About Us

About Us

Our Philosophy

Our Philosophy

Ottolenghi began in a small shop in Notting Hill in 2002. Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi were at the helm, creating a food shop, deli, restaurant, and bakery. It became a place with no single description but was a clear reflection of our obsessive relationship with food.

From this, Ottolenghi has developed a style of food which is rooted in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions, but which also draws in diverse influences and ingredients from around the world.

Our commitment to the championing of vegetables, as well as unusual ingredients has led to what some call “The Ottolenghi effect”. This is shorthand for the creation of a meal which is full of colour, flavour, bounty and sunshine.

Since 2002, the Ottolenghi team has slowly expanded, our scope has grown, and exciting new ingredients fill our cupboards, but so much, crucially, has remained the same. We continue with boundless enthusiasm and an unswerving dedication to detail; many of our team members have been with us for years, recipes, dishes and ingredients that are trusted favourites still feature on our menus and the philosophy at the heart of all we do is as true today as it ever was

Simply put, we are very serious about making people happy through our food.

Yotam

Based in the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen in Holloway, Yotam spends much of his time with the OTK team, writing, creating, and testing recipes for his books and columns in the Guardian and the New York Times. When he is not creating and cooking, testing, tasting and tweaking, he is overseeing the day-to-day running of our delis and restaurants. This involves more testing, tasting and tweaking so when he is not doing this, he tries very hard to do something other than eat. Family life and pilates are his much-loved distractions.

Meet our Restaurant Teams

“The people behind our food are a dedicated team, full of enthusiasm and creative zeal. They make Ottolenghi what it is” - Yotam Ottolenghi

Over 20 years, we have become a proud family of delis and restaurants, with four Ottolenghi delis in Notting Hill, Islington, Chelsea, and Marylebone, as well as three restaurants - Ottolenghi Spitalfields, NOPI & ROVI. In all our locations you’ll find vibrant food, low intervention wines, and warm hospitality.

The teams at each of our locations are committed and creative, bringing energy and character to the work that we do. Across all areas of our business and at every level, the people we work with are integral to our success and are the heart and soul of Ottolenghi.

Ottolenghi Comfort

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Comfort, the new cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and co-authors Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley.

The new book is the work of ‘four hungries’- each bringing their own memories, childhoods, and travels with them to explore what comfort food means to them. With over 100 irresistible recipes, Ottolenghi Comfort is a celebration of food and home, of the connections we make as we cook, and pass on from generation to generation.

This is comfort food, Ottolenghi-style; a bowl of pasta becomes Caramelised onion orecchiette with hazelnuts and crispy sage, a warming soup is Cheesy bread soup with Savoy cabbage and cavolo nero, and a plate of mash is transformed into Garlicky aligot potato with leeks and thyme.

About Us



Our Philosophy



Ottolenghi began in a small shop in Notting Hill in 2002. Chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi were at the helm, creating a food shop, deli, restaurant, and bakery. It became a place with no single description but was a clear reflection of our obsessive relationship with food.

From this, Ottolenghi has developed a style of food which is rooted in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions, but which also draws in diverse influences and ingredients from around the world.



Yotam



Based in the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen in Holloway, Yotam spends much of his time creating and testing recipes for his column in the Guardian, on-going cookery books and programmes for television. When he is not creating and cooking, testing, tasting and tweaking, he is overseeing the day-to-day running of the shops and restaurant. This involves more testing, tasting and tweaking so when he is not doing this he tries very hard to do something other than eat. Family life and pilates are his much-loved distractions.



Meet our Restaurant Teams



“The people behind our food are a dedicated team, full of enthusiasm and creative zeal. They make Ottolenghi what it is” - Yotam Ottolenghi

Over 20 years, we have become a proud family of delis and restaurants, with four Ottolenghi delis in Notting Hill, Islington, Chelsea, and Marylebone, as well as three restaurants - Ottolenghi Spitalfields, NOPI & ROVI. In all our locations you’ll find vibrant food, low intervention wines, and warm hospitality.

The teams at each of our locations are committed and creative, bringing energy and character to the work that we do. Across all areas of our business and at every level, the people we work with are integral to our success and are the heart and soul of Ottolenghi.



Ottolenghi Comfort



We are thrilled to announce the launch of Comfort, the new cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and co-authors Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley.

The new book is the work of ‘four hungries’- each bringing their own memories, childhoods, and travels with them to explore what comfort food means to them. With over 100 irresistible recipes, Ottolenghi Comfort is a celebration of food and home, of the connections we make as we cook, and pass on from generation to generation.

This is comfort food, Ottolenghi-style; a bowl of pasta becomes Caramelised onion orecchiette with hazelnuts and crispy sage, a warming soup is Cheesy bread soup with Savoy cabbage and cavolo nero, and a plate of mash is transformed into Garlicky aligot potato with leeks and thyme.