Arjun Waney to open Peruvian restaurant Coya in November
Acclaimed restaurateur Arjun Waney is to open a new Peruvian restaurant this autumn, with the launch of Coya in London.
The co-owner of Zuma, Roka, La Petit Maison, Aurelia and the Arts Club will open his latest venture in Mayfair in November.
Coya will comprise a 100-seat restaurant with open-plan kitchen and a Pisco bar as well as a private members' club including a separate dining area, outdoor terrace and members' bar.
Interiors will be designed by David D'Almada, whose previous projects have included Zafferano, Banca and La Petite Maison. Housed in a Georgian building, it will combine an Incan-inspired colour palette with modern metallic finishes with a nod to a colonial past, bringing together painted murals, textures and finishes.
The kitchen will be headed up Sanjay Dwivedi, who previously worked at London restaurants Zaika, Le Caprice and the Ivy, and sous chef Gareth Rhodes, who joins from La Petite Maison.
The menu will combine traditional elements of Peruvian cuisine with a contemporary cooking approach. It will include a range of classic ceviches and tiraditos (raw fish) next to anticuchos (grilled skewered meat), including ox heart with parsley and ají rocoto, and parrillada dishes such as pechuga de pato - duck breast with lúcuma, soya sauce and coriander shoots. Salads will feature heart of palm with roasted cashew nuts and sesame dressing, while a grill section will offer meat and fish cooked in a Josper.
"We travelled to South America seeking insight and inspiration from Latin American food and culture," Dwivedi said.
"Peruvian food was the one that attracted us the most, with its influences from Japan, China, Spain, Africa and Italy; it was the most dynamic in the region. I started out on this journey looking for inspiration, now I am inspired, it's a great feeling."
Coya is the latest in a string of Peruvian openings in London, which have also included Ceviche and Lima.
Lima's owners unveil details of new Peruvian fine-dining restaurant >>
London's first ceviche restaurant to open >>
By Kerstin Kühn
E-mail your comments to Kerstin Kühn](mailto:kerstin.kuhn@rbi.co.uk) here.
Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs
Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs
