Chef to the stars John Javier has been appointed executive chef at Caia, the Notting Hill restaurant and bar known for its “fire-led” food and extensive wine list.
Javier was most recently the head chef at The Tent (At the End of the Universe), where he wrote the word “c***” in green sauce on black rice to the enjoyable sound of live jazz. He was inspired by the likes of P. Franco in London, Chi Spacca in Los Angeles and 10 William Street in Sydney when devising his menu.
His food at The Tent was lauded by critics and drew a celebrity crowd, including Hot Chip and Owen Wilson, in part thanks to the club downstairs that had the same speakers used at Berghain in Berlin. Prior to opening, the actor Harrison Ford visited Javier at a pop-up, impressing the chef by donning a pair of rubber gloves and helping with the washing up.
Now the chef is to take the reins at Caia, which was opened by locals Rishabh Vir and Tim Lang in 2022 and is equally popular with celebs.
The restaurant has a downstairs dining space built around live music and an announcement shared with the Standard said Javier will “transform Caia into a modern bistro with global edge”.
The chef’s new menu will include dishes such as crispy sweetbread saltimbocca with guanciale; beef tartare with oysters; cacio e pepe cheung fun; and chargrilled octopus with XO sauce and butter beans.
Caia will also introduce a new list of cocktails alongside the wine list put together by Lang, with lasting favourites from Ornellaia and Chanin wineries.
Vir said: “This marks a new chapter for Caia. We began as a high-energy, big on flavour restaurant, and that spirit remains. With John at the helm, the menu is sharp, confident and defined – his cooking brings a personality and perspective that pushes us forward, while the Green Room and our music culture continue to give Caia its soul.”
Javier’s menu will be available from October 1. 46 Golborne Road, caia.london
