Zima Notting Hill Announces Collaboration with Pioneering Chef Evgeny Vikentev

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The Eastern European restaurant will host Chef Evgeny Vikentev for a weekend takeover and a month-long menu pop-up

ZIMA Notting Hill, the new outpost of the Eastern European ZIMA Restaurant brand, is thrilled to announce a collaboration with acclaimed chef Evgeny Vikentev, the first of a series of seasonal chef partnerships.

Each season, the restaurant will collaborate with a distinguished Eastern European chef, each bringing their modern interpretation of traditional dishes and ingredients from the region. Through a series of exclusive chef takeovers, these pop-up celebrations will provide intimate dining experiences where guests can enjoy innovative takes on classic Eastern European dishes.

Kicking off the first seasonal chef collaboration, ZIMA Notting Hill will host Chef Evgeny Vikentev for a weekend of intimate dining experiences from Thursday, June 26 – Sunday, June 29, with his six-course tasting menu, accompanied by wine pairings, available to diners throughout the month of July.

A selection of dishes from Chef Evgeny Vikentev’s tasting menu

Aligned with ZIMA Notting Hill’s ethos of celebrating contemporary cooking, Chef Vikentev has curated a six-course tasting menu of innovative small dishes, championing modern Eastern European cuisine.

To start, diners will enjoy beef paired with fresh summer peas and sorrel and venison with silky foie gras and ceps, contrasting vibrant and earthy notes. The menu will then showcase a celebration of coastal flavours, with mackerel served with pistachio and cilantro, followed by scallops with pumpkin and chamomile and finally sturgeon accompanied by wild mushrooms and finished with caviar.

For dessert, guests will delight with an Asian-inspired pavlova, for a refreshing finale. Each course will be complemented by a carefully selected fine wine and a house-made Nastoyka, adding a distinctive ZIMA touch.

Chef Evgeny Vikentev

Chef Evgeny Vikentev is a pioneering figure of modern Russian gastronomy from St. Petersburg, whose culinary worldview has been shaped by his time spent in some of Europe’s most progressive kitchens, including Albert Adrià’s 41° in Barcelona and the Michelin-starred Il Vescovado in Liguria. Upon returning to Russia, he founded restaurant Hamlet + Jacks, bringing him exposure in Russia’s culinary scene, before winning Aeroflot’s “National Culinary” competition in 2017.

In 2021, his restaurant Beluga in Moscow earned a Michelin star, and he was honoured with “Chef of the Year” and “Breakthrough of the Year” at Russia’s national Palm Awards. Today, Vikentev leads a new venture as co-owner and executive chef of 150 Meters, an Italian gastro-bistro in St Petersburg, offering contemporary interpretations of classic Italian dishes and reaffirming his role as one of Russia’s most inventive chefs.

The menu is priced at £125 per person, which includes a precisely chosen fine wine selection and a complimentary, house-made “nastoyka” vodka infusion. ZIMA Notting Hill is located at 9 Blenheim Crescent, London, W11 2EE.

To make a reservation or for more information about ZIMA Notting Hill, visit www.zima.restaurant/zimanotting.