Claude Bosi and Samyukta Nair suddenly close Socca
Michelin-starred Niklas Ekstedt to cook at KOYN
Niklas Ekstedt: 'Kindness and human touch will always be more important than harsh and hard management - that needs to be history'
Niklas Ekstedt, the celebrated Michelin-starred Nordic chef, this month returns to London to take over Samyukta Nair’s Mayfair restaurant, KOYN.
For one-night-only, he will team up with executive chef Rhys Cattermoul and cook a menu that pairs Niklas’s innovative techniques with Rhys’s approach to Japanese izakaya dining, balancing modernity, tradition, and simplicity.
As a trailblazer of Nordic gastronomy and open-fire cooking, Niklas began his career in some of the world's most renowned kitchens, including El Bulli, The Fat Duck, and Chicago’s Charlie Trotter's.
Following the success of his Swedish food show Mat, Ekstedt returned home to Sweden, launching his famed wood-fired restaurant, Ekstedt, in Stockholm in 2011. Holding a Michelin Star since 2013, Niklas has become one of Sweden’s top gastronomic destinations.
Beyond the kitchen, Niklas has authored seven cookbooks and founded the Foodstock festival, while also introducing his signature 'old Nordic' cooking to London with Ekstedt at The Yard, solidifying his reputation as a culinary pioneer in open-fire cooking and Nordic techniques.
Chef Rhys and Niklas will present a six-course menu that reflects an exciting fusion of Japanese and Nordic techniques, whilst highlighting impeccably sourced ingredients prepared with transformed techniques like burning coals and hot stones.
Guests will begin with Niklas’ signature oyster flambadou, raw beef with vendace roe and crusade, followed by Rhys’ tuna tartare, black garlic boy and bone marrow. The culinary journey continues with birch-fired trout, mangalica pork with grilled vegetable butter, and KOYN’s signature Chilean seabass, wasabi shiso and salsa verde.
For the main course, chef Niklas presents another signature dish – juniper grilled deer, beetroot and salted plum – leaving guests to end their evening with chef Rhys’s chocolate tart, whiskey soy and meringue, served table side with charcoal.
On the collaboration, Rhys said: “I’m so excited to have Niklas joining us for this night at KOYN. Having watched Niklas over the years, I have huge respect for what he has achieved in both London and Sweden.
"The night is about more than just food - it’s about creating something dynamic, where the fire and flavours reflect the duality of our two unique styles coming together.”
Niklas added: “I’m looking forward to bringing the traditions of Nordic cuisine and my passion for open-fire cooking to KOYN for this collaboration. The process of working alongside Rhys and Samyukta has been both rewarding and inspiring as we’ve explored the balance between Japanese izakaya dining and Nordic techniques.
“This collaboration is all about blending traditions, pushing boundaries, and creating something truly special for Londoners to experience.”
KOYN x Ekstedt will take place on Wednesday, January 22 at 7pm at KOYN on Grosvenor Street.
Tickets can be purchased online, priced at £98pp and include the 6-course menu and a welcome drink. To elevate the experience, guests can also add a curated wine pairing to the 6-course menu, for £50pp.
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Michelin-starred Niklas Ekstedt to cook at KOYN
Claude Bosi and Samyukta Nair suddenly close Socca
Niklas Ekstedt: 'Kindness and human touch will always be more important than harsh and hard management - that needs to be history'
