MOI restaurant to open in Soho with open-fire cooking and listening room

New Japanese-inspired concept, MOI, opens on Tuesday, the 29th of July, on Wardour Street in Soho, London. The restaurant marks the first venture from recently launched hospitality group MAD Restaurants, founded by entrepreneur Artem Login. Led by Executive Chef Andy Cook, formerly of the Gordon Ramsay Group, MOI focuses focus on open-fire cooking, British seafood, and seasonal produce through a Japanese culinary lens.

The kitchen will also be overseen by Head Chef Nick Tannett, previously of Evernight, a Bib Gourmand-awarded Japanese restaurant in south London. Together, Cook and Tannett aim to bring a modern, ingredient-led approach to Japanese cuisine, with a menu centred around small and medium plates, skewers, and large sharing dishes. Among the highlights there are Tamworth Pork Chop with roasted peach and karashi mustard, Cornish Lobster with grilled peas and clam broth, and Duck Dumplings with Tokyo turnips and wasabi duck fat.

“The five years I spent in Japan were my most transformative as a chef. It immersed me in a food culture that places immense respect on ingredients, provenance, and seasonality,” said Cook.

MOI occupies occupy a two-floor, 150-cover site and include a private dining room, an omakase-style sushi bar, and a dedicated Listening Room. The interior design combines reclaimed wood, raw concrete, and soft lighting to reflect a contemporary interpretation of Japanese minimalism. A poured concrete spiral staircase connects the ground floor to the lower level, which houses a 16-cover sushi kitchen and a 40-cover music-focused lounge.

The Listening Room, inspired by Tokyo’s hidden vinyl bars, features a bespoke sound system by Friendly Pressure and will host music-led events throughout the year. The full restaurant menu is available to order here too. 

The drinks programme is led by Dino Koletsas, whose previous experience includes roles at Harrods, the Inception Group, and The Langham’s Artesian Bar. The offering presents a rotating selection of low-intervention and biodynamic wines, as well as sake and shochu pairings. Cocktails incorporate Japanese techniques and British ingredients, aligning with the restaurant’s overall culinary philosophy.

MOI is the inaugural project from MAD Restaurants, which plans to open a second venue, ALTA—a Northern Spanish concept led by chef Rob Roy Cameron—later this summer. The MAD team also includes Group Operations Director Giulia Cappuccio, formerly of The Ledbury and KOL, and General Manager Tatiana Tholtova, who has worked with Jason Atherton and HIDE.

Food Desk
Photo: Creator: Milly Kenny-Ryder 

For further information and reservations, visit the restaurant’s website here.