This September, award-winning food writer and cook Ravinder Bhogal will partner with Ratnesh Bagdai to launch her debut restaurant, Jikoni, on Marylebone’s Blandford Street.
Meaning ‘kitchen’ in Swahili, Jikoni will draw on Ravinder’s mixed heritage and travels, with flavours and culinary traditions from Britain, East Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Ravinder is passionate about preserving her inheritance of nourishing and soothing recipes, and the restaurant is dedicated to “the maternal figures who made my world safe with their food”.
The space will be designed in a collaboration lead by London studio, Creative Family, and will take inspiration from the maternal kitchens of Ravinder’s childhood.
“Firstly I am delighted to be working with Ratnesh who has such a wealth of experience behind him,” says Ravinder. “We have also partnered with Sat Ghuman – a brilliant operator. We are looking forward to being part of the Marylebone neighbourhood – so many restaurateurs I respect a great deal have been here for years.
“I have had residencies at both Trishna and Carousel on Blandford Street and could not have imagined that one day I would be opening my own restaurant amongst them. I am so excited to welcome guests to Jikoni and what I hope will just be an extension of my home and kitchen.”
