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At CODE we make no secret of our love for old-school hospitality, especially the role of the maitre d’. It was with a heavy heart when we heard about the death of John Andrews last week. For anyone who has dined at J Sheekey over the years or worked front of house in the London restaurant industry over the past few decades – you will have known John.

As a good friend put on social media last week about him, “thank you for being loud, rude and truly wonderful” - which sums him up rather perfectly. He loved to shock and gossip, but most importantly he knew how to orchestrate a dining room and fill it – he taught so many the art of being a maitre d’. In an interview with CODE a few years back, he commented that his role to diners was “to make them feel welcome and ensure they know we know they’re here – no matter who they are. There is nothing worse than walking into a restaurant and being ignored.”

Walking into Sheekeys won’t be the same - no longer having that cheeky grin greet us, pull up a chair and have a proper chinwag. We’ll miss you John.

Have a good week.

CODE

Wild Honey St James

Big and very welcome news: chef restaurateur Anthony Demetre (above) is taking Wild Honey to a new location. The Mayfair site may have closed but late next month it will be reinvented as Wild Honey St James, within the Sofitel hotel on Pall Mall. Head chef Simon Woodrow will work with Demetre on a French-based menu which will include eel, tripe, rabbit and tarte Tropezienne at the all-day restaurant.

Market Halls

A relief for those who find themselves on Oxford Street in need of food: this summer will see the previously-announced but delayed arrival of the newest Market Halls. The site, on Holles Street right near Oxford Circus, will be its biggest yet - featuring 12 food operators, four bars, a demo kitchen and much more in its 800-cover, three-storey space. No opening date or detail on names yet.

Sloane Place

More news from the rejuvenated food hot-spot of Chelsea. Matt Hobbs, former managing director of The Groucho Club is behind the new public-facing all-day restaurant at the private members’ club The Sloane Club and at the just-opened space, diners can have everything from a full English breakfast to late-night supper.

Flamboree

Want a change from chocolate? Today from 11am-3pm the newly opened Flamboree is giving away 50 tarte flambées at its Old Street site. The restaurant celebrates the Alsace classic, traditionally a very thin dough base with ham, cheese and onions but chef Neil Witney has everything from vegan options and Indonesian-themed savoury dishes to sweet tartes.

Opening...

Farmer J near London Bridge is opening a bar at the King William Street site. Called The Shouk, it will start serving from 1 May… On the same date you’ll be able to say Hello Darling to a new ‘playful, botanical’ restaurant of that name as it opens next to the Old Vic in Waterloo…

... and closing

Sad news that Rawduck, the Hackney restaurant that’s a sister to Ducksoup in Soho and Little Duck The Picklery, closed yesterday. Proprietor Claire Lattin referenced ‘challenging market conditions’ as the reason… Kettner’s Townhouse has tweaked its offering with the restaurant now only open to Soho House members…

Honest Burgers

The burger chain has opened its 33rd site, and first foray north, in Manchester. The Bridge Street site has just opened, with a Manchester special alongside its usual menu, using Bury black pudding and beer cheese sauce. In addition, local brewery Runaway hosts a taproom from Thursday to Sunday on a space above the wooden seated main room and mezzanine.

Cinnamon Club

Veteran chef Vivek Singh has been announced as opening a Cinnamon Club offshoot at the Forte Village resort in Sardinia. The smart holiday destination has 21 restaurants and has a programme of Michelin-starred chefs visiting over the summer season, so Singh will be in good company when The Cinnamon Club opens on 29 June.

Kostas Papathanasiou

Chef-restaurateur Jason Atherton has closed Little Social after five years but it’s not goodbye to the site. After a spruce-up, it will open as No.5 Social on 8 May. The Pollen Street restaurant will have Kostas Papathanasiou as its executive chef (previously senior sous at the big-sister restaurant in the same street) and will focus on seasonal British produce in a new menu reflecting the chef’s own style.

Mario Flanagan

Mario Flanagan has been appointed as general manager of the Andaz London Liverpool Street hotel. He has worked at parent company Hyatt across its portfolio for more than 12 years and replaces Otto Steenbeek, who has retired. Flanagan worked most recently in Birmingham and will now run the company’s first Andaz-branded hotel, overseeing its new restaurant and bar among other tasks.

Multiple Roles, Darby's

Opening May 2019, Darby’s is the latest venture from the team behind The Dairy, Sorella and Counter Culture in Clapham and it will bring immersive British cuisine to London’s hottest emerging riverside destination, Embassy Gardens at Nine Elms.

Inspired by the illustrious jazz career of Chef Robin Gill’s father, Darby’s harks back to the sophistication of the 1950s and 60s. We are recruiting for a variety of positions in both front and back of house.

Click here to read more

Restaurant General Manager, The Hoxton

The Hoxton, Southwark are looking for Restaurant General Managers to be part of the team for the brand new site that is set to open this summer. The Hoxton, Southwark will be the latest addition to The Hoxton family, and the third in London. With 192 rooms, ground-floor and roof-top restaurants and bars, a unique meeting and events space as well as a coworking space, there'll be something for everyone. Come and be a part of a super exciting an opening!

Click here to read more

Head of Restaurants & Bars, The Hoxton

The Hoxton, Southwark are looking for a Head of Restaurants & Bars to join their pre-opening team for the new site launching this summer. The Head of Restaurants & Bars will lead a dynamic pre-opening team of over 200 people, overseeing multilple bars and restaurants and a diverse events space. 

Both guest and team experience will be at the heart of all you do. You will lead from the front and your presence  will be felt by the team and guests alike.

Click here to read more

Head Chef, Linnaean

 

Linnaean is a modern take on café restaurant, wellness salon and lifestyle store. It brings a regularly curated edit of responsibly sourced produce to your local neighbourhood. Our menu is healthy and plant-based with options suitable for flexitarians.

It is nutritionally crafted and has responsibly sourced, organic, unprocessed local options with some global selects.
We are looking for passionate people, who love working with nutritious, healthy, sustainably sourced food and providing exceptional customer experiences.

Click here to read more

 

 

The Dumbwaiter went to the street food festival and competitor InKERBator on the South Bank this weekend where a panel of food experts discussed the current food scene. CODE contributor and wine consultant Zeren Wilson almost (but not quite) persuaded the assembled crowd basking in the bustling sunshine-flooded riverside scene that Folkestone was the next big thing.

Competition is hotting up amongst chefs as to who has the best ‘my boy’ social media feed. Over the weekend we had Idris ‘Brat’ Parry, Ruscha ‘Orasay’ Boxer and Ned ‘Smokestak’ Carter, among others, looking adorable all over Instagram.

Surprise hit drink of the long Easter weekend was a M&S pre-mix mojito after Diane Abbott’s apology for cracking one open on London Overground (alcohol is banned by TfL). Support for the politician came from everywhere and the retailer found itself short of stock. We’ll be tempted to join in when you can get a Duke’s martini in a can…

...although The Dumbwaiter has noticed that Caffè Nero is trying to champion the on-trend drink of espresso and tonic water. At least this can be consumed legally on the Tube. 

From Sloane Place to the City. Here are the Dumbwaiter's Best Bites of the Week.
 

restaurant of the week
Vinoteca City
offer of the week
Dabbers Social Bingo

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