Fire and Ice

He went on to work in an Italian restaurant and fell in love with the bustling kitchen environment. He studied at the Arte Culinario Coronado in Mexico, completed a Master’s degree in Culinary Innovation at the Basque Culinary Centre in Spain and attended the Nordic Food Lab at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, researching how to make tortillas using Nordic grains. The project inspired him to host a series of pop-up events in 27 countries, cooking dishes influenced by Mexican recipes using locally sourced ingredients.  

Lastra had a keen interest in mathematics as a child and credits this methodical attitude for shaping his approach to cooking. He believes that science, technology and history are as much a part of each dish as the ingredients, inspiration and technique, and is inspired by Mexico’s indigenous communities.  

Following a seven-week stint working at Noma Mexico, he set his sights on opening his own restaurant and KOL was born in London in 2020. 

This belief is backed up by the many accolades KOL and Lastra have collected since opening. In 2021, KOL was voted the Best New Arrival in Europe in the La Liste Awards. In 2022, KOL received its first Michelin Star (retained in 2023 and 2024) and in 2023 it entered the World’s 50 Best Restaurants at number 23, climbing to number 17 in 2024. Lastra followed up the success of KOL by opening Fonda in London in 2024. Named after the homely, family-run eateries found across Mexico, it shares KOL’s ethos but offers a more informal dining experience.  

The residency at Badrutt’s Palace wasa first for KOL and Lastra’s first time cooking in Switzerland. Hotel guests enjoyed award-winning dishes such as a langoustine taco with chipotle cream and sea buckthorn in a sourdough tortilla, and a toasted rye, malt, barley and bramley apple flan, among others – a unique fine-dining experience to make a stay extra special.