Mayfair omakase restaurant Maru has announced the appointment of Vitalijus Salagubas as general manager and sommelier.
Vitalijus joins Maru from China Tang at The Dorchester, where he worked for over 14 years, most recently as assistant head sommelier.
Joining the team of executive chef Taiji Maruyama and two sous chefs, Vitalijus will be taking care of the restaurant’s front-of-house operations and drinks offering.
For the latter, highlights include Kimoto Sake from Fukushima (which has recently had the ban on exports lifted), Domaine Bott Geyl Pinot Gris Les Elements 2017, Domaine Laroche Chablis Premier Cru Les Vaudevey and Fossacolle Brunello Di Montalcino 2017.
Maruyuma is a third-generation sushi chef who, over the past year that Maru has been open, has received acclaim for his 21 course omakase menu, served to just eight diners at a time around an intimate maple timber counter.
Before Maru, he worked in Tokyo, Barcelona and Norway, and undertook a stint at Nobu. While the restaurant’s name was partly chosen because of his family name, it also means ‘circle’ in Japanese, which symbolises Maruyuma’s philosophy of respecting seasonality and tradition. The 20 course omakase menu costs £190 per person, with two seatings a day (5.30pm and 8.30pm).
In other sommelier news, Andrea Donadio was recently named the best in Argentina.
