1 Michelin star chefs: Aggelos Kassais, Pied à Terre
Aggelos Kassais is the head chef at Pied à Terre, London’s longest-standing Michelin-starred restaurant.
He returned to the Fitzrovia restaurant in 2025, succeeding Alberto Cavaliere and continuing a long tradition of former Pied à Terre sous chefs progressing to lead its kitchen.
Founded by David Moore in 1991, Pied à Terre turns 35 in 2026 and has held at least one Michelin star for more than three decades. It is the third-longest-standing Michelin-starred restaurant in the UK and has remained one of Charlotte Street’s most consistent fine-dining destinations despite successive changes in chef and style.
Early career and background
Aggelos was born in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the town where the Olympic flame is traditionally lit.
He studied at a local culinary school and completed his apprenticeship at a five-star hotel in Crete. A move to Athens followed, where he staged at one-Michelin-starred Hytra before joining two-Michelin-starred Spondi as a commis chef.
Alongside his restaurant work, Aggelos studied pastry at Le Monde culinary school in Athens, adding another layer of technical training to his early development.
After two seasons as sous chef at Eclipse in Mykonos, he moved to London in 2019 to stage at Pied à Terre under then head chef Asimakis Chaniotis.
Returning to Pied à Terre
Following his first spell at Pied à Terre, Aggelos spent a year at modern Greek restaurant OPSO in Marylebone.
He returned to Pied à Terre in 2021 as senior sous chef to Asimakis, remaining until 2023 before joining Claude Bosi at his two-Michelin-starred restaurant at Bibendum.
In 2025, Aggelos reunited with Asimakis as opening head chef of Myrtos. He later returned to Pied à Terre to take over as head chef, bringing with him the experience gained across Greek, French and contemporary European kitchens.
His appointment continued a longstanding pattern at the restaurant, where former sous chefs have regularly progressed to lead the kitchen. Previous examples include Tom Aikens, Shane Osborn, Marcus Eaves, Andy McFadden and Asimakis Chaniotis.
Aggelos Kassais’s cooking style
Aggelos’s food reflects his classical training and Mediterranean background. Greek ingredients remain important to him, particularly olive oil produced by his mother, who is an olive farmer.
His influences extend beyond Greece, however, and his aim is to continue evolving Pied à Terre’s style of contemporary fine dining rather than impose an entirely separate identity on the restaurant.
Aggelos enjoys cooking over fire and favours what he describes as a clean approach. Meat and fish are treated with minimal intervention, with much of the technique and detail concentrated in the sauces, vegetables and accompaniments.
He is also passionate about plant-based cooking and has continued Pied à Terre’s established commitment to offering a serious vegan menu.
Michelin has highlighted the restaurant’s classically based, seasonal dishes and its long-standing embrace of plant-based dining.
Pied à Terre’s Michelin history
Pied à Terre opened in December 1991 under founder David Moore and inaugural head chef Richard Neat. It won its first Michelin star in the following Guide and later achieved two-star status.
The restaurant has retained at least one Michelin star ever since, making it London’s longest-standing Michelin-starred restaurant and one of the longest-running in the country.
Over the years, its kitchen has been led by a succession of prominent chefs.
Aggelos now leads the restaurant into its 35th anniversary year, maintaining its Michelin-starred standards while bringing his own Mediterranean influences and technical style to the menu.
Aggelos Kassais at Pied à Terre
David Moore described Aggelos as the ideal chef to continue Pied à Terre’s tradition of promoting former sous chefs into leadership.
His return gives the restaurant continuity as well as a fresh direction. Having worked under Asimakis at Pied à Terre, gained further experience with Claude Bosi and helped launch Myrtos, Aggelos has returned with a stronger understanding of both the restaurant’s history and the style he wants to develop.
At 28, he took charge of one of London’s most established Michelin-starred kitchens, with the responsibility of carrying its legacy forward while ensuring the food continues to evolve.
Other Michelin Star Chefs
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