YOTAM OTTOLENGHI — SIMPLE TOO, TASTE FOR SIMPLICITY

He changed the way we cook vegetables, filled our cupboards with za’atar, tahini and sumac, and brought the flavours of the Middle East into kitchens around the world. To mark the release of his new book, Simple Too, NOWVillage looks back at Yotam Ottolenghi’s journey, his Geneva address and shares one of the book’s seasonal recipes: an irresistible butternut parmigiana.

Sometimes, simply opening an Ottolenghi cookbook is enough to make you want to start cooking.

Vegetables roasted until beautifully caramelised, plenty of fresh herbs, spices, acidity and crunch — and, above all, his very distinctive ability to create an incredible depth of flavour from surprisingly simple ingredients.

With Simple Too, Yotam Ottolenghi returns to precisely that idea: making cooking simpler, without ever compromising on flavour.

FROM JERUSALEM TO LONDON

Born in Jerusalem, Yotam Ottolenghi was not initially destined for a career in food.

After studying philosophy and literature, he moved from Israel to London in the 1990s and trained at Le Cordon Bleu. He then worked in several London kitchens, notably as a pastry chef, before a meeting would truly change the course of his career.

In 2002, together with Sami Tamimi and Noam Bar, he opened a small deli bearing his name in Notting Hill: Ottolenghi.

It was unlike anywhere else.

Large white tables were piled high with colourful salads, roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, generous cakes and enormous meringues. A cuisine inspired by the Middle East and the Mediterranean, yet free from borders and enriched by influences from further afield.

Success was immediate.

More London locations followed, along with the NOPI and ROVI restaurants. Above all, his books would bring this way of cooking into millions of homes.

Plenty, Jerusalem, Flavour, Simple, Comfort… with each new publication, Ottolenghi has established an unmistakable signature: vegetables at the heart of the plate, bold flavours and a visual generosity that has become instantly recognisable.

For many years, he has also been a food columnist for The Guardian and regularly contributes to The New York Times.

OTTOLENGHI, ALSO IN GENEVA

And since 2025, there is no longer any need to hop on the Eurostar to discover his world.

Yotam Ottolenghi chose Geneva for his first address outside the United Kingdom, at the Mandarin Oriental overlooking the Rhône.

Inspired by ROVI in London, Ottolenghi Geneva naturally puts vegetables centre stage, alongside fermentation and fire-based cooking.

The chef’s philosophy remains intact, with a distinctly Swiss touch: local, seasonal produce plays an important role on the menu.

In the kitchen, chef Maxime Martin leads the restaurant. Before the Geneva opening, he trained in Ottolenghi’s London kitchens alongside Neil Campbell, the group’s executive chef, before helping to create the Swiss menu.

A dialogue between Ottolenghi’s Mediterranean world and regional produce gives the Geneva restaurant a character all its own.

EVENT — 10 TO 19 SEPTEMBER: the release of Simple Too creates a new bridge between the book and the restaurant. This autumn, Ottolenghi Geneva is celebrating the new publication with a selection of dishes inspired by its pages.

SIMPLE TOO, EIGHT YEARS AFTER SIMPLE

Simple pulled off something rather clever: making Ottolenghi’s cooking more accessible without taking away any of what makes it so exciting.

Eight years later, Simple Too continues in exactly the same spirit. The new book brings together 135 recipes designed for real life: some can be made in under thirty minutes, others in a single dish, while others can be prepared in advance.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, vegetables, fish, meat or desserts: the aim remains the same.

Keep it simple, but never boring.

For this new volume, Yotam Ottolenghi once again worked with Verena Lochmuller, a recipe developer he has collaborated with for several years.And from all the recipes in the book, we chose one that feels as though it was made especially for September.

THE SEASONAL RECIPE: BUTTERNUT PARMIGIANA

A parmigiana… without aubergine and even without Parmesan.

That pretty much sums up the Ottolenghi spirit.

Here, butternut squash replaces the traditional aubergine. It is roasted until tender and lightly caramelised, then paired with a tomato sauce scented with cumin, cinnamon and allspice.

Taleggio melts over the top, while panko breadcrumbs with garlic and za’atar add a delicious crunch.

A generous dish, still full of late-summer warmth thanks to the tomato, yet already gently autumnal.