Born in Jerusalem, Yotam was first interested in the written word, studying comparative literature at University, and then working as a copyeditor at Haaretz. He then moved to Amsterdam where he became the editor of the Hebrew section of Dutch-Jewish magazine NIW. But then his love of food started taking precedence, and he moved to England to study French pastry cooking at Le Cordon Bleu.
Before having his own restaurant, Yotam worked as a pastry chef at the Michelin-starred Capital Restaurant, at Launceston Place in Kensington, and at Kensington Place. By the end of the 90’s he was working at the pastry shop Baker and Space, where he met Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi, where they bonded over a shared language and love for English cuisine.
It wasn’t long before the duo founded the Ottolenghi delicatessen in Notting Hall, quickly gaining a cult following due to its unorthodox flavour combinations and inventive dishes. Since then, the brand has expanded to three more London delis, a formal restaurant, a brasserie, and a vegetable-centric restaurant.
In 2011, Yotam Ottolenghi returned to his home city for BBC 4’s Jerusalem on a Plate to explore the flavours and recipes that have influenced his own palate. In 2012, he hosted the successful food series Ottolenghi’s Mediterranean Feasts for More4, in which he visited Morocco, Istanbul, Tunisia, and Israel. The following year, he fronted the award-winning show Ottolenghi’s Mediterranean Island Feasts, where he travelled to Corsica, Sardinia, Mallorca and Crete to discover new methods of cooking Mediterranean cuisine. He has also starred as a guest judge on Masterchef Australia (2017; 2019; 2021).
In 2020, a documentary was made about him entitled Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles. Yotam himself is a very popular figure online, with over 3 million social media followers, offering recipes and masterclasses.
Yotam has been a regular contributor to The Guardian’s Weekend magazine for over 15 years, and is a regular contributor to the New York Times. He has also published a number of cookbooks, including:
– Ottolenghi: The Cookbook (2008)
– Plenty (2010)
– Jerusalem: A Cookbook (2012)
– Plenty More (2014)
– NOPI (2015)
– Sweet: Desserts from London’s Ottolenghi (2017)
– Ottolenghi Simple (2018)
– Ottolenghi Flavour (2020)
– Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love (2021)
– Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things (2022)
His books have earnt him praise from some of the biggest reviewers in the industry, including The New York Times, Food & Wine, the Wall Street Journal, and The London Evening Standard, who remarked that Ottolenghi had “radically rewritten the way Londoners cook and eat”. His books have since sold over 5 million copies worldwide.
His success in the culinary and writing world has seem him and his team awarded and nominated for some of the most prestigious awards, including:
For His Books
– 2010 Galaxy National Book Awards Food and Drink Book of the Year for Plenty
– 2020 Observer Food Monthly’s Best Cookbook Ever for Plenty
– 2011 Observer Food Month’s Best Cookbook Award for Plenty
– 2013 James Beard Award International Cookbook for Jerusalem
– 2013 Guild of Food Writers Cookery Book Award for Jerusalem
– 2013 Guild of Food Writers Evelyn Rose Award for Cookery Journalist for writings in The Guardian
– 2013 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards the Dun Gifford Award for Jerusalem
– 2013 International Association of Culinary Professionals International Award and Best Cookbook Award for Jerusalem
– 2013 German Gastronomic Academy Silver Medal for Jerusalem
– 2013 Observer Food Monthly Best Cookbook Award for Jerusalem
– 2014 Specsavers National Book Awards Food and Drink Book of the Year for Plenty More
– 2016 James Beard Award for NOPI: The Cookbook
For His TV Work
– 2012 Guild of Food Writers Awards Work on Food and Travel for Jerusalem on a Plate
– 2013 Fortnum and Mason Television Programme of the Year for Ottolenghi’s Mediterranean Feast
For His Restaurants and Food
– 2011 Conde Nast Traveler Innovation and Design Awards for NOPI
– 2012 Restaurant and Bar Design Awards for NOPI
