Cateys 2026: Restaurateur of the Year – Group: Tom Byng, Flat Iron

Since 2012, Flat Iron has been carving a name for itself as an affordable, high-quality steak chain promising consistency and charm.  

When Charlie Carroll first launched the brand as a pop-up above a London pub, its flat iron cut steaks were just £10. The group quickly attracted rave reviews and queues grew as eager diners flocked to its growing estate – meaning that by 2017, it was selling 10,000 flat iron steaks a week.

Over the past 14 years, Flat Iron has grown to 25 restaurants, with the bulk of its estate concentrated in London. Since 2023, the group has actively sought to open regional restaurants, starting with Cambridge, followed by Manchester, Leeds, Brighton and Bristol. Its first Scottish site is due to open in Glasgow next year, while Liverpool will welcome a coveted outlet this summer.

In 2025, McWin and TriSpan teamed up to secure a co-control majority investment in the business, which has been led by chief executive Tom Byng since 2021.

Like many other resilient hospitality businesses, Flat Iron has weathered the storm of several geopolitical crises, a pandemic and years of food price inflation. While its steaks are now priced at £15, the chain hasn’t lost any of its excellent value appeal and it continues to deliver fantastic food, a reassuringly familiar guest experience and promote a staff culture where people feel they can grow their careers.

Over the past year alone, Flat Iron has opened four new restaurants, welcomed more than 200 new employees and developed 100 into new roles, while also receiving award-winning people metrics. Its twice-yearly engagement surveys reached 85% completion in 2025, while 80% of its teams said they felt empowered. Another 83% stated they were proud to work at Flat Iron.  

The finances speak for themselves. In its latest full-year results, sales were up 40.4% year-on-year, equating to a £20.1m uplift, with figures rising to a record £69.7m. Profit before tax tripled over the same period from £2.6m the prior year to £7.6m.  

What makes Flat Iron particularly remarkable is that it has bucked the downwards trend in casual dining through seemingly simple gestures: a stellar signature steak and a free ice-cream to finish. It has proven that a lean operating model, combined with genuine moments of delight, can transform what could have easily become a cookie-cutter experience into a comforting one that has generated a legion of loyal fans, as well as a healthy balance sheet.

By focusing on doing a few things really well, Flat Iron has become a firm favourite and a true trailblazer in the UK dining scene.

The shortlist

• Tom Byng, Flat Iron
• Marcello Distefano, San Carlo Restaurant Group
• Alex Large and Tasos Gaitanos, Brother Marcus

The judges

• Thom Elliot, Pizza Pilgrims
• Nisha Katona, Mowgli Street Food
• John Nugent, Green & Fortune
• Will Beckett, Hawksmoor
• RobinRowland, TriSpan
• Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality
• Kavi Thakrar, Dishoom