Helena Puolakka to head up new D&D London restaurant in Victoria

03 November 2016 by Neil Gerrard

Helena Puolakka will be in charge of D&D London's new venue at the Nova development in London's Victoria, which is to be named Aster.

The 10,000 sq ft space will be designed by Russell Sage Studios and will be set across two floors with a café and deli on the ground floor and a restaurant and bar upstairs.

Traditional Nordic delicacies such as fish roe, pickled herring and wild berries will sit alongside cinnamon buns and open sandwiches of house-cured Var salmon on rye in the café and deli.

Upstairs in the restaurant, there will be more refined dishes such as meatballs a la Lindstrom, with beef and beetroot; juniper-smoked turbot with tender leeks and butter sauce; and a tasting of fish roes and a selection of blinis with matching vodkas and aquavits. A number of vegetarian and vegan dishes will also feature throughout the menus.

Puolakka previously worked at D&D London as executive chef to launch Skylon, where she stayed for six years until 2013. In recent years she has worked as chef director for luxury pub company Cirrus Inns' Epicurean Collection, and Company of Cooks, whose portfolio includes the Royal Opera House, National Portrait Gallery and Royal Academy. She was head chef at Pierre Koffmann's three-Michelin-starred restaurant La Tante Claire and also worked for Pierre Gagnaire at his eponymous three-Michelin-starred restaurant at Hotel Balzac in Paris.

Puolakka said: "In Nordic countries, craftsmanship, the presence of handmade food and local produce has always been a key part of daily life. At Aster, a sense of belonging and the harmony in my Nordic-French cuisine is important, whether we are cooking for the laid-back deli or the more refined restaurant.

"I would like to see Aster become a key part of the vibrant life of Victoria and find a place in the local community as well as being a destination for special occasions, and for visitors and travellers."

Nova will offer a range of new restaurants including Jamie Oliver's barbecue steakhouse Barbecoa, pizza group Franco Manca, and all-day venue Daisy Green as well as a new Italian dining concept from Jason Atherton; a 150-cover all-day offer from Adam White, co-founder of Village London; two venues from restaurateur Will Ricker; and a Bone Daddies.

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