Number One Park Lane restaurant at InterContinental London Park Lane has just revealed the second star in its guest chef pop-up series, MasterChef: The Professionals 2020 finalist, Philli Armitage-Mattin.
Philli will take over the terrace from 2 August to 25 September. The two-month pop-up celebrates the publication of Philli’s debut cookbook, Taste Kitchen: Asia.
Exploring the complexity of Asian cuisine, both the book and the restaurant menu will invite people to explore tantalising flavour combinations and discover what best satisfies their taste buds.
Philli’s restaurant will offer guests an exciting al fresco dining destination overlooking London's Royal Parks, Buckingham Palace and the Wellington Arch. The terrace will be beautifully decorated with bright flower displays to reflect the vibrancy of Philli’s menu.
Showcasing some of Philli’s most loved dishes from her cookbook, the menu at Number One Park Lane is packed with playful, Asian-inspired creations.
More than a simple culinary experience, the menu is the ultimate taste guide, grouping dishes by flavour to help guests better understand their unique palate. Diners can choose from a range of six flavour combinations including Tarty, Spice Master, Comfort, Refined, Kiddish and Dark Horse.
From a selection of small plates, spice lovers can opt for the PFC: Philli’s Fried Chicken (£10); those looking for a tarty treat can select the Sea bass kinilaw with prawn oil and pork crackling (£12) or diners can surprise themselves with the Dark Horse Sichuan pepper lamb tartare (£14).
From the larger dishes, standout recipes include Gochu-miso black cod with kimchi and chilli butter sauce (£28) and Portobello okonomiyaki with girolles (£18). Complementary side dishes include 15-hour gunpowder potatoes (£5) or Charred hispi cabbage with mascarpone and chilli (£5).
Sweet-toothed visitors will be spoilt for choice with Philli’s selection of desserts such as a refreshing Watermelon and wasabi granita (£6) and Miso sticky toffee pudding (£10), an inventive twist on the classic. After their exploratory feast, guests have the option to take home their very own cookbook and test out Philli’s recipes for themselves.
Having completed a master’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Bristol, Philli was first introduced to food science by the same professor that worked with Heston Blumenthal. Whilst obtaining her professional cookery qualifications in London, she trained under the Gordon Ramsay group, before jetting off to Asia to experience the cuisine first hand.
In Japan, she staged at world-renowned restaurant Den in Tokyo and Japanese-inspired restaurant Haku in Hong Kong. She brought her expertise back to the UK when she reached the final four of MasterChef: The Professionals in 2020.
About the residency, Philli commented: 'Taste Kitchen will be the yummiest bookshop in London. I can wait for the Queen to try my super crispy fried chicken.'