The CODE Bulletin

Dear

I remember when a friend of mine discovered a start-up food website in New York called Infatuation that was a much-needed source of where to dine when visiting the Big Apple. I later met the two founders, Andrew and Chris, who launched their restaurant review website in London last year. Last week they announced they'd acquired Zagat from Google. Not only am I chuffed for the two of them but I'm glad to see that there's still an appetite for proper review platforms.

Last week, on International Women's Day, we published our inaugural 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality. We believe this is a really powerful, positive list at a time when there are stories about both struggles in the hospitality business, and the difficulties women face in reaching the higher echelons of the industry. The full list is available to read here and will be published in the spring issue of CODE Quarterly.

Have a good week.

Adam

The Duke of Richmond

He made Oldroyd into a real neighbourhood favourite, so it’s a good bet that Tom Oldroyd can perform the same magic later this spring for The Duke of Richmond pub in Hackney. The pub, first opened in 1841, will have a 30-cover dining room and the food will have a French accent. Bar food will include Toulouse sausages and mash and, in the restaurant, expect roast turbot and béarnaise, and open lasagne of wild nettles, violetta artichokes & broad beans.

Hans' Bar & Grill

Chelsea’s tireless shoppers get a new all-day restaurant this spring and it sounds soothing (and not just for the 195 bins wine list). Hans’ Bar & Grill is named not for its head chef – Adam England, late of Le Pont de la Tour – but for Hans Sloane, the man who brought cocoa to Britain. So chocolate is very much on the menu at this airy, light 106-cover space tucked away on Pavilion Road, as well as eggs benedict, veal carpaccio and confit duck. It’s from the same team as Chewton Glen and 11 Cadogan Gardens.

Caramel London

Down the road in Knightsbridge, it’s all about caramel; well, that’s the name of a mini-chain started in the Middle East, which is arriving at the end of March on Brompton Road. Caramel London will be offering food from 8am till midnight, including a glamorous afternoon tea, brunch dishes and some exotic-sounding cocktails. It is on the site of the much-loved historic fixture La Brasserie, so has big shoes to fill.

Salt'n'Sauce

Meanwhile shoppers in Oxford are lucky – the folks behind Bonnie Gull are opening the first of their new chippies, Salt’n’Sauce, in Westgate Oxford. It will feature not just their signature fish and chips, but also burgers, with salt and pepper squid, and buttermilk fried chicken. Given that the shopping centre is a huge 800,000 sq ft, visitors might want to add a ‘whippy’ ice cream with a flake before they get back to the retail therapy too.

The Dairy

Sorella may be getting all the plaudits, but next weekend is all about The Dairy, Robin Gill’s original Clapham restaurant. To celebrate its fifth birthday, there will be a day next Sunday of ‘serious shenanigans’ – and because it's St Patrick's Day on Saturday, expect snacks, drinks and music with an Irish tinge. As many chefs and restaurateurs will know, The Dairy is the scene of the infamous ‘Bloodshot’ 1am dinners… now they’re invited along to carouse during daylight.

The Blue Posts

Still on live music, the newly restored and loved-again Blue Posts pub in Soho has brought back jazz on a Sunday afternoon. They’ve also brought back jazz band The Fallen Heroes (who played there for 11 years, before the revamp), who specialise in a New-Orleans-meets-London style that sounds just right for cosying up in the pub with a cask ale. And it’s fitting for a place run by siblings that the Fallen Heroes are brothers.

Angelo Albera

Angelo Albera is becoming chef de cuisine, in charge of the kitchens at Jacob Kenedy’s Soho favourite Bocca di Lupo. He joins after three years at Cantina del Ponte in London, and before that Albera - born in Italy’s Piedmont region – was at Amici in Abu Dhabi. Kenedy remains chef patron of Bocca, which celebrates its tenth anniversary later this year.

Nuno Mendes

He’s one of the most energetic and supportive faces in the hospitality world, and has been searingly honest about its challenges. Now Nuno Mendes is closing his Taberna do Mercado in Spitalfields, moving it to The Kitchens at Old Spitalfields Market and using the old site as a wine bar/shop. “Reinvent or die” is how he put it on Instagram. CODE wishes him the best of luck with the changes.

Senior Account Executive/Account Manager, Sauce Communications

Sauce is looking for a brilliant senior account executive/account manager to join our restaurants team.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about restaurants and wants to work with some of best chefs in the country. Previous PR experience is essential.

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Head Chef, BOB's Lobster

BOB's Lobster is looking for a Head Chef to open its NEW and exciting restaurant and wine bar in London Bridge. BOB's Lobster is a seafood specialist serving seafood extravagance in a casual and fun setting. Starting life as an award winning food truck and event catering specialist we are excited to be opening a full restaurant in London Bridge just down the road from our affiliated wine bar Bedales of Borough Market.

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Fay Maschler reviews Sabor

The Infatuation reviews CORE by Clare Smyth

Nicholas Lander talks to the founders of Lorne

Antoni Porowski can cook

Mon 12 March

Weds 14 March

Thurs 15 March

Craft Cookbook Club with Prawn on the Lawn

Fri 16 March

New opening: Swingers West End

Sat 17 March

He hasn't had the best start to the year but The Dumbwaiter is a fan of Jamie Oliver and for what he's been campaigning for when it comes to the food that children are eating. He noticed on Instagram over the weekend that Oliver had dinner at Evelyn's Table in the Blue Posts in Soho on Friday night. Pukka.

Congratulations to Darius Namdar. The director of Mark's Club was crowned champion of the annual 'world cup' for cigar experts in
Cuba last week. Condolences to
the runner-up who was from the Caribbean island. Close but no cigar, you might say.

This year's Who's Cooking Dinner
was another stellar line up. Chefs including Dan Doherty, Tom Kerridge, Mark Hix, Angela Hartnett and Nathan Outlaw gathered at
Rosewood London to each cook for
a table to raise money for the
cancer charity, Leuka.

From Mayfair to Marylebone. Click here to read The Dumbwaiter's best bites of the week.

The Marksman

Monday – Wednesday | 50% off food

Vini Italiani South Kensington

Sunday - Wednesday | 25% off total bill + retail offer