Naz Hassan Appointed as Head Chef at East London's Pidgin Restaurant
Key Highlights :
Pidgin, one of East London's most popular modern restaurants, is about to get a fresh new start as the eatery approaches its eighth birthday. Naz Hassan, who has worked at some of London's most celebrated restaurants, has been appointed as the new head chef and will kick off his tenure in the kitchen this evening (June 29).
Hassan has worked at BiBi, The Cut at 45 Park Lane, Social Eating House, and Crispin, and is now being entrusted with a weekly changing menu at Pidgin, where no dish has ever been repeated. An announcement said that he will bring “refined, contemporary European cooking with East and South Asian accents” to the restaurant, with each ingredient deserving its place and purpose on the plate. His first dishes will include poached asparagus with an apricot sabayon, melted lardo and shiso, and confit halibut with courgette puree and an Italian chilli beurre blanc.
“I’ve always thought of Pidgin as one of London's culinary institutions, so I’m beyond thrilled to be joining the excellent team,” said Hassan. “I want to bring the energy, flavours and excitement to my dishes that made me fall in love with London - nothing gimmicky or for show, just delicious, well-cooked food presented simply and elegantly.”
Pidgin was founded by James Ramsden and Sam Herlihy in 2015 and has become a hallmark of the East London food scene. Ramsden said: “As we approach our eighth birthday, we couldn’t be more thrilled to mark the occasion with a chef as talented as Naz is taking over the reins. When we first met we were truly astonished by his thoughtfulness, intelligence and grown-up attitude, and feel like Pidgin is in the safest hands. Serving a weekly changing tasting menu is an almighty task for a chef, and Drew has done a remarkable job with it. We’re excited to see what new direction Naz takes the restaurant.”
With Hassan at the helm, Pidgin is sure to continue to be one of the most exciting restaurants in East London, with its ever-changing menu and creative dishes. Be sure to visit soon to sample the delicious new menu and experience the restaurant's unique atmosphere.
