Two minutes with ROKA Global Executive Chef Luca Spiga
ROKA is known for its open grill and robatayaki style of cooking. What is it about this style of dining that has turned ROKA into the brand it is today?
There's so much that makes ROKA what it is. Dining while watching our chefs cook in the robata (open kitchen) creates a unique energy and is an important part of the ROKA experience. We also focus on getting the best produce that we can to create the dishes from our much-loved menu. However, people are the most important part of ROKA, without the strong team we have behind each restaurant, we couldn't deliver our high standards. Consistency is also key and this is something that has created trust in our brand and ensures our guests return again and again.
2024 saw ROKA mark a very successful 20 years since first opening on Charlotte Street. How have you celebrated the occasion?
We have been celebrating our 20th birthday all year in many different ways. Every few months we’ve added special dishes to the menu from our archives over the past 20 years. We’ve created a unique whisky with Japanese distillery Chichibu, and have collaborated with brands such as Casamigos on special menus. We also popped up at Taste of London this summer in Regent’s Park.
What’s been your favourite dish from the past 20 years?
That’s a very difficult one to answer as there are so many. If I really have to choose, it would be ‘kankoku fu kohitsuji’- lamb cutlets – perfectly cooked on the robata and seasoned with Korean spices.