Yotam Ottolenghi

"If you can't taste an ingredient, you have to ask yourself why it is there. "

Yotam Ottolenghi is an acclaimed chef, food writer and restaurateur. He is the owner of four incredibly successful ‘Ottolenghi’ deli/restaurants in central London as well as his new restaurant venture, NOPI in Soho.

He was born and raised in Jerusalem, the son of an Italian father and German mother and had always been expected to follow his father into the world of academia. However, when Yotam first came to England in 1998 he took an unexpected turn, and aged 30 decided to indulge his lifelong love of food by studying at the Cordon Bleu.

Yotam began his career as a chef in the pastry department of The Capital Restaurant in Knightsbridge, moving on to become head pastry chef at Baker and Spice. It was here that he met Sami Tamimi, a Palestinian chef with whom he created ‘Ottolenghi’. It started as a small stylish deli in Notting Hill, but soon became a phenomenon. Following the publication of his first cookery book ‘Ottolenghi’, which drew on the inspirational and innovative food served at his chain of delis, his success went global.

He is a regular contributor to The Guardian, author of bestselling cookbooks and a regular face on television.

Yotam made his TV debut in the critically acclaimed BBC documentary ‘Jerusalem on a Plate’, winner of the Kate Whiteman Award for Work on Food and Travel at the Guild of Food Writers Awards.