One Year of Nipotina: A conversation with Head Chef Somaia Hammad, Nipotina

Marking one year in Mayfair, Nipotina has fast become the kind of Italian restaurant that Londoners return to not just for a meal, but for a feeling. At its heart is Head Chef Somaia Hammad, whose food balances precision with soul; rustic warmth refined for modern Mayfair. To celebrate the anniversary, Hammad has joined forces with chef and writer Nina Parker for A Feast for Friends, a collaborative four-course menu that embodies everything Nipotina stands for: connection, comfort, and the kind of cooking that makes you want to linger. Here, Hammad reflects on the power of honest food, collaboration, and the art of making diners feel at home.

Somaia Hammad

• Nipotina has become a Mayfair favourite in just one year. What do you think has resonated most with diners about your approach to Italian cooking?

I think people feel the honesty in the food. Italian cuisine isn’t about showing off, it's about generosity, about letting a few simple ingredients speak and diners recognise when flavours are genuine and authentic. We cook with intention and love rather than complication, and that tends to resonate in a place like Mayfair, where expectations are high, but where the heart still craves comfort.

• The anniversary menu with Nina Parker is called "A Feast for Friends". How did the two of you approach creating dishes that celebrate connection and togetherness?

We started by thinking about the meals, flavours and sauces that make both of us feel warm inside and that invite you to reach across the table. We wanted textures, flavours, and sauces that make you want to "scarpetta" (using a piece of bread to mop up leftover sauce on a plate). That was the guiding spirit.

• Collaboration in the kitchen often sparks creative tension as well as harmony. How did you and Nina balance your respective cooking styles when designing the four-course menu?

We both come from slightly different culinary worlds, but we share a similar approach to ingredients, comfort, and nostalgia. We explored ideas individually first, then sat together and tasted, edited, layered and always asked ourselves, "What serves the story of the dish?"

Nipotina restaurant

• The menu highlights comforting, soulful dishes like raviolone with gorgonzola and pear and braised cod with polenta. How do you elevate simplicity without losing the heart of a traditional Italian meal?

The key is to use the right techniques and respect the ingredients. If you over-complicate things, you lose authenticity. But if you under-deliver, you lose excitement. So, we started with a traditional base and the finest produce, and the elevation came from care and attention.

• Nipotina is described as "neighbourhood Italian" but located in one of London’s most exclusive postcodes. How do you keep that sense of warmth and accessibility at the core of the dining experience?

We focus on being warm, authentic, and human. The team greets you like family, the dishes come from a place of nostalgia and there is always space for laughter and spontaneity. Being in Mayfair can make things feel formal, but we work to dissolve that expectation the moment the first plate lands on the table.

• You’ve spoken about wanting every guest to "feel at home" at Nipotina. How do you translate that idea into the details on the plate, from flavour to presentation?

When you’re at home, food isn’t formal or overly composed. So, even when a dish is beautifully presented, I want it to have softness and simplicity. I love to include flavours that remind you of something or someone, and possess a feeling that brings you back to a happy place or a memory.

Nipotina restaurant

• The partnership with La Tua Pasta extends Nipotina’s food into people’s homes. Do you see meal kits and at-home experiences as an important part of restaurant culture today?

Definitely. People want connection beyond the restaurant walls. A meal kit isn’t just pasta, it’s a moment where we step into your kitchen. It keeps the dialogue alive and it invites people to slow down and cook, which I think is something we all crave more of.

• Many of your dishes highlight lesser-seen regional ingredients or recipes. Which parts of Italy inspire you most, and how do you weave those regional nuances into a modern London setting?

I’m endlessly inspired by the north for its comfort and richness, and by the south for its sunshine and boldness. In London, you can bring those contrasts together harmoniously. I love introducing something like Plin di Mare from Piedmont in a way that feels familiar but sparks curiosity, or Burrata from Puglia with a twist.

• Texture and balance seem central to your cooking. How do you approach composing a dish texturally?

I think about how guests will take their first bite: is there softness? A little crunch? Something silky? Texture is a conversation between elements, and every dish needs a bit of contrast. Even a simple polenta benefits from a hint of crispness or freshness to keep the palate alive.

Nipotina restaurant

• You’ve had a year to watch Nipotina’s guests interact with the food. Has that shaped or surprised the way you design your menus moving forward?

Absolutely. You learn so much from this. We find that people gravitate toward dishes with emotional warmth and that has encouraged me to make the menu even more grounded, more soulful. The dishes that come from memories and that have a story tend to be the ones guests respond to most strongly.

• With Nipotina now firmly established, what does the next chapter look like for you creatively? Are there new ingredients, formats, or experiences you’re eager to explore?

I’m exploring more seasonal micro-menus, small shifts that reflect fleeting produce. I’m also curious about deeper collaborations, not just with chefs but with farmers, artists, even perfume makers. Food doesn’t exist in isolation; it’s part of a sensory world, and I want to keep expanding that.

• Finally, when you sit down with friends for your own "feast", what dishes or rituals make it feel like home to you personally?

For me, it all begins with bread on the table and olive oil that you can smell before you taste it. A big bowl of pasta served family-style, no fuss, no plating. Something cooking on the grill – I’m a huge meat lover. And dessert plates always passed around, spoons dipping in together. That’s what home feels like: generous, unpretentious, shared.

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