KOL in London is set to host four British culinary stars for an exciting collaborative dinner to celebrate the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) 2023.
On the 2nd November and for one evening only, 1 Michelin-starred KOL’s Chef Patron, Santiago Lastra will bring together chef friends from London, Andrew Wong of 2 Michelin-starred restaurant A.Wong, the only Chinese restaurant outside Asia with this accolade; Jeremy Chan of 2 Michelin starred Ikoyi with its acclaimed, original, spice-based cuisine; James Lowe of 1 Michelin starred Lyle’s focused on micro-seasonal British produce; and from Scotland, Pam Brunton from Michelin Green starred Inver, shaped by the restaurant’s rural ecosystem.
The annual Mexican Día de los Muertos holiday brings together families and whole communities to honour the lives of friends and family who have passed. Far from sombre occasions, the celebrations take place with carnival-like festivities with fireworks, loud music, singing, dancing, and exchanging special gifts like pan de muerta - a sweetened bread, and highly decorative skull-inspired artefacts and sweets.
Humorous, mock epitaphs calaveras literarias are read to living friends and acquaintances, with home altars ofrendas filled with the favourite foods and drinks of the departed. Such is the significance of the festival in Mexico that it garnered UNESCO recognition in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In true Día de los Muertos style, the chefs will work together to create an exciting, innovative 9-course menu that melds individual personal memories, culminating in a culinary journey of connection and celebration.
The festivities will then continue downstairs to the KOL Mezcaleria after-party, where live music and all the colours of traditional art blend with the myriad flavours of mezcal, welcoming guests to celebrate into the wee small hours in traditional Mexican street style.
Tickets are £280 per person and will be available via the KOL newsletter on Friday 6th October. The ticket includes access to the KOL Mezcaleria after-party.
The KOL Mezcaleria after-party will begin at 20.00 and run until 03.00. Tickets for the after-party can be bought separately for £50 and can be purchased via KOL website.
Access to the after-party includes one welcome drink per person.
Address: KOL, 9 Seymour Street, Marylebone, London W1H 7BA
About the chefs
Andrew Wong
Andrew Wong is an anthropologist, cultural observer, and chef-owner of London’s 2 Michelin-starred A.Wong restaurant. British born of Chinese heritage, his environment and nurture have had equal impact. He trained as a chef in London, travelled to China to study at the Sichuan Culinary Institute in Chengdu, and journeyed across the country through various kitchens learning the methods and artistry of Chinese cooking. In 2012, he opened A.Wong, in the same location as his parents’ Cantonese restaurant. His cuisine garners inspiration from the work of past ancestors and present masters with equal respect, celebrating their truest form with a fresh perspective and subtle innovation.
Jeremy Chan
Jeremy Chan is the chef and co-founder of Ikoyi. Born to a Canadian mother and Chinese father, Jeremy grew up between Hong Kong, Canada, and England, experiencing a diverse range of cuisines. After graduating from Princeton, Chan originally worked as an analyst in Madrid, before deciding to become a chef. Today Jeremy is at the forefront of the gastronomic landscape, blending his dishes with spice, flavour and his personal experiences.
James Lowe
James Lowe grew up in Brighton, Sussex, and moved to London aged 22. He began working at The Wapping Project where he quickly found himself in the kitchen, inspired and excited by a regularly changing menu that made the most of British produce. In April 2014, James Lowe and John Ogier opened Lyle’s in Shoreditch, where the inspiration was to demonstrate the possibilities of cooking with British ingredients. Lyle’s won a Michelin star 18 months after opening and was placed among The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2018 and has retained its inclusion ever since.
Pam Brunton
Pam Brunton is the head chef and co-owner of Inver, based on the shores of Loch Fyne in the rural West Coast of Scotland. Before opening Inver in 2015 with her partner Rob Latimer, Pam had gained experience in Michelin-starred and 'World's 50 Best' restaurants in London, France, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden. Inver holds the utmost commitment to sustainability: to its landscape, its community both in the restaurant and in the wider area, its producers, suppliers and guests. Inver was awarded a green Michelin star in 2021 - the first and only in Scotland - and Best Restaurant in Scotland in the National Restaurant Awards in 2022.
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