The CODE Bulletin

Dear

Ruth Rogers took to the stage at the GQ Food and Drink awards last Monday evening at the Rosewood hotel to collect her Lifetime Achievement Award. After praising her loyal team at the River Café, Rogers went on to talk about the importance of staff in restaurants feeling valued, having a voice and enjoying what they do.

It’s something we feel incredibly passionate about at CODE. The days of verbal and physical abuse are luckily starting to become a thing of the past. But speak to any restaurateur and the importance of staff retention is just as pressing as getting bums on seats. Over the summer, we’re going to do a survey – I’ve currently named it ‘happiness in hospitality’ – that will look beyond just pay and delve into the more qualitative aspects of working in this industry. We’ll then publish the findings in the autumn issue of CODE Quarterly. Watch this space for more info.

Have a good week.

Adam

Rovi

Fitzrovia, tick. Vegetable-led, tick. Cooked over fire, tick. The new restaurant from the Ottolenghi stable already sounds like a winner. Add Neil Campbell, former head chef of Grain Store, fruit and vegetables bought from a five-farmer collective in Sussex, and a creative approach to food waste – and it's even more impressive. Yotam Ottolenghi and Sammi Tamimi will be overseeing
as executive chefs. Rovi opens in
late June.

Kahani

It’s a strong year for new Indian restaurants and next up is Peter Joseph’s own venture. Joseph was head chef at Michelin-starred Tamarind but has just announced plans to open Kahani in Chelsea. Kahani is Urdu for story, with sharing dishes eaten with the fingers on the menu, leading to bigger plates showcasing British ingredients and Joseph’s roots in Tamil Nadu. The restaurant, on Wilbraham Place, opens this summer.

The American Bar

After seeing Ben Tish posting test dishes on Instagram, it has now been announced that The American Bar at the Stafford is relaunching with a new menu. The hotel's culinary director will showcase the Mediterranean food for which he is known in the bar, as well as – of course – the fabled bar’s cocktails and wines. And appealingly for summer, guests can eat outside in the private cobbled courtyard, with food from a barbecue.

Leopard Bar

Still on the subject of hotel bars, there’s a new one at The Rubens at The Palace Hotel. The exotic-sounding Leopard Bar will serve a pretty comprehensive 200 whiskies and 30 champagnes, all with a backdrop of live jazz. It joins the other Leopard bars at Red Carnation hotels and, already at the Victoria property, the English Grill, Curry Room and New York bar.

Bancone

A welcome addition to William IV Street comes in the form of Bancone, a new Italian restaurant from ex-Locanda Locatelli chef Louis Korovilas. Opening at the end of May, Bancone will serve British produce in Italian dishes, so expect Dorset coppa and Somerset ricotta, plenty of pasta and daily changing arancini. Owner William Ellner has plenty of experience – his family has run the much-loved Joanna’s in Crystal Palace for many years.

The Bluecoats

Tottenham gets a new/old pub when Tom Gibson (of Ruby’s in Dalston) and Jamie Rule and Louis Hyams (both of Night Tales), launch The Bluecoats on 23 May. It used to be the Pride of Tottenham, but before that was Blue Coats School for Girls, which gives the pub its name. With food from Lucky Chip’s Ben Denner and a line-up of interesting local beers, and a gated garden, it sounds top of the class.

Paul Robinson-Webster

Ahead of its opening in July, the food and beverage operators Rhubarb has appointed Paul Robinson-Webster as director of VIVI at Centre Point. VIVI is their flagship restaurant at the newly restored London landmark, and he brings years of experience – most recently with Corbin & King.

David Thompson

It’s the end of an era as David Thompson announces he’s leaving Nahm. The chef has been synonymous with the Thai restaurant for its 18-year history, both in London and Bangkok. Thompson is to continue his work on the origins and legacy of Thai cuisine, and develop the Aylmer Aaharn brand (which is partnering with Leon on Tuk Shop, as CODE Bulletin readers will know).

Louis Lingwood

Louis Lingwood has moved from his head chef role at Oldroyd to become head chef of the Cleveland Arms in Paddington. Having had previous experience with the exacting Jeremy Lee at Quo Vadis and more recently as part of the Five Cooks and A Cocktail roving food events, Lingwood is ready for the challenge of a pub.

Dan Doherty

From Thursday he can be seen judging Britain’s Best Home Cook in a new BBC show with Mary Berry, and Dan Doherty has just announced that he has left his long-time role as executive chef at Duck & Waffle. But Doherty doesn’t plan a full-time TV career – he intends to open his own restaurant later this year.

Senior Account Executive & Account Executive, Tonic PR

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Head of Bread & Patisserie, Caravan Restaurants

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Frankie McCoy reviews Hide, Mayfair

Grace Dent reviews Club Mexicana at the Spread Eagle, Hackney

My life as an (almost) vegan restaurant critic

Toronto, Canada: the people and places ushering in a new food identity

Mon 30 April

Foodchain Supper Club at The Chess Club

Tues 1 May

Poon's pop-up final dinner with Bill Poon

Wed 2 May

Thurs 3 May

Salon | Strictly Bangers x Florian Siepert

Fri 4 May

Sat 5 May

Cinco de Mayo at Santo Remedio

To the GQ Food and Drink Awards last Monday at the Rosewood hotel hosted by Claudia Winkleman. Over glasses of Veuve, awards were presented to the Sethi siblings for Best Restaurateur, the Ned for Best Hotel and Clare Smyth for Best Restaurant. At the end of the awards, a dapper Jamie Oliver took to the stage to present Ruth Rogers with the Lifetime Achievement award. There was no sign of the effing and blinding that's all over his Guardian interview today.

After collecting her award as the world’s best female chef on Wednesday, Clare Smyth hosted a special lunch for a small group at her restaurant Core in Notting Hill. Lazy Susan was lucky enough to be invited and there was an even a flying visit from ‘Prince Charming’ himself. (Brett Graham, not Gordon).

Momo on Heddon Street still attracts the A-listers. The Moroccan restaurant is understood to be hosting a party that the Rolling Stones are planning to attend. The Dumbwaiter hears that the group has asked if the bollards on the pedestrianised thoroughfare off Regent Street can be removed so their chauffeured cars can pull up right outside venue – fingers crossed they get their way and get some Satisfaction, or will it be a case of You Can't Always Get What You Want?

From London Bridge to the Loire Valley. Click here for The Dumbwaiter’s best bites of the week.

Londrino

Monday - Friday | 50% off food

London Cocktail Club Goodge Street

Monday - Thursday | 25% off total bill