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Dear
I was pondering what the topic of the week for the Bulletin could be when I turned to Marina O'Loughlin's review in yesterday's Sunday Times Magazine of Norse in Harrogate. Many of us had read a recent blog post by the restaurant's owner Paul Rawlinson, in which he cited the difficult economics of running a restaurant as the reason for abandoning their tasting-menu-only format – it simply wasn't working.
As we all know in this industry, a restaurant needs repeat custom – there are very few establishments that work if diners only come once and never return. As O'Loughlin notes at the end of the review, we're starting to see more of this with the likes of Bob Bob Ricard's off-peak pricing. This year is set to be tricky, which is why it's even more important to keep diners coming back time and time again.
Have a good week.
Adam
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Market Halls
The launch of three huge Markets Halls in London has been the talk of the hospitality world in the last few days, despite no announcement on who will actually be operating inside. What we know so far is that they will be in the revamped Fulham Broadway station, Victoria Terminus Place and Oxford Street’s old BHS store, and they will feature shops, bars, restaurants and street-food stands – plus seating in the hundreds. Backers Simon Anderson and Andy Lewis-Pratt are successful entrepreneurs in food and beyond. We await more detail with interest.
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Temper
This spring will see the opening of a third Temper, from chef Neil Rankin and business partner Sam Lee. Of course the new branch, in Covent Garden, will feature Temper’s signature wood-fired oven and counter kitchen, but this time the focus is towards Italian dishes – with cured meat pizzas and game, goat and pork in the ragus (Cobble Lane Cured is hard at work producing meats for the launch). For the first time, Temper will be open for breakfast – expect bangers on the menu, and also adding a bang is a whole menu of vermouths.
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Amber
Open from today, Amber is a new
all-day restaurant in Aldgate, specialising in middle-eastern cuisine (we just can’t get enough of it, clearly). The name refers to the Amber Road trade route of old, that went from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, and the menu of small and larger dishes roams through middle-eastern classics although founders, Murat Kilic and Pierre Aprin promise European influences too.
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Poon's
One of team CODE remembers when the original Poon’s was in Chinatown and Covent Garden and has missed it since the 2003 closure. Now Amy, the daughter of the restaurants’ creator Bill Poon, is bringing the brand back. From 17 February, there will be a Poon’s pop-up in Clerkenwell, with a view to opening a permanent site later in the year. Dishes will be a modern, lighter take on classic Chinese and Bill is a consultant. Sounds like a new dynasty in the making.
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Roux Scholarship
Young chefs have until midnight on Wednesday to apply for the famous Roux Scholarship 2018. The prize, for the chosen candidate, includes £6,000 and an all-expenses-paid three-month stage at a three-Michelin star restaurant anywhere in the world. Judged by the Roux family and some stellar chefs, including Angela Hartnett, Clare Smyth and Sat Bains, entrants must create a recipe from a brief built around gilthead bream. Details are here.
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Foodism awards
The winners of the Foodism awards have been announced, chosen from a list of London’s top 100 food and drink businesses effecting positive change. The website and magazine, along with guest judges, looked for cafes, street-food operators, bars, pubs, restaurants and social enterprises that put people, provenance and sustainability at their heart. It’s a facet of hospitality that is increasingly important – the full list of 100 is here.
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Claire O'Sullivan
There’s always action at Soho House & Co, and hot on the heels of Kettner’s Townhouse launching, Claire O'Sullivan has joined Cafe Boheme as general manager. O'Sullivan joins the company after spending ten years with Corbin & King, as general manager of Bellanger and before that The Wolseley. Cafe Boheme has been refreshed as part of the revamp of the company’s Soho properties.
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Carlos Martinez
Just ahead of its opening in Harrods, the Chucs restaurants have a new group head chef. Carlos Martinez joins from Maze, where he was head chef, and will work work alongside group execrative chef Alessandro Verdenelli to build up the brand, which has big plans for 2018 beyond its existing all-day, Italian-inspired sites in Notting Hill and Mayfair.
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Ben Tish
Ever since Ben Tish left the Salt Yard group, at which he had been a huge creative force, the hospitality world has been waiting to hear his next venture. Now Tish has signed with the Stafford hotel, overseeing all their food offerings, most notably the Game Bird. The restaurant already has a strong reputation, and Tish plans to build on that as well as developing new ventures, with the Stafford’s backing, in the future.
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James Whetlor
He’s a one-man goat-promoting machine, so its no surprise that Cabrito’s James Whetlor – a former chef – has signed up to cook at a dinner at Corazón in Soho showcasing his favourite meat. The event, the first in a series of producer-led events, takes place on Wednesday and uses Cabrito goat in Mexican dishes up to and including pudding (a goat milk caramel, FYI). Tickets can be bought here.
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Duty Manager, Bonnie Gull Seafood Shack - Fitzrovia
We’re looking for an experienced, energetic duty manager to help run our flagship restaurant in Fitzrovia. If you love fresh seafood, great wine and have a passion for hospitality in a fun but informed environment this could be for you. Ideally looking for a candidate that will progress to AGM – support and training will be provided to facilitate.
Experience in a similar role in a notable UK restaurant required.
Click here to read more and apply
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Junior Sous Chefs, Petersham Nurseries Covent Garden
Petersham Nurseries is a lifestyle destination whose ethos and philosophy is drawn from nature and respects Slow Food and positive living. We are looking for a creative and experienced Junior Sous Chefs to join our brigade. We are passionate about food, sustainability all that comes with it. This role will suit a candidate with a strong background, preferably from a Michelin Star, 3 Rosette or 5 Star hotel background.
Click here to read more and apply
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Mon 29 Jan
Tues 30 Jan
Weds 31 Jan
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Fri 2 Feb
Sat 3 Feb
Sun 4 Feb
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To the annual Galette des rois party at the Connaught last Monday evening hosted by Hélène Darroze. The Dumbwaiter enjoyed a few glasses of fizz and gorged on some truffled vacherin alongside Marcus Wareing, Fay Maschler and the Perilla boys.
On the same night, The Dumbwaiter popped across to Claridge's to the Mayfair Times Community Awards hosted by Alexander Armstrong. Not pointless was the nod to Robin Birley – he got the 'Putting Something Back' award for his private members' club 5 Hertford Street and helping with the transformation of Shepherd Market.
Over in Manhattan, despite getting blasted by some of New York's critics, Salt Bae's restaurant has been attracting quite a crowd. The Dumbwaiter spotted on Instagram that Brooklyn Beckham dined at Nusr-et two nights in a row last week. There's rumours that the Turkish chef plans to open an outpost of his steak restaurant in London this year. Will it shake things up, or flake out?
From Ham Yard to Holborn. Click here to read The Dumbwaiter's best bites of the week.
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