WHAT'S HAPPENING AT IKNI BANUS
Meet The Team
Mehdi Ikni (Proprietor)
With 30 years experience in the restaurant business in Scandinavia, with wife and joint business partner, Sinikka, together they run the Ikni restaurants with passion, vision and the desire to make their customers happy. The son of a sheep farmer, Mehdi worked in his dad's store, learned to handle meat and got the spark to learn more about the business of feeding people. Mehdi trained in the restaurant trade and became a chef in Paris. He has capitalized on his knowledge of Scandinavian cuisine - and is an expert in "svenska husmanskost" (a Swedish specialty. He can also cook traditional hearty Scandinavian fare from the Arctic areas such as reindeer and bear, but you won’t find those on the menu at ikni Banús…
Pasquale Conti (Restaurant Manager)
Also bringing a feisty Latin temperament to Ikni Banús is Pasquale Conti, the Italian Restaurant Manager. Born in Naples, Pasquale exudes that cheeky, Italian confidence and warmth, throwing himself with huge passion into his work, he is also devoted to his young son. More than just a waiter, Pasquale sees the bigger picture of the business, and is aware that every happy customer is the best ambassador you could find for Ikni Banús, something that shows in his welcoming manner. Passionate about his job, Pasquale shares one of his nation’s first loves, an obsession with Ferraris. Friendly, animated and very Italian - his hand gestures say it all… so don’t stand in his way…He talks with his hands to the degree that no words are needed to understand him perfectly…
Rod Williams (Head Chef)
The character of this brilliant chef is the height of Britishness; cool, calm and collected, serious but charming, but with a wicked sense of humour.
He can be a tough taskmaster in the kitchen, but the results have earned him praise in Yo Dona, one of Spain’s leading newspaper supplements. Rod has traveled extensively, and gets excited about introducing new flavours and ingredients into his creative Mediterranean cuisine. Although he has lived 15 years in Spain, he is passionate about Scandinavian cuisine and oozes Scandinavian efficiency - which helps to keep the working environment smooth and calm. Brimming with enthusiasm for his team, Rod loves dogs, and has a dog, bizarrely named Rabbit.
Maurice Curtin (2nd Chef)
Working seamlessly under the direction of Rod Williams, Maurice Curtin is a talented chef in his own right with a raft of experience in some of the most exclusive venues in London. Maurice is a pleasure to work with, although his accent takes some getting used to… as the kitchen hands would agree… Passionate about good food,
Eager to learn more about Mediterranean and Scandinavian cuisine - Maurice is
learning to speak Spanish. He came to Spain in love with the quality of life; sun, sea,
great food - and can enjoy it all right here in Ikni Banús. Easy on the eye, Maurice is happy to pose for pictures too.