The 42-cover restaurant has been founded by theatre designer-turned-hospitality entrepreneur Sahar Gilabadi and her husband, Sam Butler. It will combine Iranian-inspired cooking with an ‘East London twist’.
Tehran-born chef Yma Apa will join the restaurant as executive chef and creative director, marking his return to London’s dining scene.
Apa is known for his former Clerkenwell restaurants Tehran Berlin and The Drunken Butler, where he developed a style of cooking influenced by Iranian home cooking alongside his experiences across Europe.
At Pardeh, the menu will draw on Iranian cuisine without attempting to present a single definitive interpretation of it. Instead, it will reflect Apa’s own experiences, memories and influences.
For Gilabadi, Pardeh marks her first move into hospitality following a career in theatre set design.
The restaurant’s name, Pardeh, means ‘curtain’ in Farsi and also refers to a musical fret. The restaurant says its name reflects a focus on ‘rhythm, anticipation and gradual reveal’.