Former Frantzén executive chef appointed culinary director at Lita

Kostas Papathanasiou has been appointed culinary director at the Michelin-starred Lita in London’s Marylebone.

He takes over from former head chef Luke Ahearne, who left Lita last year to launch Motorino with Stevie Parle in London’s Fitzrovia.

Papathanasiou was born and raised in Greece and trained at the three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck in Bray before taking on senior roles at the Ledbury in London’s Notting Hill and within Jason Atherton’s the Social Company.

He has also worked in Singapore and Stockholm, where he was executive chef at the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Frantzén.

Last year, he returned to London to join Lita, which was launched in early 2024 by George Bukhov-Weinstein and Ilya Demichev, the duo behind Wild Tavern in London’s Chelsea, and restaurateur Daniel Koukarskikh, with Ahearne as head chef.

Press materials for his announcement stated Papathanasiou brings a “thoughtful, ingredient-led approach that feels refined and elegant while remaining approachable”.