MasterChef: The Professionals winner Nikita Pathakji joins the Princess of Shoreditch

Nikita Pathakji, the 2022 winner of MasterChef: the Professionals, has taken the reins at the Princess of Shoreditch as head chef.

She has taken over at the London pub from Thomas Lemercier, who left in June to join east London hotel La Bibliotheque as head chef.

Pathakji began working in London restaurants in 2016, training as chef de partie at two-Michelin-starred Bibendum before rising to junior sous chef at Michelin-starred W8 under Mark Kempson.

In 2022, she became the first woman in 10 years to win MasterChef: The Professionals.

Pathakji’s menu at the Princess of Shoreditch includes cured sea bream with coal smoked aubergine, harissa and preserved lemon; Iberico pork chop with sweetcorn chevdo, green chutney and curry leaves; and apples tart tatin with tamarind and vanilla ice cream.

The Princess of Shoreditch kitchen has been overseen by a number of high-profile chefs in the last few years, including Ruth Hansom 2020-2022 and Simon Bonwick from 2022-2023.