From Australia via the kitchens of Nobu, chef Scott Hallsworth has already been dubbed one of London's hottest chefs. On top of this, he's managed to transform a pop-up into three highly successful restaurants and has many other ventures on the go besides. But if you can't score a table at Kurobata – fear not: Scott is bringing his brand of contemporary Japanese food to the Festive Edition of Taste of London; from the popular pork belly steamed bun to a sticky miso grilled aubergine dish that's turned into the surprise hit of the show.
With so many ventures on the go – how on earth has he found time to fit in the festival too? ‘It is tricky’, he admits, ‘but it's all about delegation. We always find time for Taste. It's really great to connect with people and chat about the ingredients we use or the techniques, the kind of people who go there are really enthusiastic – they love what we do.’
It's a logistical challenge, working out how much to prepare and what will sell: ‘We nailed it pretty well at the summer festival – we just about ran out by the end, and we always try to involve as much of the team as possible.’
The rapid growth of Kurobata has been quite a ride. ‘We're still heading upwards – we've signed off on a fourth place, and there's interest abroad too: we're just trying to do everything as well as we possibly can.’