MATER1A by Victor Garvey opens in Notting Hill

American chef Victor Garvey has opened MATER1A, a new 16-seat restaurant in Notting Hill that represents his most personal cooking to date.

Located at 115 Westbourne Grove, MATER1A - short for Materia Prima, meaning ‘raw material’ - is described by Victor as a love letter to food itself. The intimate restaurant gives him space to cook dishes he genuinely loves, without compromise, drawing together more than two decades of experience across Europe, America and Japan.

Victor first made his mark on London’s dining scene with SO|LA, which opened in 2019 and was awarded a Michelin star in 2021. The restaurant quickly became one of the capital’s most in-demand tables, known for its precision, discipline and strong Japanese influence. More recently, Victor also led the kitchen at Victor Garvey at The Midland Grand at St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, which closed suddenly in July 2025, bringing an abrupt end to a high-profile chapter in his London career.

With SO|LA firmly established and following the closure of Midland Grand Dining Room, MATER1A marks a deliberate shift towards something more instinctive and exploratory, offering Victor complete creative freedom in a far more intimate setting.

Read more: Victor Garvey on the sudden closure at the Midland Grand

A tasting menu shaped by a global career

The food at MATER1A is presented across two tasting menus of 11 or 21 courses. Each dish is entirely ingredient-led, allowing the raw material to speak for itself, a philosophy that underpins the restaurant’s name.

Victor’s formative two years working in Japan play a major role in shaping the menus, alongside his experience cooking in leading restaurants across the United States and Europe. The result is a constantly evolving journey through his culinary life, with the freedom to innovate and change as creativity dictates.

Debut menus feature standout ingredients including Froya langoustine, Shizuoka crown melon and Mr Tanaka’s tuna. Dishes range from atsuyaki tamago, a Japanese soufflé omelette made with Cacklebean egg and black truffle, to smoked Cornish sardine with shine muscat grape and Marcona almond. Each plate reflects Victor’s technical background while remaining firmly focused on flavour and clarity.

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A trusted team at the helm

MATER1A is supported by a close-knit team led by head chef Kaming Pang, who previously worked as sous chef at SO|LA and before that at Michelin-starred Le Vieille Tour in Brittany. Originally from Tokyo, Kaming’s ability to balance eastern flavours with western technique makes him a natural fit for the restaurant’s direction.

Front of house is overseen by restaurant manager Ruben Santos, formerly of two-Michelin-starred Alex Dilling at Café Royal, while Christian Vega takes the role of head sommelier. Christian joins from Rotisserie du Chambertin in Burgundy and curates a list of more than 150 wines, designed to pair seamlessly with the tasting menus.

Food at MATER1A by Victor Garvey

An immersive dining experience

The experience at MATER1A begins on arrival, with guests guided through a passage showcasing hero ingredients currently featured on the menu. From shine muscat grapes to tatami iwashi, diners are invited to engage with the ingredients before they reach the plate.

The main dining room seats 16 guests and features hand-carved contemporary wooden panelling, circular marble tables and oversized rattan lights. An open kitchen window allows Victor to see and interact with guests, reinforcing the sense of hospitality at the heart of the restaurant. Music is curated by DJ Dan, with an eclectic soundtrack tailored to the mood of the room.

Completing what Victor describes as his world is Kamakura, located on the ground floor with a separate entrance. Run by husband-and-wife team Sakiko and Tuya, the small izakaya is inspired by Victor’s favourite sushi bar Jugemu in Soho, offering a focused sushi menu alongside a robust whisky and sake list.