Cooking is as much a science as it is an art. When diners book a table at an upscale restaurant in a lively European city, they may focus on the flavour of the dishes, the ambiance, and the quality of the service. However, sometimes, there is a keen knowledge of science, history, and art behind every bite – and this depth of knowledge is evident in the cuisine of talented chef Santiago Lastra. At his Michelin-starred restaurant, KOL, in London, he celebrates the vibrancy and rich heritage of Mexican culture through a nostalgic yet contemporary lens, while using meticulously sourced British ingredients.
Words Marisa Cutillas, Photography Courtesy of KOL
Cooking is as much a science as it is an art. When diners book a table at an upscale restaurant in a lively European city, they may focus on the flavour of the dishes, the ambiance, and the quality of the service. However, sometimes, there is a keen knowledge of science, history, and art behind every bite – and this depth of knowledge is evident in the cuisine of talented chef Santiago Lastra. At his Michelin-starred restaurant, KOL, in London, he celebrates the vibrancy and rich heritage of Mexican culture through a nostalgic yet contemporary lens, while using meticulously sourced British ingredients.
Words Marisa Cutillas, Photography Courtesy of KOL
Born in Mexico City, the chef was raised just south of the City of Palaces in Cuernavaca, known locally as The City of Eternal Spring. The young Santiago dreamed of becoming a mathematician rather than a chef, competing in maths Olympic events and developing a keen interest in research and problem-solving. This sense of curiosity inspired his first attempt at cooking. Noticing a recipe for crab dip on the back of a packet of Ritz Crackers, he purchased the ingredients and prepared it for his family. At the age of 15, he began working part-time in a local Italian restaurant. After graduating from high school at 18, he was offered an internship at the one-Michelin-starred Europa Restaurante in Pamplona and moved to Spain, where he worked for two years. He returned to Mexico to study at the Instituto Arte Culinario Coronado before leaving again for Spain.
The chef honed his craft for 15 months under the guidance of Andoni Luis Aduriz at Mugaritz, while simultaneously completing a Master’s Degree in Culinary Innovation at the Basque Culinary Centre. This experience compounded his commitment to research. “I loved how they think about recipes, the research, the development, the creative element,” he says. The chef’s next plan was to return home to Mexico to open a research laboratory after gaining professional kitchen experience for a few years.
From Mugaritz, Santiago moved to Copenhagen. Unlike many chefs, he did not head to Noma, although René Redzepi would ultimately play a significant part in his career. Instead, he began a development course at the prestigious Nordic Food Lab in the University of Copenhagen, researching how to make tortillas using Nordic grains. The project proved to be a great inspiration, and he began a series of pop-up events worldwide – in 27 countries – cooking dishes inspired by Mexican recipes but prepared with local ingredients. This took him to places as far-flung as France, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Sweden, and Russia.
While in Russia in 2016, the chef received a message that would change the course of his career. His world tour had introduced him to many global chefs, food writers, and journalists. René Redzepi wished to take Noma to Mexico for a seven-week pop-up in Tulum in the country’s southwest, and he was looking for a project manager. Santiago’s name was recommended, so Noma contacted the chef. After meeting René, he was offered the job on the spot and had just nine days to organise the first research trip.
In the months leading up to the opening of Noma Mexico in 2017, Santiago learned more about his homeland’s people, cuisine, and ingredients than ever before. Unlike Europe, where nationality and culture shaped many of the same ingredients, Mexico was vast and varied, and local ingredients changed dramatically throughout its regions. Inspired by the social impact a restaurant like Noma could make – and now armed with greater pride in the food and culture of his homeland – he decided that his future lay in a restaurant rather than a research laboratory.
Driven by a desire to build a community comprising a restaurant team, local producers and suppliers, and guests, he sought the perfect location and settled on London, owing to its cosmopolitan, well-travelled population and its familiarity with spice. London is recognised as one of the world’s greatest culinary locations, and the British are Mexico’s second-largest tourist group after the Americans. This city is also closely connected to Europe, and has an English-speaking media that can help him change the perception of Mexican food. KOL opened its doors in 2020, merging Mexican culinary culture with the native produce of Britain.
Santiago has created strong, bold menus that celebrate his homeland’s rich cultural tastes, aromas, and textures with meticulously sourced seasonal British produce. KOL is also home to a stand-alone bar, KOL Mezcaleria, which specialises in mezcal and other premium Mexican spirits. The Mezcaleria offers an accompanying food menu in the form of Antojitos – little cravings such as quesadillas and empanadas. In a career marked with remarkable achievements of culinary firsts, Santiago’s journey has only just begun. KOL was ranked 17th in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2024.