Santiago Lastra’s story is unlike any other in modern food. Raised in chaos, forged through global kitchens, and shaped by an obsessive drive to master his craft, he built KOL — one of London’s most original, Michelin-starred restaurants — by combining Mexican soul with British ingredients.

In this conversation, Santiago reveals how adversity, identity, discipline and extreme curiosity shaped both him and his restaurant. This episode is about far more than food — it’s about reinvention, resilience, and the psychology behind elite creativity.

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ON THE MENU
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🇲🇽 Growing up in chaos — and turning adversity into fuel
🔥 How obsession, discipline & structure rewired his life
🥘 The philosophy behind KOL: Mexican soul, British ingredients
🌍 Noma Mexico, global travel & finding creative identity
🧠 How environment shapes ambition, confidence & mindset
🎨 Why great creativity requires constraints
🍽️ Building a Michelin-star restaurant from scratch
👥 Leadership, culture & the psychology of a great kitchen
🥃 The emotional story behind Mezcaleria KOL
🔄 Letting go of your past to build the life you want

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►Let's link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)
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This live panel brings together four absolute legends of London hospitality: Stew Down from Black Bear Burger, Saiphin Moore from Rosa’s Thai Cafe, Graham Hollinshead from Ole & Steen, and Amanda Whiteside from the iconic Gordon’s Wine Bar.

The theme of the night?
How the hell do you survive—and actually thrive—in hospitality right now?

After opening with Bruce Lee’s “Be like water,” the group dives straight into the realities they’re all wrestling with.

Stew (Black Bear Burger) talks about the challenge of being a premium brand in a category with a price ceiling. Instead of joining discount wars, he’s doubling down on creativity—like launching an adult Happy Meal with a double burger, fries, a Negroni, and a cheeky adult “toy.” It’s nostalgic, fun, and designed to go viral without cheapening the brand.

Graham (Ole & Steen) offers the big-chain perspective. With 100+ stores in Denmark, 26 in the UK, and 5 in New York, his biggest fear is losing momentum. He talks about simplifying product ranges, fixing supply chain waste, and doing unexpected collaborations (like a Cinnamon Social × Badiani gelato mashup) to keep things fresh and fend off complacency.

Saiphin (Rosa’s Thai Cafe) shares a very different set of pressures—import costs, skilled-chef shortages, and the challenge of staying true to her food when nearly everything comes from Thailand. Her answer? She trains up local staff from the ground floor, maintains deep relationships with Thai farmers, and proudly “swims against the water.” Her leadership style is pure heart: she cooks for her team, travels with them to Thailand, and treats them like extended family.

Amanda (Gordon’s Wine Bar) brings the single-site reality. Running Gordon’s is like running the gauntlet: councils, complaints, grease traps, supply issues, dairy bans, price shocks—you name it. Her approach is to stay calm, pivot fast, and frame every problem as something solvable. She also breaks down how they restructured service charge and pricing to protect staff wages during the cost-of-living crisis.

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♨️Still bloody HUNGRY? Course ya are. Each week I spend 15 hours writing my newsletter. It’ll take you 5 mins to read. Full of wisdom from the biggest names in food and drink. Subscribe here - https://hungryfeast.beehiiv.com/🍲

🤝 Let's Connect!
►Let’s link-up here ​ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-pope/)
►Stalk me here ​ (https://www.instagram.com/_hungry.pod/)

This episode was edited by:
G.Thomas Craig (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gthomascraig/)

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