Former Eleven Madison Park chef Rey Lopez joins Kol

Rey Lopez has been appointed head chef at Michelin-starred London restaurant Kol.

He has joined the team at the Mexican fine dining restaurant and will cook alongside chef patron Santiago Lastra.

Lopez previously worked as sous chef at Daniel Humm’s three-Michelin-starred New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park, which he helped relaunch as a vegan concept in June 2021.

A statement announcing Lopez’s appointment said the chef grew up surrounded by Mexican traditions and culture and would use his understanding of the flavours of the cuisine to head up the kitchen team at Kol.

“Santiago’s perspective on celebrating Mexico through British ingredients is such a unique concept for the cuisine, and I’m looking forward to working with him,” said Lopez.

Lastra launched Kol in 2020 after several years of development and the restaurant won its first Michelin star in 2022.

Lastra said: “I am very excited to welcome Rey to the team. His background, ethos and experience make him the perfect fit for Kol. We can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together.”