Celebrated Bristol Chef Launches First London Restaurant

Celebrated Bristol chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias will open his first London restaurant at The Standard London. The chef-owner of Michelin-starred Casamia and Paco Tapas will open the hotel’s rooftop restaurant in King’s Cross, alongside Adam Rawson’s ground floor restaurant, both of which will be overseen by New York prodigy Angela Dimayuga.

The rooftop restaurant promises Sanchez-Iglesias’ “bold flavour profile”: what this will mean in practice is unclear, but Casamia is celebrated for its articulate, seasonal, and precise cookery. Its menu style offers single words whose definitions only become clear on the plate; a recent menu reads:

parmesan
carabineros
salad
beetroot
brown trout
monkfish
duck
passion fruit
blackberries
sweets

Sanchez-Iglesias told Eater London:

For me the attraction of working with The Standard, London is the whole experience. I’ve been a massive fan of The Standard for years - their hospitality, their image, look and everything they do. To me they always approach their businesses in a new and refreshing way. When I first heard about the possibility of coming on board with The Standard, London I was like ‘hell yeah’! I never thought I’d work with a hotel but this is different. The team are amazing. The people behind this project are hugely creative, open minded. It’s completely the right fit.

The Michelin Guide awarded Casamia a star in 2009, with Paco Tapas awarded in 2017; both restaurants, particularly Paco Tapas, were evolved by Sanchez-Iglesias and his late brother Jonray, who died of cancer in 2015: the pair took over Casamia from their parents.

Following Corinthia London’s high-profile partnerships with Marlow celebrity TV chef Tom Kerridge, London restaurateur Michael Sager, and celebrated bartender Marcis Dzelzainis, this is another statement of intent from a London hotel group.

The hotel group is currently “dark” on Twitter, in protest at the enforcement of regulations over Donald Trump and American politics: its bold restaurant appointments — including that of former Mission Chinese executive head chef Angela Dimayuga — stand out among conventional hotel restaurant structures, and are very much part of its wider mission. The Standard London will open the King’s Cross site in 2019; reflecting on Sanchez-Iglesias’ appointment, chief executive Amar Lalvani said:

“Peter is one of the most talented and innovative young chefs in the UK, if not the world. We are honoured to be collaborating with him and are thrilled that The Standard, London is the stage that he has chosen to display his artistry to the world.”

More soon.