Italian chef Andrea Secchi is to head new restaurant, ROBA, which is due to open in Paddington on Monday 11 April.
Head chef Andrea’s new menu combines his Italian heritage, experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and passion for modern British cooking.
He said: “I will be presenting a fusion of Italian, modern British food, Japanese and French cuisine together with a touch of Indian. It has been a joy to channel my experience, passion and innovative spirit into creating this new menu."
Andrea, who started his career very young, first became a head chef at just 18 years old: “I started my carrier when I was 10 years old, working in a small patisserie in my home town. I attended hotelier school and at the same time spent the majority of my time working in different restaurants and hotels. I got my first experience as a Head Chef when I was 18, working for the Royal Hotels Company in Sardinia.”
Since moving to London, Andrea has had the opportunity to work alongside some of the UK’s best chefs, such as Tom Salt (Executive Chef for Manicomio restaurants) Andy Ward (Former Head Chef at Tredwells), Dan Howes (Head Chef at Gilber Scott), Craig Best (Head Chef at Social Wine ), Michael Facey (Head Chef at the Laughing Gravy), and Marcus Wareing.
“Every experience played a significant role throughout my professional life and I have learned much from them,” Andrea said.
He is passionate about the meat he will be using in ROBA, which has been sourced from Scotland and aged in-house: “I expect our wild smoked salmon, which I’m proud to say we smoke ourselves, with asparagus and a seaweed tartar; heritage carrot and confit duck dishes to become best sellers as they are real crowd pleasers.”
Proudly named after the Robata Grill, ROBA’s meat selection will include 48-day aged sirloin and rib eye steaks, organic lamb chops and corn-fed chicken from Scotland, and grilled prawns, which like all of their seafood, is from the UK.
It also boasts ‘the ultimate beef burger’ which contains a 21 day aged Aberdeen Angus mince, mustard, smoked paprika and home-made ketchup patty, served on brioche with pickled cucumber, smoked Cheddar and streaky bacon, to give London’s finest burger joints a run for their money.
Classics including fish and chips, chicken curry and seafood pie are also available and expected to be particularly popular with tourists as part of a menu which will change at least six times a year to reflect the changing seasons.
Bob Touray, General Manager, says of the launch: “It’s fair to say that Paddington’s gastronomic star is rising and we are very excited to be a part of it. A huge amount of thought and care has gone into every aspect of ROBA, and we are particularly proud of our sourcing: our head chef Andrea, our ingredients and interior design. The result is a fantastic menu, served in stylish yet relaxed surroundings which we know will appeal to those who live and work locally, as well as tourists”.
