his time there. He spent two years at the restaurant, developing his experience in a more creative and experimental style of fine dining.

During the pandemic, Max began cooking independently at pop-ups and private events, which led him to meet restaurateur Chris D'Sylva at the Notting Hill Fish Shop.

‘I actually did a pop up for Chris at Fish Shop, which is where we met. He was very welcoming of me and what I wanted. I remember I wanted to cook a big 6 kg turbot and no other fishmonger in London would supply it. They all thought it was too expensive or I wouldn't pick it up. But Chris told me he could get it and he did.’

The relationship would eventually lead to the opening of Dorian, but first Max joined Jeremy Chan at Ikoyi in 2021. The restaurant's distinctive approach to ingredients and flavour combinations proved particularly influential.

‘Thinking about it, that was probably the restaurant where I was most inspired and learnt the most in terms of a unique way to work and think. His way of working is really specific, he's very clever.’

In October 2022, Max joined forces with Chris D'Sylva to open Dorian, a neighbourhood bistro on Talbot Road in Notting Hill. Drawing on his experience in some of Europe's most technically demanding kitchens, Max set out to create something more relaxed, without compromising on the quality or creativity of the cooking.

‘When we first opened Dorian we wanted a bistro. Something quite simple – I feel that in some ways it's still simple now – but we try to think a bit differently and keep things playful.’

The menu combined traditional British ingredients with more inventive techniques and flavour combinations. Dishes included pigeon with morels, large cuts of beef and veal cooked over coals, and elaborate potato röstis topped with ingredients such as sea urchin and caviar.

Dorian quickly attracted attention for its produce-led cooking and informal approach to fine dining, earning a Michelin star in the 2024 guide.

‘We got a star in the first year which was cool, it wasn't something we were trying to chase or specifically work towards, most bistros don't. Everyday is hard work. We're so lucky that we're still so busy, but to run this restaurant takes an incredible amount of work, thought and the team coming together.’

Beyond the food, Max was particularly conscious of creating a better working environment for his team at Dorian. Having experienced the demanding schedules of Michelin-starred kitchens throughout his career, he wanted to challenge some of the industry's longstanding working practices.

‘I’ve built this team, and the idea of this place, around things that I hated working in past kitchens: lack of holiday, rotas coming out the week that you’re working, the hours.’

Under his leadership, the restaurant introduced rotas three weeks in advance, capped working weeks at around fifty hours and separated the kitchen into preparation and service teams. Staff also received additional time off during the restaurant's summer and winter closures.

For Max, the aim was to create a kitchen where chefs could maintain a life outside work without sacrificing the standards expected of a Michelin-starred restaurant.

In June 2026, after four years building Dorian into one of London's most recognised modern bistros, Max announced that he was stepping down from his executive role.

His departure marked the end of a significant chapter in his career, having brought together the influences of Frantzén, Kitchen Table and Ikoyi to develop a cooking style of his own.

While his next restaurant venture has yet to be confirmed, his time at Dorian established a reputation not only for creative, ingredient-led cooking, but also for his commitment to building a more sustainable working culture in professional kitchens.