Meet the chef: Max Coen of Dorian
Meet the man behind West London’s finest fuss-free Michelin fare
More of a neighbourhood bistro where friends can linger over seriously good food, than a stuffy, white-glove, stiff-upper-lip style restaurant, Dorian is buzzy, fun and friendly. Those three words don’t always spring to mind when you think of a Michelin-starred restaurant but, from the off, Max Coen was never going to go down the traditional fine dining route.
Opened in 2022, Dorian earned its starry accolade last year and has also been ranked at 21 in the UK’s National Restaurant Awards but, visiting on a sunny Friday night, I don’t think it’s just the trophy cabinet that’s kept loyal customers coming back. Named after Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, in a bid to reflect the golden age of hedonism and indulgence, Dorian may take food seriously but its atmosphere is anything but. Expect the buzz of constant chatter, impeccable but friendly service and jam-packed tables – with only 35 seats, you’d better book in advance. Interiors take their cues from the traditional French bistro: monochrome chequered tiles, emerald green leather banquettes, reclaimed wood panelling and counter seating fringing the open kitchen.
For Coen, though, Dorian would always be squarely about the food. Having been diagnosed with alopecia at age 10, Coen found his culinary calling early, finding refuge working in his local pub in Wiltshire after leaving university. He enjoyed the resilience and camaraderie of the kitchen, which spurred him on to leave home and land jobs at Maze Grill under Gordon Ramsay, then Stockholm’s three Michelin-starred Frantzén, James Knappett’s Kitchen Table and Ikoyi, working alongside Jeremy Chan in one of the capital’s most acclaimed kitchens.
It was at Kitchen Table that Coen met his future business partner Chris D’Sylva, a specialty grocer supplying London’s top restaurants, who fuelled his ambition to create a modern British bistro that champions fine ingredients and Michelin-level techniques. That ethos still shines through today, as Coen lets ingredients take centre stage in hero dishes such as the signature rostis – offered in crab, pomelo and, most famously, caviar iterations.
Larger plates include turbot in bone marrow sauce and hero cuts of steak, such as sirloin and ribeye, and sides that genuinely add to the experience rather than just the bill (the pink fir potatoes are worth visiting for alone). It’s a fine foodie haul well worthy of its Michelin star, just without all the pomp and ceremony typically associated with fine dining – and it’s proving to be a popular balance to strike. Here, Coen talks about his commitment to the kitchen, keeping on top of the menu and his career turning point.
I’ve always been surrounded by food and a love for cooking and produce. I wouldn’t say I always wanted to be a chef, however, when deciding where I would take my future, it was an obvious option. Once I started cooking professionally, I knew it was something that I would want to do for a long time.
An oyster risotto that I had, weirdly, in a pub in Southampton. Definitely one of the most striking memories that really made me want to know more about cooking.
Frantzén was the restaurant that really opened my eyes to fine dining and the art of food. From that point onwards, I knew I wanted to go down the route of Michelin star cooking and see how far I could take that.
Confidence of combining flavour but also the art of creating an amazing working environment and having pure cohesion in the team without any tension and shouting in the kitchen.
Chris D’Sylva and I came together as we had always wanted to. The idea was to fill a hole in Notting Hill which was that there were no good eateries or simply anywhere to dine with accessible, honest cooking.
I try not to restrict our menu. It’s more whatever I see as delicious or best fits the brief of bistro, fun and accessible.
Veal sweetbreads – you have got to order the sweetbreads. They’re basically like chicken nuggets tossed in hot sauce.
Unpretentious, fun and honest cooking.
It’s an incredible achievement that we are very grateful for, however, we don’t overthink it and just continue to do what we do best which is create a very warm cosy and fun environment to work and dine at. Of course, from the kitchen side, create simple delicious food.
Work out how obsessed you are and if it’s not 99 per cent obsession, then you’ll struggle to pursue the career.
Berenjak. I believe their food and cooking is some of the most consistent in the city and definitely the most delicious.a
The head chef for our new Japanese project, Yuji Shimokawa, is creating some incredible food.
Visit dorianrestaurant.com
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