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to accommodate large family groups. At Locanda Locatelli [the Michelin-starred restaurant at Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill], we very rarely get tables of more than six, whereas here it seems to be the other way round, especially where locals are concerned. Matsuhisa Limassol serves a range of sushi, sashimi, ceviche, tempura, grilled and roasted dishes, including black cod yuzu miso, Chilean seabass with jalapeño dressing, and anticucho Peruvian-style prime rib-eye steak; Locanda Locatelli, on the other hand, offers Italian classics like linguine with lobster, baked fillet of wild sea bass in a salt and herb crust, and tiramisu. How would you describe the restaurants’ culinary offerings? NM: I’ve brought the standard Matsuhisa concept to Cyprus – all of my signature dishes are here. But now that we’ve started, there’s a lot of potential to use different fish in our menu going forward. GL: Ristorante Locatelli is a great celebration of Italian culture and a lot of the dishes reflect different parts of the country. We’ve tried to develop a family restaurant based around the idea of conviviality, as well as the joy of being
“We’ve tried to develop a family restaurant based around the idea of conviviality, as well as the joy of being together and sharing a meal.” GIORGIO LOCATELLI
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together and sharing a meal. How challenging is it trying to source top-quality ingredients in Cyprus? NM: I like to use local ingredients as much as possible. It’s difficult to do that in any restaurant for the first six months to one year. But after that, it becomes easier to communicate with local suppliers, fishermen and other people in order to find excellent produce. GL: Our cuisine is really based on having quality ingredients. Obviously, our ability to source ingredients in London is better than what we’ve got here, it has been a learning curve for sure.
