Great British Menu Winner Nikita Pathakji To Open London Restaurant

Young chef Nikita Pathakji thought her time on Great British Menu was up after just missing out on a spot in the final. But her fate changed at the last minute after fellow finalist Corrin Harrison pulled out of the competition due to personal reasons, giving Nikita a chance to step in. Not only that, but she pulled it back and went on to land the prestigious Champion of Champions title after a tense banquet finale at St George’s Hall in Liverpool. 

Nikita beat out fellow finalists Orry Shand, Cal Byerle and Ciaran Brennan, who together cooked a feast for a star-studded dinner that included names like actress Alison Steadman and The Full Monty cinematographer John De Borman. While Ciaran’s dessert was tipped as the winner, Nikita’s fish course ended up stealing the show: a curry-led halibut dish garnished with fried okra and baby aubergines, served with a sambal salad and potato stuffed chilli. 

So what’s Nikita up to next?

Who Is Nikita Pathakji?

Nikita is a 28-year-old, Derby-born chef who won series 21 of Great British Menu, competing for Central England. She also won MasterChef: The Professionals in 2022, becoming the show’s first female winner in 10 years – and making her the only chef to be crowned winner in both competitions. 

She began her culinary career with an apprenticeship at Westminster Kingsway College, going on to land her first job at the prestigious Lanesborough Hotel – initially working on afternoon tea before moving to the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Céleste. Next, Nikita moved to Claude Bosi’s Bibendum, where she honed her skills in French cooking before spending nine months travelling across Southeast Asia. Upon returning to London, she had stints at the three Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth and Kitchen W8. 

Winning MasterChef: The Professionals in 2022 propelled Nikita into the spotlight and led to her landing her first head chef role at The Princess of Shoreditch. During her time there she continued to develop her own culinary style, which she describes as elegant fine dining with bold Asian influence and strong spice profiles.

For the past few years Nikita has focused on building her own private chef and supper club business – but since winning Great British Menu, she has her sights set on a new venture: opening her first restaurant.

BBC/Optomen/Kate Hollingsworth

MAAI, Clapham

Set to open its doors on 20 May 2026, Nikita’s restaurant MAAI will be located on the pretty Abbeville Road in Clapham (taking over the old Brook restaurant site). With both her mother Rima and sister Isha getting involved it’s going to be very much a family affair, hence the name which translates as mum. ‘Our house was always full, always noisy, and always welcoming,’ says Nikita. ‘This is the fountain on which MAAI is built.’

The menu will showcase British produce, layered with influence from Nikita’s heritage. ‘My food is made for sharing around a dining table. My cooking uses the classical techniques I’ve learned from working in Michelin starred kitchens, but the flavours reflect the food we love to eat; bold, expressive, and shaped by the cultures and cuisines from the diasporas of London.’

Nikita’s fans will be happy to hear opening dishes will include the Octopus Tako Yaki Doughnut – which she cooked on MasterChef: The Professionals – as well as the Seared Halibut with Malaysian Fish Head Curry from the Great British Menu banquet. Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find nibbles of chaat tartlet and milk bread with lime pickled butter ahead of grilled hispi cabbage with kimchi mayo, BBQ paneer, and spring lamb rump with pea and coconut. On Sundays, guests will have the opportunity to order a ‘roast-ish’ such as pork tomahawk with glazed pork belly or beef and tamarind hot water crust pie, served with sweetcorn chevdo, masala carrots and chaat potatoes. 

Isha will be the restaurant’s general manager, as well as crafting the drinks offering. The cocktail menu will include concoctions like the MAAI colada made with milk washed pineapple rum punch and coconut foam; an elderflower margarita; a butter popcorn Old Fashioned and a salted melon daiquiri. 

MAAI will open on 20 May 2026 at 33–35 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9LA, restaurantmaai.com