david Chelidze

Born in 1987, David Chelidze divided his childhood between the seaside city of Batumi and Kyzyl-Kiya, on the southern edge of the Fergana Valley. The region’s orchards, vegetable gardens and agricultural traditions shaped his early food memories. Cooking seasonally with his grandmother, including preserving vegetables for winter, remains a lasting influence on his work.

At 21, David moved to Moscow, initially working in construction before taking a job at a small sushi restaurant. Fascinated by the precision, teamwork and discipline of the kitchen, he went on to study Hotel and Restaurant Business Management at Synergy University while continuing to work in restaurants.

After graduating, David completed a three-month stagiaire at Martín Berasategui in San Sebastián, followed by a role with chef Édouard Loubet in Provence. Returning to Russia, he became Head Chef at Burbon in Kazan, developing tasting menus inspired by his experiences in France and Spain.

In 2021, he opened Hedonist, a modern Georgian restaurant in Moscow that was subsequently included in the Michelin Guide Russia selection. It established the foundations of his cooking: Georgian cuisine shaped by memory, research and technique, without being constrained by convention.

In 2022, David met London restaurateur Diana Militski, leading to a creative partnership and the opening of Kinkally in Fitzrovia in 2023. The restaurant joined the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland in 2024.

Today, David’s cooking brings together two landscapes: Georgia and Britain. Inspired by his childhood garden, he works with what is growing and at its best, drawing on British farms, fishermen, markets and even ingredients gathered from the hedgerows. Rather than making Georgian food “British”, his approach continues a tradition of absorbing outside influences and making them your own. At Kinkally, the Mtkvari meets the Thames, as Georgian memory and technique meet the seasons and produce of contemporary London.