How did it happen?

It began with The End nightclub in 1995, and the opening of AKA Bar in 1998. But perhaps it really began earlier, in the kitchens of our grandmothers and our parents...

Over a decade of touring took Layo through the world's best restaurants and street food, from New York to Tokyo, São Paulo to Mumbai, shaping how he thought about hospitality.

Zoë began working after school in the local café, waitressing and hanging out at the staff table#8. From there: London to Brighton, Barcelona and back, chasing kitchens and dining rooms worth learning from, before returning in 1999 to help Layo run The End and AKA.

After selling the businesses in 2009, they took a couple of years apart before reuniting to plan their next project.

In May 2014, The Palomar opened. It has since gone on to win numerous accolades, including the OFM ‘Best Restaurant’ Award, Tatler ‘Restaurant of the Year’ Award, and the GQ ‘Best Restaurant’ Award, while holding a Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since opening.