Opened 13 years ago in London Fields, Lardo is already known for its Italian-inspired cooking, but from 12 May will ‘evolve in a bold new direction’, with Sandini offering something more distinctive and personal.
Sandini grew up in Italy but has cooked at some of the world’s most famed kitchens, including Ana Roš’ Slovenia three-Michelin-star restaurant Hiša Franko.
Her London cooking CV includes the Michelin-starred Luca and Brixton wine bar Naughty Piglets.
Lardo owner Nathan John Woodhead says the reimagining is about transforming a “great local pizza and pasta spot” into one of London’s most exciting Italian-inspired restaurants, with pizza and pasta as supporting acts rather than the headline.
“London dining has evolved dramatically in the last 14 years, LARDO has too, but not enough,” he adds. “This corner of East London is having a refreshed moment as a culinary destination - it makes for an exciting and scary time for us as a legacy neighbourhood spot.”
“We want to be here in 10 years, so we have to show up and do something incredible. The last 18 months have been focussed on the fundamentals. There is still work to do but we’re operating in a different mindset, with a better reputation than we’ve had for a long time - Marta joining is a critical part of the puzzle, in her, I’ve found a foody soulmate.”
The ‘sharper’, more regularly changing menu will include cuttlefish with lardo, pine nut milk and wild garlic; potato and fermented cabbage spring roll with Parmesan cream and crispy chilli oil.
Pasta takes a more expressive turn too, with dishes like open lasagna of confit rabbit, fermented radish and brown butter jus gras.
Lardo’s core pizzas will remain alongside weekly specials such as ‘brizza’ (half bread, half pizza) with Mangalitza lardo, confit garlic butter and pecorino.
Sandini added: “Lardo felt like the right place to be right now and to bring my voice fully into the kitchen. My food starts from Italian roots, but it’s shaped by the places I’ve lived, the people I’ve met, and everything I’ve experienced, I cook by feeling, with care at the centre of it all, with Nathan and the team I know we can make a lot of people happy”.