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Conversation with a Chef

By Jo Rittey, Creator & Host

April 10th, 2026

I went in for lunch at Little Black Pig and Sons before talking with David Lakhi, head chef and co-owner. After lunch we sat down in the inky and acoustically excellent dining room out the back, its walls hung with my favourite Klimt paintings. David has been cooking in Heidelberg for nine years now, quietly building a restaurant founded on seasonality, restraint, and a deep respect for cooking from the land. His work draws on Italian cucina povera, shaped by how he grew up eating, what he learned in the Italian kitchens that trained him, and the way he cooks now. It’s deliberate, thoughtful, and grounded in care for produce, craft, and the people who come through the door. This was such an enjoyable conversation, and it is easy to see why Little Black Pig and Sons holds such a fierce place in the hearts of the diners that have eaten there.

Photo: Kristoffer Paulsen