Pavel Lee: a new Chapter for MEGUMI Restaurant
“For me, returning to MEGUMI is an opportunity to rediscover a familiar restaurant from a fresh perspective. I want to combine the international experience I have gained with the exceptional expertise of the team to reimagine what a premium hotel restaurant can be. Our primary ambition is not simply to follow culinary trends, but to set them and create truly distinctive experiences for our guests.”
— Pavel Lee
Fifteen years on, MEGUMI is embarking on a new chapter in its culinary journey. Pavel Lee, a chef with extensive international experience spanning New York, Qatar, Kuwait and Dubai, has taken the helm of the kitchen at one of Moscow’s most renowned Japanese restaurants. His return to MEGUMI is particularly meaningful: it was here, within the walls of LOTTE HOTEL MOSCOW, that an important chapter of his professional journey first began. Pavel joined the MEGUMI team shortly after the hotel opened and spent approximately a year at the restaurant. An invitation to Qatar followed, marking the beginning of an international career that would take him into an entirely different culinary environment.
FROM MOSCOW TO THE MIDDLE EAST — AND BACK AGAIN
Pavel’s first international appointment was at MEGU Doha in Qatar, where he took on the role of Head Chef. There, he led an extensive transformation of the restaurant’s culinary concept, introducing more than 50 new dishes. In Kuwait, Pavel served as the pre-opening chef of a restaurant at The House Hotel Al Khiran, playing a key role in shaping its identity and culinary direction from the ground up. Dubai was the next destination. For more than two years, Pavel led the kitchen at Sumosan as Head Chef. At Sakhalin, he oversaw the Asian culinary offering, while at Oltermare, he was responsible for the raw bar and cold kitchen. His international career has shaped a distinctive approach to gastronomy, defined by decisive thinking, continuous evolution, direct engagement with guests and an instinctive understanding of the expectations of a discerning clientele.
A FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Today, Pavel Lee returns to MEGUMI with an ambition that extends far beyond introducing a new menu. His vision is to transform the restaurant’s atmosphere and the way guests experience it, while preserving its most essential quality: its authentic Japanese identity. At the heart of this new chapter lies a contemporary interpretation of traditional Japanese cuisine, grounded in respect for time-honoured techniques and exceptional ingredients. Pavel aims to bring greater energy and dynamism to MEGUMI’s culinary experience, encourage a more personal connection between the kitchen and its guests, and establish the restaurant as a destination to which guests return not only for their favourite dishes, but also for the excitement of discovering something new. One of the chef’s key priorities is to reintroduce omakase in an intimate, face-to-face format. Together with Japanese Sushi Chef Takashi Hoshi, a master of the traditional Edomae style, Pavel will prepare dishes directly in front of guests. Takashi brings more than 30 years of professional experience, including 16 years in Tokyo’s fine-dining restaurants and a further 16 years at MEGUMI, where he has worked since its opening. His expertise lies in the meticulous preparation of fish, an exceptional understanding of texture and the art of sushi-making, where every movement is executed with precision. The renewed omakase experience will invite guests to observe both chefs at work, discovering Japanese gastronomy through flavour, craftsmanship and personal interaction. The traditional boundaries between kitchen and dining room will dissolve, allowing the preparation itself to become an integral part of the dining experience.
A TIME FOR CHANGE
Pavel Lee is returning to the place where his journey once began, bringing with him an entirely new depth of international experience. And perhaps this is what makes MEGUMI’s next chapter so compelling: the opportunity to rediscover familiar Japanese cuisine through the eyes of a chef whose perspective has been shaped by culinary experiences across the world.