Mexican Soul

In October 2020, Santiago Lastra opened the doors of KOL in Marylebone, immediately capturing the attention and acclaim of the world’s media. Within three years, KOL secured its first Michelin star, its place on The World’s 50 Best and La Liste, and its founder and head chef, Santiago Lastra, was awarded Best Chef at the GQ Food and Drink Awards. Before London, the Mexican-born Lastra studied at the Arte Culinario Coronado in Mexico, completed a Master’s Degree in Culinary Innovation at the Basque Culinary Centre in Spain and a development course at the Nordic Food Lab at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and worked with Andoni Aduriz at Mugaritz in San Sebastian and with Rene Redzepi at Noma, including their seven-week residency in Tulum, Mexico.