He settled in London, where he opened the restaurant Zima in Soho, offering "Russian cuisine with a modern twist." The outlet notes that his TV show was suddenly taken off the air in 2022,

A Russian TV chef who ran a restaurant in central London has been found dead in Serbia. Alexei Zimin, 52, was an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Crimea in 2014. He had spent his final years exiled in London.

A critic of Putin's war in Ukraine has been found dead in London. The Russian journalist and chef Alexei Zimin died at the age of 53, reported the publication Afisha. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Alexei Zimin, 52, who owned Zima restaurant in Soho, reportedly died on a trip to Belgrade. His television gastronomic show was abruptly cancelled in 2022 for including anti-war songs.