Kostas Papathanasiou

Kostas Papathanasiou was born and raised in Lamia, in Central Greece, where a deep connection to land, seasonality and family cooking shaped his earliest memories of food. He pursued formal culinary training and gained early experience in renowned establishments in Switzerland and Ireland. His ambition then led him to The Fat Duck, where he spent four and a half formative years rising to Sous Chef and absorbing the precision of three-Michelin-starred cooking. He later joined Ivan Brehm in Singapore for the opening of Nouri, before returning to London. Over the next five years with Jason Atherton’s Social Company, including leading Pollen Street Social and later rebranding Little Social into No.5 Social, he gained valuable experience in leadership and restaurant operations.Years later he joined Björn Frantzén’s group, becoming Executive Chef within the three-Michelin-starred Frantzén team in Stockholm, further honing his precision at the highest level. In late 2025, he returned to London to join Lita in Marylebone as Culinary Director, bringing with him two decades of international experience. Under his guidance, the restaurant retained its Michelin star in the 2026 Guide Great Britain & Ireland, marking a seamless transition and reaffirming his reputation for thoughtful leadership, technical excellence and ingredient-driven cooking.