Born in Korea and raised in Aspen, chef Akira Back is journeying to London for his first UK venture and will be taking over at the Mandarin Oriental. Having opened several eponymous restaurants world-wide and with multiple Michelin stars to his name, this is an incredibly exciting addition to the London Asian fine dining scene. Back will be kept busy running two restaurants, a bar and a rooftop ‘experience’ within the hotel.
The main dining room is an impressive triple height room with a winding marble staircase creating an undeniable atmosphere of elegance and luxury. The menu is a celebration of Back’s Korean heritage fused with Japanese elements and will serve food all day. The breakfast is set to be international and Asian, for lunch expect perfectly curated bento boxes, finishing with delicious sharing plates and platters for dinner.
The second restaurant named Dosa, meaning ‘master’ in Korean, is a counter dining chef’s table scenario with just 14 seats. Back opened Dosa originally in Seoul and was a resounding success, winning him a Michelin star in 2018. The layout of this intimate affair will afford guests a look in on the experts at work and front row seats to the delicate labour that goes into the dishes, which will be Korean dishes executed with French technique. The ambience of Dosa is influenced by mineral elements, complementing the wind, water and earthy aura of the main dining room.
On the other end of the spectrum, inspired by fire, the ABar lounge will offer bite-sized delights and dramatic cocktails, livening up at night and hosting DJs at the weekend. The rooftop ‘experience’ will specialise in serving ‘epicurean delights’ whilst expert mixologists create decadent drinks to be enjoyed whilst taking in the panoramic views of London's skyline.