Former Nobu joint head chef Hiroyuki Saotome has been appointed as head chef at Saki Bar & Food Emporium in London’s Smithfield.

Saotome, who is a classically trained Japanese chef, spent seven years at Nobu Park Lane, which he joined in 1999 as Japanese cuisine chef.

In 2001, he helped set up Nobu in Paris but returned to London a year later as joint head chef in charge of the sushi and sashimi sections.

Previously Saotome was head sushi chef at Tatsuso in London’s Liverpool Street, which was his first role in the UK.

At Saki, Saotome has added two chef’s Omakase tasting menus, both of which feature a number of his key signature dishes.

These include aburi toro with green chilli and onion ponzu sauce, caviar topped king crab and pear in kimizu and green tea sauce, and braised duck jibuni.

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By Kerstin Kühn

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