Akira Back has used his boundary-pushing culinary approach to build a restaurant empire spanning 28 sites worldwide. He has restaurants across Paris, Beverly Hills and Hong Kong, and made his highly-anticipated London debut in 2024. Dosa at Mandarin Oriental Mayfair earned a Michelin star just five months after opening, and earlier this year, he opened Lilli by Akira Back at the Montcalm Mayfair. So, how did he get here?
Born in Seoul, Back's cooking is influenced by his Korean heritage and American upbringing - one of his signature dishes, the ‘Pop Rockin’ sushi roll, was inspired by his mother, who used sweets to lure him away from being a fussy eater as a child. As a teen, he moved to Aspen in Colorado to pursue his family business, where he picked up a love for professional snowboarding. During this time, Back worked in a local Japanese restaurant to supplement his income. After seven years of balancing the two, he put snowboarding on the back burner to pursue cheffing full-time.
Back went on to study around the world, developing his culinary skills and enhancing his knowledge of Asian cooking. Drawing on his classical Japanese training, Back has become known for delivering cutting edge gastronomic experiences that are intricate, refined and sophisticated. His Seoul-based Korean restaurant Dosa received a Michelin star in the 2018 guide.
Now, you can find Back’s cooking at Lilli by Akira Back, located in the Montcalm Mayfair. The restaurant serves both the public and hotel guests, specialising in modern British cuisine, with global influences. The menu combines new inventions with Back’s signature dishes, including the Wagyu Pizza, with thinly sliced wagyu beef, and the Tiger Shrimp Dynamite, with sweetcorn and oyster mushroom.
With years of experience and worldwide travel under his belt, it’s fair to say Back has pretty good taste. Check out his favourite UK-based restaurants below.
Outlaw's New Road, Port Isaac
![white fish with potatoes and salmon crudo]()
Akira Back says: 'Outlaw’s New Road in Port Isaac is a masterclass in restraint and precision. It’s all about minimal intervention and maximum flavour. Their day-boat fish is cooked so perfectly, it hardly needs anything else. One standout memory was the turbot, simply handled, flawlessly cooked, and utterly unforgettable. It reminded me how powerful simplicity can be when the ingredients are that fresh.'
Where: 6 New Road, PL29 3SB
Book now: Outlaw's New Road
The Kitchin, Edinburgh
![dark restaurant interiors and beef with vegetables]()
Akira Back says: 'At The Kitchin in Edinburgh, “from nature to plate” is caught in action - it’s a way of cooking that deeply resonates throughout the menu. The way they approach Scottish produce with classical rigour is inspiring. A humble heritage carrot dish left a lasting impression: it was so thoughtfully executed, it nudged me to rethink how I centre vegetables on the plate. That thinking fed directly into our Vegetarian Wellington at Lilli by Akira Back.'
Where: 78 Commercial Quay, EH6 6LX
Book now: The Kitchin
Osip, Somerset
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Akira Back says: 'Osip in Bruton is a place where spontaneity and seasonality lead the way. It’s so small, so rooted in the moment, sometimes there isn’t even a menu. What struck me most was how much trust the restaurant places in its ingredients and suppliers. Eating there reminded me to write menus around the supplier sheet first, then bring in technique later. That mindset shift really changed how I plan dishes now.'
Where: 25 Kingsettle Hill, BA10 0LN
Book now: Osip
Kiln, London
![shot of counter dining from outside and noodles with boiled egg]()
Akira Back says: 'In London, Kiln brings fire and flavour together in a way that’s impossible to ignore. There’s something electric about the place with the live fire cooking and the bold Thai influences. The energy in the kitchen is infectious. It makes you want to push boundaries while still respecting where your ingredients are sourced.'
Where: 58 Brewer Street, W1F 9TL
Book now: Kiln
St John, London
![waiter serving salad and roast pork with veg and gravy]()
Akira Back says: 'A long-standing inspiration of mine is St John in London, with its iconic nose-to-tail ethos. One lunch there, centred on roasted bone marrow, sparked my deeper dive into secondary cuts like short rib and oxtail. But it wasn’t just the meat that stood out. Honestly, the simplicity of the green salad blew my mind. It made me realise just how much technique goes into a perfect vinaigrette. Simplicity like that is an art.'
Where: 26 St John Street, EC1M 4AY
Book now: St John Smithfield
Want to read more about the best chefs in the UK? Browse interviews with the likes of Aaron Potter, Nick Beardshaw and Nuno Mendes.