Issue 6 Spring 2016

Q u a r t e r l y The eyes & ears of the hospitality industry Alan Yau | Global round-up | On the rocks | Coffee culture | Last orders | Destination CODE: Amsterdam

Distributed by hand to the best restaurants, hotels, bars and private members’ clubs | codehospitality.co.uk -1-

Enquiries: [email protected] / ourvodka.com/ourlondon Please enjoy our/london responsibly -2-

Exporting excellence

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hat brands do you think of when it comes to exceptional quality, design and customer service? Is it the high street retailers from Japan - such as Uniqlo and Muji - with their practical products and polite, attentive staff? Or is it a favourite airline, a certain brand of handwash, a preferred hotel operator or the choice of gin that you would rather make your martini with? I ask this because it’s unlikely that anyone would mention a restaurant when propositioned with this question. But what about Soho House, for example? Nick Jones sent out an email to Soho House members recently outlining the future openings for his global private clubs. The group will open eight Houses across three continents - including their first House in Asia, with the launch of Soho House Mumbai over the next 24 months. Surely Jones’s ever growing global empire should get a look-in? Or how about Hawksmoor? It’s no mean feat taking a steak restaurant to Manhattan but Will Beckett, Huw Gott and Richard Turner are well placed to give it a go. These are two examples of British hospitality at its best and some of the finest in the world. We should be championing the fact that many of our home-grown talents are now ‘exporting’ their great brands to other parts of the world. 2016 has already seen us visit New York, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Madrid and Stockholm to check out what’s happening around the world when it comes to food and drink. We now live in a far more connected, and in a way, smaller world. A restaurant opening in a far and distant land is more accessible than it used to be - both in terms of physically going to eat there but also the sort of media attention it gets - as well as exposure on social media. Following certain chefs from different parts of the globe on Instagram immediately draws you into their own culinary world for a few seconds, whether it’s in Lima or Lausanne. We’re always looking to report on the latest industry news from around the globe, as well as connect the industry with the leading global restaurant cities. You’ll find a new feature in this issue of the Quarterly, where we’ve asked some of our well-travelled friends at CODE to tell us what’s happening in some of the most exciting international restaurant cities including Los Angeles, Bangkok and Sydney (p.10). With my consultancy hat on, we regularly speak to international operators who are looking to open in London - and regardless of their concept, brand and product - one of the first things we discuss is their commitment to opening in a foreign city. There’s been some great examples of restaurants coming to London and thinking the streets are paved with gold. Different cultures, clientele and the lack of familiar faces can be a recipe for disaster if you haven’t done your homework. This is why Greg Marchand of Frenchie deserves a special mention. The chef has upped sticks leaving his family back in the French capital - to open the London outpost of his Paris restaurant. His commitment to the Covent Garden restaurant is not only admirable but also the reason why he won’t follow in the footsteps of other

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international chefs who made one appearance in the kitchen, to only then return to give the keys back to the landlord. 2016 may be the year when the industry starts to correct itself with some of the weaker offerings and operators dropping by the wayside. But in the West End - despite the recent news that certain Michelin restaurants are shutting up shop to relocate to more affordable areas - the market is still hot. At the end of last year, Alan Yau opened his newest restaurant Park Chinois on Berkeley Street, Mayfair. I sat down to interview him on his career in restaurants, his latest projects and what he next has his eye on in the food world (p 7). Recently appointed editor Callum Edge has taken a dive into the world of caviar and how its perception as a luxury food is slowly changing (p. 13). He also takes a dip into the drinks arena, taking a look at what bars are doing when it comes to the tricky act of balancing hospitality and sustainability (p. 14). Staying in the world of drinks, I discuss coffee culture with Paul Kelly of La Marzocco, David Abrahamovitch of Grind & Co. and Dan Thompson of Soho House (p. 21). Our essay section is growing with every issue and we have articles from James Lewis, Anna Sulan Masing and Zeren Wilson. Lewis looks at the issue of no-shows in restaurants and how to deal with them (p. 25), while Masing discusses the importance of matching front of house careers with those of chefs when it comes to perception and status (p. 26). Our good friend and wine aficionado Zeren Wilson has penned a wonderful piece on wine epiphany - a must read (p. 27). As we grow The CODE app in the UK, we’re focusing a lot more of our time in great restaurant cities such as Manchester, Bristol and Brighton, which now all have a presence on the app. CODE’s Daniel Reynolds has done a round up of the best places to eat in Bristol (p. 28), and also ventured to Amsterdam for the latest Destination CODE. The king of sandwiches Max Halley has done a great postshift recipe for us (p. 31) and we have the usual fun features from The Dumbwaiter. Finally, we’re still on the hunt for a reliable pair of hands to help us out with CODE New York. As ever, questions and comments can be sent to me at: [email protected] Adam Hyman Founder, CODE @AdamMHyman

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Contents 07 10 13 14 16 17 18 21 25 26 27 28 29 29 31 32 33 34

CODE in conversation with... Alan Yau The global round-up Surge in sturgeon On the rocks Basque Culinary World Prize CODE in conversation with... Charlotte Edgecombe Menu art The ‘no-show‘ must go on The waiting game The wine epiphany Brizzle kicks The Kitchen Shrink What’s hot. What’s not Last orders Are you being served? Guess the cruets Destination CODE: Amsterdam

Front cover: Gastro 1/6, Bangkok, Thailand Editor-in-chief Adam Hyman Editor Callum Edge Creative director Aleksandar Taralezhkov

Contributors Kate Atkins Stefanie Crockford Charlie Hall Max Halley James Lewis Sally Lewis Anna Sulan Masing Nathania Messer Kay Plunkett-Hogge Daniel Reynolds Catherine Taylor Marcel Thoma Zeren Wilson

CODE 6th Floor Greener House 66-68 Haymarket London SW1Y 4RF Tel: +44 207 104 2007 [email protected] @CODEhospitality @codehospitality

CODE Quarterly is published four times a year by Nexus CODE Limited, 6th Floor, Greener House, 66-68 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4RF. Registered no. 07950029 England and Wales. Printed by Buxton Press, Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE. -5-

A NEW SERIES BY JOURNEE Our industry is built upon innovation. Every day, new products and new produce enter the back doors of our restaurants, and the kitchen must learn to work with their unique qualities. Every day, new people enter the front doors of our restaurants, and the dining room must find special ways to connect with their unique personalities. All of us—by the very nature of what we wake up and do each day—are innovators.

WORST. DECISION. EVER. How did you overcome the worst decision you’ve ever made? — April 11th & 25th 11 AM EST / 4 PM GMT

Whether you work in fine dining or quick service, the pass is an essential point of contact. The pass is where kitchen and dining room, cook and server, collaborate to make their ideas a reality. The final juncture before the rest of the world gets to experience what we’ve created.

TRANSITIONS What is essential if you want to shift paths without getting lost? — May 9th & 23rd 11 AM EST / 4 PM GMT

The pass is that distinct place where we meet. Journee is a community with a mission to empower restaurant professionals to take control of their careers and change the way the industry evolves.  Each month, Journee will provide the stage for our diverse community to present different perspectives on an important topic. Over the course of 1 hour, we’ll curate 15-minute talks by a number of different speakers focused on finding solutions for a single theme.

FAMILY How can family and career coexist? — June 13th & 27th 11 AM EST / 4 PM GMT

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Watch live at yourjournee.com Join the NYC Colab to attend in person: yourjournee.com/apply

CODE in conversation with... Alan Yau Adam Hyman talks to Alan Yau about his life in restaurants and his plans to move into food technology.

“I want to do an “IBM“ - to migrate from hardware to software to move from restaurants to a food platform.” -7--7-

CODE in conversation with...

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lan Yau’s CV reads like a timeline of some of the most successful restaurants to have opened in London: Wagamama in 1992, the opening of Busaba Eathai in 1999, the launch of Hakkasan in 2001, followed by Yauatcha in 2004. Not to mention his three latest projects: Babaji Pide on Shaftesbury Avenue, Duck & Rice on Berwick Street and Park Chinois on Mayfair’s Berkeley Street, as well as a smattering of creative consultancy roles across the globe in places like Moscow and Monaco. Yet you scroll all the way back to the first entry on his CV in 1990 and it reads: McDonald’s Franchisee training programme. The fast food chain is arguably the most successful example of consistency within the food industry across the globe. Whether you love it or loathe it, a Big Mac in Geneva will taste the same as a Big Mac in Adelaide. The Golden Arches notch on his impressive career journey reminded me of what Yau said at the end of our interview when I asked what his future held. “I want to do an “IBM” - to migrate from hardware to software: to move from restaurants to a food platform.” In a recent FT interview, Yau said that he is,“tantalised and troubled by the unfinished business of fast food. I want to move out of this industry because I can’t really expand. The amazing thing about digital technology is that it can hit 50 million people overnight but change through restaurants is 10 years minimum.” As he goes on to say, “I want to disrupt taste from the current, almost analogue age of critical mass adoption to the millennial age of credible mass. For the TripAdvisor generation, it is all about what they ‘like’ rather than what is ‘good’, even if it is not to their taste.”

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Yet this vision seems a long way off from his latest project, Park Chinois in Mayfair. The 15,200 sq ft, 300-cover site on Berkeley Street - a couple of doors up from Richard Caring’s Sexy Fish - has reportedly cost over £20m to get it off the ground and during my visits - once for lunch, once for afternoon tea and once for dinner - it’s clear this project is a labour of love for the Wagamama founder. Park Chinois is something that cannot be easily replicated. Inspired by the French rococo period, Park Chinois was originally planned to open in the Gramercy Park hotel in New York a number of years ago. I ask Yau if the London version had changed from what was planned for Manhattan. “That’s very observant of you, you’ve done your research well. The concept has changed in its totality except for the design anchor of ‘chinoiserie’. The ‘old school’ brand philosophy, which the concept sits under, now drives everything else. The ‘dinner and dance’ component is also a recent development”, says Yau. I mention to him that I’ve always thought there was a gap in the market for more dinner and dancing venues in London that are not private members’ clubs. I suggest something along the lines of a public Annabel’s or LouLou’s. He replies by saying, “I think Club Chinois will

be more ‘old school’ compared to Annabel’s, I hope. Both musically and the feel of the place will hark back to the glory days of the Cotton Club in Brooklyn, Buena Vista Social Club in Havana and the Peace Hotel in Shanghai”. A few days before interviewing Yau, a wellknown chef with restaurants in Mayfair and Soho told me that there were plans to open a more informal restaurant and bar in the former Automat part of the site on Dover Street. “You know the space very well”, replies Yau. “We are looking to turn the old Automat space into a whisky bar with food coming from the same kitchen as Salon de Chine.” Despite creating some of the most famous restaurant brands in the world, Yau has always remained low-key when it comes to his public profile. Show someone in the industry a picture of him and they would be unlikely to recognise him. Going back in time, I bring up the topic of Wagamama. As a restaurant it was so ahead of its time - communal dining on long tables -8-

and cuisine that was unknown to Brits. At the end of last year - the group now owned by Duke Street Capital - announced they were to open their first site in the States in New York. I ask Yau what it was like to open the first Wagamama. “I really enjoyed the work in those days”, he notes. “Apart from being young and naive, being an owner-operator allows you to sweat out the problems as well as the successes. Looking back, those days represent romance and nostalgia.” Nine years afters launching Busaba Eathai on Soho’s Wardour Street in 1999, he sold it to Phoenix Equity Partners for £21.5m. The sleek interiors had been created by Christian Liaigre and David Thompson - for whom Yau has the utmost respect for his “absolute dedication to authentic Thai cooking” - created the menu. In a sense, Yau brought good Thai food to the masses. I ask him if this is his same mission for Babaji. He says “it’s not so much about

Alan Yau trying to bring Turkish cuisine to the masses. I hope the Babaji proposition is more focused, and my ambition is to push Pide as a mono-product, with a similar roll-out model to what Pizza Express did with pizza.” “Going forward, both the menu and the spatial template will be tighter, the unit economics better defined, and there’ll be a system architecture to facilitate the roll-out strategy. Lastly, Babaji will appoint a CEO, to lead the expansion plan”, notes Yau. We discuss the future for Duck & Rice and Babaji and if there’s any plans to open internationally. “We’re looking to restrict the roll-out ambitions of Duck & Rice to UK shores. For Babaji, Dubai is an easy fit in terms of cultural compatibility. It would create a shop window platform for the GCC countries. We are also partnering with SSP to place

Babajis into airports globally”, replies Yau. With both Babaji and Duck & Rice, we’ve seen Yau take a new direction in design and collaborating with design studio, Autoban. Set up by Seyhan Özdemir and Sefer Çaglar in 2003 in Istanbul, the studio has worked with the likes of Hermès, as well as local restaurants in the Turkish capital including Karaköy Lokantasi. The decor, most notably the tiling, is similar to that of Babaji and Duck Rice. I ask Yau his reason for choosing to work with this specific company. “For me, the two best designer / architects are Christian Liaigre and John Motford”, says Yau. French designer Liaigre’s clients include Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein and Rupert Murdoch. And Motford has created some of the most iconic hotel interiors in Asia - from the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong to the Park Hyatt Tokyo, made famous in the Sofia Coppola film “Lost in Translation”. “I like design and I enjoy design. I have a list of designers and architects whom I like to work with, but at the same time the way I work is about choosing and matching the concept to the designer, as I don’t really believe designers can change their internal design traits. With Autoban, I really like the way they can take the design brief to a semantic level, affecting the FF&E components of the design. I really admire this level of design coherence”, notes Yau. Our topic of conversation turns more generic and we start to discuss the London restaurant scene. At the time of writing, there had been a lot of press

about Mayfair restaurants relocating due to high operational costs - especially rent - and the impact this will have on the sort of operators opening in the West End. I ask Yau if he thinks that London is currently the best restaurant city in the world. “I’m not sure London is the best restaurant city in the world in terms of food quality - but certainly in terms of dynamism of trade, yes. London will always fall short in terms of the quality of produce, and an appreciation for a produce-driven culture is still lacking, compared to say Tokyo or San Sebastián”, suggests Yau. We touch upon recruitment in the industry. “It’s very challenging, especially with the ever-increasing tightening up of working visas for non-EU nationals. I believe the situation will force a trend towards Euro-centric cuisines in order to compensate the cost / quality trade-off”. For any restaurateur or chef, travelling to discover new cuisines is so integral to their restaurants for not only just food but design, concept and hospitality. For Yau, Japan - bar none - is the most inspirational place he has visited in terms of food and hospitality. “Not just for the cooking or specific type of cuisine, but for their cultural appreciation of quality: quality of produce, quality of cooking, in line with the seasons (shun), and the aspirational attitude towards learning that chefs have - absolute post materialism”, says Yau. Taking in everything Yau has spoken about, especially the sort of language he uses, it’s clear that he’s not just your ordinary restaurateur who is content with opening a restaurant. It strikes me that he is constantly searching to improve what he does - always tweaking things - that not only benefit his restaurant but hopefully the industry as a whole. When you think of the Danny Meyers and Jeremy Kings of the world - they are the best at what they do because they constantly strive for perfection and flip an idea on its head. You ask ten people the same question and you’ll get nine identical answers apart from Meyer and King who will look at a situation in a different way. I sense Yau is the same. But something doesn’t sit right with me and I can’t quite place my finger on it. I’m not saying that Yau doesn’t enjoy what he does now but he seems to remember the Wagamama and Hakkasan days with such fondness and nostalgia, as though his current projects are like a second marriage but he’s still in love with his first wife. The wedding, the honeymoon, the anniversaries are not the same the second time around. I only later discover that after falling ill in early 2009, Yau flew to Thailand and trained to become a monk for eight months. I’m told this takes time, commitment and forgoing many of life’s pleasures. Much like being a restaurateur.

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Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Adam Hyman @AdamMHyman

The global round-up

New York

London

At CODE we’ll always have a special place in our hearts for New York. However, the city that never sleeps is finding itself having to compete more and more now with the restaurant scenes in the likes of LA and some of the secondary US cities such as Charleston and Birmingham.

Despite rents continuing to rise and skilled staff becoming yet harder to find, the scene in London is as exciting as it has been for some time. The lack of affordable space in the centre of town has meant that restaurateurs have had to eye-up sites further out than originally intended.

But the scene is still buzzy and there’s no shortage of new openings. The trend towards healthy fast casual is still leading the charge with the likes of By Chloe and Superiority Burger. Even Will Guidara and Daniel Humm of three Michelin star restaurant Eleven Madison Park are opening their own healthy fast casual place in NoMad. The latest new openings that are worth mentioning over the past few months include Le Turtle on the Lower East Side – Taavo Somer and Carlos Quirarte’s small French bistro with a menu by Greg Proechel. David Chang is continuing his New York dominance and opened Momofuku Nishi at the beginning of the year in Chelsea. Chang is putting his spin on Italian food with his usual funky flavours and combinations. Luckily we still have April Bloomfiled and Ken Friedman — the chef and restaurateur behind the Spotted Pig, the Breslin, and the John Dory — to kick the healthy fad to the kerb. The unstoppable duo have just opened Salvation Burger in Midtown’s East Pod 51 hotel. The muchloved Charlie Bird in Soho has opened a sister restaurant on Kenmare Street. Robert Bohr, Ryan Hardy and Grant Reynolds’s Pasquale Jones serves pizzas, pastas and Italian wines. The owners of Estela – currently one of our favourite places in Manhattan – have opened their second restaurant. Thomas Carter and Ignacio Mattos’s Café Altro Paradiso has a traditional Italian menu and although it’s only been open a matter of days at the time of writing – things are looking positive.

Long-term marketing strategies have, to an extent, been replaced by short-term social media surges: Instagramers have become the judge, jury and executioner of the industry, hashtags fuelling the consumer’s voracious appetite for instant, on-trend data. Whether this is effective after an initial launch period is yet to be seen. Wine continues to dominate the drink offering, as seen in Bloomsbury’s Noble Rot, burgers and fine wine at Lucky Chip in Dalston, and the ubiquity of Coravin as well as increasingly affordable mark-ups across the capital. Moreover, wine-led Gallic imports Les 110 de Taillevent and Frenchie showed previous operators how to successfully launch in London. The onslaught of Japanese openings hasn’t failed to cease – Sosharu, Jidori, Tokimeite, Ichiryu to name just a few of the latest. And we’re also seeing our fair share of high profile pop-ups, with Albert Adrià’s residency at Hotel Café Royal presumably starting a trend for big names to cash in on the rise of gastro-tourism. Conversations are peppered with rumours of numerous closures and relocations over the coming months, already witnessed in the increase of fast casual and regional dining operations, which makes this a very interesting, if unnerving time. Callum Edge CODE

Adam Hyman CODE

Paris Los Angeles

For as long as we can remember, New York has always been the number one city when it comes to dining in North America. However, Los Angeles seems to have stolen the Big Apple’s limelight recently. In between his constant travelling across the States in search of the best restaurants, we spoke to Bill Addison, Eater’s restaurant editor, to get his thoughts on the city of angel’s restaurant scene. “Having traveled to 45 American cities in 2015, I feel confident in saying that Los Angeles is the most exciting place to eat in the U.S. right now. California has for decades been a cultural hub for ingredient worship and free expression, in cooking and beyond. It’s truer than ever in L.A. Many chefs who have worked in fine dining or learned in tradition-minded kitchens have struck out on their own, often in tiny spaces, taking the idea of the culinary atelier to the extreme.” And here are some of Addison’s highlights after his latest visit to LA. “Baroo inhabits a tiny space in a rundown Hollywood shopping center, but South Korean native Kwang Uh is turning out some of the city’s most fascinating food. He riffs off his heritage with dishes like pineapple kimchi fried rice with egg but also rolls out gorgeous pastas. At Ricebar downtown, Charles Olalia similarly looks to his Filipino background, serving tangy, garlicky homemade sausages and grain bowls built upon sun-dried red rice grown in the Philippines. For a modern French bistro experience in Southern California, head to 21-seat Petit Trois behind a petrol station for Ludo Lefebvre’s perfect rolled omelet and over-the-top croque madame. (His double cheeseburger with garlic aioli, caramelized onions, and sauce bordelaise is also my favorite burger in the country at the moment.)” “Looking instead for a sweeping, dramatic, quintessentially American dining experience? Head to Santa Monica, then, for Cassia, a whopper of a space sleek with tiles, concrete, and clean lines. Brian Ng’s tour of Asian flavors — Vietnamese pot au feu, silky beef rendang, and lamb breast crusted with Sichuan peppercorns and cumin — tastes exactly of the moment.” Adam Hyman CODE

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A food scene organised around Paris’s twenty arrondissements; each area is expanding based on the culture its history has dictated. With the eleventh taking responsibility for the growth of Parisian bistronomie and the tenth laying claim to the original mixologists, it is the city as a whole who will hope to gain from this golden age. Those already established institutions such as Le Comptoir du Relais are expanding sideways and following the likes of Greg Marchand’s Frenchie and Bertrand Grébaut of Septime by opening a sister bar au vin in a way only French architecture allows. Retaining the beauty and history of a city steeped in nostalgia these bistros house themselves down cobbled streets producing a wildly expansive cuisine. Marketed almost entirely by bloggers and Instagramers alike you’ll find little more than a homepage on Google for many of the highly sought-after tables. However, it has become ‘LeFooding’s’ online phone app that dictates a diner’s next move, serving as a food bible to all who subscribe. With restaurants such as Bones re-opening its door under the new witty guise as “Jones”, and Simone Tondo of what once was Roseval opening his next venture this summer, Paris seems to have met with a new generation of young, tattooed, well-travelled chefs intent on seizing the opportunity to innovate. A city still in the shadow of the November 2015 attacks, a proud food nation has turned to the values that always defined it, offering an increasingly diverse restaurant scene. I might even go as far as to say I don’t think Paris has ever eaten better. Stephanie Crockford Restaurant Manager, Salt, Paris

Copenhagen

Hong Kong

The birthplace of New Nordic Cuisine, Copenhagen remains the “it” city for the Scandinavian restaurant scene. Noma, the city’s spiritual leader, is temporarily closed while the team immerse themselves in warmer climes. In its place has sprung up another achingly cool, sustainable restaurant, “108”. This is Redzepi’s latest project that opens permanently in the summer. At the end of the 2016, Noma takes another step forward moving its premises to develop an “urban farm” within its restaurant complex.

The JIA Group, who run some of the best restaurants in Hong Kong including Duddell’s, CHACHAWAN and partner with Jason Atherton, have opened a new seafood restaurant. Yenn Wong and chef David Lai’s Fish School gives local seafood a twist. The co-founders of Black Sheep Restaurants, Christopher Mark and Syed Asim Hussain, have collaborated with Vietnamese-Australian chef Bao La to open Le Garçon Saigon in the Wan Chai neighbourhood. The restaurant focuses on southern Vietnamese cuisine – which is much fresher and sweeter with French influences passed down from their colonial heritage. And Bisque Lobster and Champagne – a new American/Canadian seafood restaurant that specialises in East Coast Canadian lobster and grower champagne in Lan Kwai Fong.

For so compact a city, new openings abound as legions of international chefs graduate from Copenhagen’s globally renowned institutions. Despite deep Scandinavian roots, many kitchens have an unusually international feel, young chefs migrating to this culinary hotspot. Restaurant Taller provides a new Venezuelan twist and Hija de Sanchez roll out tortillas from their Mexican shack in the Torvehallerne market. Sustainability is firmly embedded as the norm throughout eating establishments and wine lists stock almost exclusively organic and biodynamic wines. Recently Christian Puglesi’s Relae was awarded Sustainable Restaurant of the Year with 90% of his ingredients certified organic, and MAD informs the rest of the world through its sustainability symposia held annually in the city.

If it’s a cool bar you’re after, then the 1950’s style Fox Glove on Duddell Street is excellent. The old classics are still as good as ever such as China Club, SEVVA, Mandarin Grill and, of course, Café Gray Deluxe. Marcel Thoma General Manager, The Upper House, Hong Kong

Michelin returned this year, notably granting Geranium its third star, the first restaurant in the Nordic region (along with Maaemo in Oslo) to receive such an accolade – both deservedly so. Copenhagen gained four starred restaurants, bringing its total to twenty stars over sixteen establishments. The city continues its track record as a trendsetter: expect more great things.

Sydney & Melbourne It is now a Dane-free zone in Australia and while the Noma affect will filter through menus for a while to come (think indigenous ingredients) there is a lot going on that doesn’t require a degustation or all-natural wine list. Or fried chicken, burgers or soft serve ice cream… Sydney’s CBD continues to boom with old school operators like Mike McInerney and Guillaume Brahimi opening eponymous venues midyear, plus new restaurateurs like the Swillhouse Group doing French sharing plates at Restaurant Hubert. The fringe ‘burbs of Paddington and Surry Hills are also gearing up for more with Danielle Alvarez opening Fred’s on Oxford Street and later in the year Melbourne import Chin Chin making its big debut in the Griffith Tea building. Of course, there’s plenty still to open at the Barangaroo precinct, including the Bentley boys doing seafood in Noma’s old digs. In Melbourne they are doing what they always do well – smashing bars and bistros – French Saloon, Miriam, Ember and Bar Liberty the latest to open, with Oter soon to join them. All have serious food and wine pedigree.

Charlie Hall CODE

Stokehouse (version 3.0) will land later in the year on the beach in St Kilda giving the southern suburbs something to talk about. In the meantime, ex- Attica alumni Peter Gunn is opening IDES and hoping to breathe some life into Smith Street, Collingwood. Sally Lewis Sometime PR and @fourpillarsgin

Bangkok Bangkok has long been an international city. Even in the 60s and 70s, when I grew up, there was a plethora of French, Italian, German, Thai (of course) and American-style restaurants. After all, it is a port city and it has always welcomed weary travellers to its bosom. In recent years the city has taken on an even richer culinary mantle. There is always the street food — Bangkok’s beating heart — but now, alongside it, there is a dazzling array of high-end restaurants redefining Thai food, such as the Issaya Siamese Club, where chef Ian Kittichai fuses French technique with traditional Thai ingredients. Never Ending Summer, David Thompson’s Nahm, and Dylan Jones and Bo Songvisava’s bo.lan reach back into Thailand’s rich culinary heritage for authentic and traditional recipes, the latter two having won Asia’s 50 Best in the past few years, an honour now bestowed (for the second year running) upon Gaggan, the Indian molecular gastronomy restaurant that has taken Bangkok by storm. Bangkok has also as of this year become the host city to Asia’s 50 Best, establishing it as South East Asia’s culinary capital. Every day sees new restaurants, bars and hotels opening, confident that the market is sustainable, and they sit comfortably alongside old favourites like Soi Polo Fried Chicken, Khaotom Chiaocha, Pa Or and Ruen Urai. For Bangkok is a city where innovation and tradition complement each other, the ancient and modern yin and yang as apparent in its architecture as its menus. Kay Plunkett-Hogge Food & drink writer born and raised in Thailand – her latest book HEAT: Cooking with Chillies (Quercus) is out in May

Illustrations by Nathania Messer -11-

what does your table say about you?

your personal Steelite supplier 01264 33 44 75 -12-

From Huso Huso to Huso Daruricus. Caviar’s enjoying a recent surge in popularity in restaurants, reports Callum Edge.

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nce regarded as cheap peasant food – served with porridge and eaten by the bowlful – from the sixteenth century onwards caviar came to be the centrepiece to the Russian Tsars’ table. Nowadays, the status of sturgeon roe as the ultimate delicacy arguably surpasses even lobster, foie gras, and oysters, as suggested by its other name: black gold. After a decline in popularity that coincided with worldwide economic difficulties, caviar is now once again back on the menu. During the nineties, stocks nearly ran out. Widespread overfishing and unsustainable production methods resulted in a ban on catching sturgeon and the fish was labelled as endangered. The World Wildlife Fund estimated that around ten times more sturgeon was caught illegally according to quotas set to protect the fish. As such, in the black market that arose many thousands of tins of questionably produced roe were exchanged for vast sums of cash. With criminal gangs trying to get in on the action, the already dwindling population was just steps from extinction. This has resulted in most of the world’s caviar now being produced from farmed sturgeon. The last twenty years has seen an increased focus on sustainability and localism in food circles. The British public have finally woken up to the fact that the potential to grow high quality, seasonal produce in the UK is huge, and the “farm to fork” movement has encouraged enterprising individuals to set up all manner of business here.

at Fortnum & Mason’s new 45 Jermyn Street with baked potato and scrambled egg. In addition, chefs including Simon Rogan (L’Enclume), Claude Bosi (Hibiscus), and Brett Graham (The Ledbury) have experimented with ways to introduce locally produced caviar into dishes whilst being affordable for the diner.

Caviar is traditionally eaten for an occasion. Old school glamour has had a recent resurgence in London’s restaurant scene, with punters opting to spend their wares on the theatricalities of eating out, rather than the theatricalities of, well, the theatre. Champagne, truffles, and – of course – caviar are now the hot tickets in town: classically served (that is, with blinis and sour cream) at the likes of Bob Bob Ricard and Wiltons; as a seven course tasting menu at M Restaurants; or prepared via trolley tableside

This newfound appetite has crept into the supermarket as well. Sales of caviar have risen by 50 per cent at Waitrose in the last year because shoppers are dolloping it on burgers and pizza, the retailer claims. Gourmet House Caviar is trying to make caviar a ‘less exclusive’ food and more accessible to customers who buy it from them. “Certain farmed caviars are really excellent value. Consumers should not be scared of caviar, on our website we -13-

But with such increase in popularity, there has been a rise in unorthodox production methods and illegal farming, so it’s worth to buy only from licensed suppliers. A common way to sell fake black caviar, for instance, is to use dyed eggs from Japanese fish, which look similar, but have a very different aroma and taste. When it comes to serving, consumers should be aware that eggs often vary in colour, from grey to inky black, but should be uniform in size. When upturning the tin (which should have all seals intact and identification numbers present), the caviar should not move, nor should the roe seem soupy or gritty. Standard practice sees the tin served on ice, dipped into only with a mother of pearl spoon, so as not to introduce a metallic taste that comes from silverware. Whilst champagne is a popular pairing, a chaser of vodka opens up the flavour and prepares the palate for the next bite – a process very easily repeated ad infinitum…

Callum Edge @EdgeAndSpoon

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Exmoor Caviar, the only caviar farm in the UK, is a Devon-based operation that started in 2009 with an aim to producing the highest quality, sustainable English caviar. Founder Ken Benning began by importing sturgeon, which live on freshwater direct from the River Mole. Roe is ethically extracted once the fish reach maturity from around six years and upwards, before being salted with Cornish sea salt and packed for transportation to London. The process follows a strict traceability protocol: each tin has a unique number that provides details of the exact fish the caviar came from and the farm at which it was raised.

Over recent years there has been an increase in hybrid caviar from China twinned with dwindling supplies from traditional markets. China’s caviar exports to the European Union have risen from $1.2 million in 2007 to $5.3 million in 2010. Pricing is also another reason why Chinese caviar is finding favour with European chefs, as it’s around three times cheaper than Beluga. Matt Du Cann of Gourmet House Caviar says, “some of the leading chefs in the world are now using Chinese caviar due to the excellent and ever rising quality and the very reasonable comparative prices. If quality maintains or even builds then China could be the next big purveyor of caviar in the future.”

have Royal Baeri for sale at £27 for 30 grams”, notes Du Cann.

On the rocks CODE’s Callum Edge discusses sustainability in the drinks industry and takes a closer look at those helping to raise the bar. Whilst most people are happy to do their bit for Mother Earth, it would be hard to argue that planet-friendly living is fun. Sustainability is not sexy. The Devil wears Prada, not hemp. Furthermore, the environmental position sits uncomfortably with the main tenets of hospitality: generosity, comfort, and kindness. A bar provides differing ideals of what people want when they come in for a drink: an office party, a first date, some Dutch courage, a quiet chat, and so on. But rarely in these circumstances does one think about being green – instead, it is speed and quality that are arguably the most important considerations for both sides of the bar. Finding ways to balance bacchanalia with a long-term environmental outlook is the modern challenge for our industry.

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

It’s long been an area in which restaurants have been way ahead. Fergus Henderson’s nose-to-tail philosophy has now been in full swing for some time: offal is in; prudishness is out. Everything from bread to butchery is done in house. Lesser-known cuts are favoured because, in Henderson’s words, “it would be rude not to use the whole animal”. Things are grown in pots on site. Seasonal and sustainable cooking has become a mantra that has made the inedible edible, and when done well (such as at St JOHN, Lyle’s, and The Dairy) it has not detracted from the purpose of a restaurant: being a restorative. The typical bar, on the other hand, is not the greatest advert for sustainability. Glass bottles spew out of a groaning bin bag. Another paper napkin, sir? A few more plastic straws in your daiquiri, madam? Who needs a breathalyser when the discarded lemon peel tells police all they need to know. The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) estimates that the average 750ml bottle of spirit has a 3kg carbon footprint, which is the same as six large exercise balls full of carbon dioxide floating up into the atmosphere. And that’s before the product even gets into the hands of the bartender: BIER estimates that a cocktail, on average, consumes up to two litres of water. So what’s being done to counter this? Ryan Chetiyawardana is the name on everyone’s lips for sustainable bartending: his revolutionary approach to cocktail making (no perishables, no fruit, and no ice) saw him open White Lyan in 2013 and Dandelyan at the Mondrian a year later. With a focus on “closed-loop” recipes (using ingredients that are traditionally binned) he, almost by accident, created a “low waste” bar. Remarkably, the only

outgoing is 24 recyclable glass bottles per week. But Chetiyawardana has clearly not sacrificed the bar experience – which is, let’s face it, to enjoy getting buzzed – for principles, as he was recently crowned Best International Bartender of the Year. Undeniably, both White Lyan and Dandelyan work in an unusual and radical manner, led by some of the most creative and committed people in the industry. However, an increasing number of bars have started to employ similar methods in a drive towards sustainability and environmentalism. On the other side of the pond, Eater has looked into the resurgence of drinks being made without ice. It harkens back to the popularity of the scaffa (a mixed drink stirred in the absence of ice to cool and -14-

dilute it) during the middle of the 19th century. This was a time in which ice was harvested from frozen lakes in giant blocks and then transported at considerable expense. The resulting “boozy, bitter, and spirit-forward” drinks (served at The Happiest Hour in NYC, for instance) are great at showing-off nuanced flavours and aromas of a single spirit. The skill in making a scaffa lies in that there is little but the well-chosen products to hide behind – bartenders, after all, love a challenge. As challenging is the issue of open wine bottles, which need to be stored appropriately overnight. Anything that has become oxidised cannot be poured to the customer and, whilst the kitchen is able to use some, much is recorded as waste product and poured down the drain.

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1. The Happiest Hour, New York 2. Dandelyan at the Mondrian, London 3. Ryan Chetiyawardana 4.Cocktail at Sager + Wilde 5.White Lyan, Hoxton

Nathan O’Neill, a former colleague of Chetiyawardana, is creator of Un-usable Re-usable, a project through which he researches how best to utilise waste for the bar industry. After much trial and error (the full extent of which can be read on René Redzepi’s MadFeed), he concluded that the best period of time for using oxidised wines is around five days at room temperature when it starts to become acidic and the aroma begins to sour. He ended up pairing a soft and fruity red with Knob Creek Bourbon and the juice of a whole, skinned lemon. When preparing the cocktail, he shows the oxidised wine to the guest as it is poured from the bottle. He walks the guest through each step, letting them taste the liquid at different stages in order to understand the process. The most important element,

however, is that the finished product is precisely the way it has been described. The end result is surprisingly complex: the structure of the wine still comes through in the drink, as it takes on an almost dessert wine feel in the mouth. For O’Neill, the project proved conclusively the endless possibility of waste. The equipment and techniques that have crept into modern kitchens somewhat handin-hand with the drive to be sustainable – centrifuges, sous-vide machines, liquid nitrogen, pickling, brining, and infusing – are being seen increasingly in bars due to their ability to develop or preserve intense flavour combinations. For example, lemon peel can be candied for future garnishes and spirits can be infused with leftover odds and ends. However, there are, of course, difficulties in producing a seasonal cocktail menu in the UK. The use of blackberries that take over hedgerows come late summer is limited to the time when they are ripened locally and at their finest, and the menu would have to be swiftly changed when production returns to South America – which is the case for the majority of our fruit. And much of the produce we grow (e.g. root vegetables, alliums, legumes, brassicas) doesn’t naturally lend itself to a bar program. Even though there is much to be said about limiting oneself to inspire creativity, a leek martini might require some serious convincing. Finally, it is the spirits themselves that impact the environment in one of the most devastating ways, both through the harvest of agricultural crops and the waste products generated during distillation. Slash-and-burn farming techniques;

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the rise of genetic modification; and widespread over-farming have all done irreversible damage. Investing in practices that better balance agricultural cycles with production will improve things in the long run, as opposed to decimating current stocks. And as Bobby Heugel (PunchDrink) has written, an industry that prides itself on hospitality should be at least conscious of the millions of lives that are touched by brands a bar carries. Clearly something needs to be addressed with regards to bar waste. The true difficulty is bridging the gap between ethical responsibilities and providing the best hospitality. However, it is encouraging to see it is an area that has been touched upon increasingly by a brave few. Whilst sustainability isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition, it can, in many instances, make long-term sense. As well as encouraging a more globally conscious approach to drinking, the benefits of speed, control of portion sizes, and the ability to drive additional sales – not to mention reducing costs related to water, energy, and raw ingredients – are surely a big draw financially. The likes of Chetiyawardana are sowing the seeds of preservation, for both the progression and protection of the industry.

Callum Edge @EdgeAndSpoon

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

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Basque Culinary World Prize The Basque Culinary Centre has created a new world prize - for the industry, by the industry - that champions chefs who make a positive impact to society at large. We explore why the award has been created and how you can get involved.

“Outside of the restaurant, what hobbies do you have?”

how a chef makes a positive impact on society.

“Well, I eat. I visit other chefs. I cook for my family. I talk about food with my friends. I go to the market. I try new wines. I walk in the forest and by the sea. Everything is connected. The restaurant is not work. It is my hobby.”

In response to this, the Basque Culinary Centre (BCC) – a leading academic institution in San Sebastián that aims to develop the worldwide culinary sector – is behind the Basque Culinary World Prize, which will recognise one exceptional chef who surpasses their peers in achieving this positive impact. The scope is vast: it could be through innovation, social responsibility, sustainability, health campaigns, or a project that benefits the food industry as a whole.

Sound familiar?

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

I’m sure many of us can relate to this response given by Elena Arzak to a somewhat naive journalist – sometimes our entire lives feel encapsulated by restaurants. Where will we eat next? Who will we take? What will we have? The difference between our professional and personal lives has become blurred; and even though some days take their toll, it is never really work. As such, it is difficult at times for those outside of the industry to see the bigger picture. Indeed, even ‘insiders’ can forget that the art and science of gastronomy can be a force for change beyond the realms of the kitchen and the dining room. The reach we have is far greater than we often give ourselves credit for. After lunch at her London restaurant Ametsa, Arzak tells me “it’s a shame that such talent is wasted – there are many ways to be a professional chef and I want to promote this reality”. I also agree with her that there is a need for a new international award: the many prominent guides and rankings that exist do so primarily for the whim of the consumer. Even a well-known critic has called them a “grand act of selfdelusional”. Whilst the likes of Michelin and the World’s 50 Best provide a certain benchmark for restaurants to aspire to, they rarely consider the wider question of

The director general of the BCC, Joxe Mari Aizega, suggests that “although there will be one overall winner, the prize is about telling the stories of both known and unknown chefs from across the world, and how they contribute.” Indeed, he believes that “we are doing this to ‘make allies’ and inspire the next generation of chefs”. To be considered for the award, chefs will have to be nominated by another professional who is working in the world of gastronomy. Nominees can be from anywhere – be it France or Fiji – as long as they are active in the culinary profession. Whether someone is nominated once or a hundred times, their nomination will be given equal consideration by the committee. It is an award for the industry, by the industry. On top of this, the usual suspects are out. The world’s most celebrated chefs – and perhaps the most widely-considered natural contenders for the award – Ferran Adrià, Alex Atala, Dan Barber, Heston Blumenthal, Massimo Bottura, Michel Bras, Yoshihiro Narisawa, Enrique Olvera, Réne Redzepi, Joan Roca, among many others, are on the panel to decide

which of their peers has gone above and beyond, and cannot win themselves. The winner will receive €100,000 to devote to a social project of their choice in line with criteria set down by the BCC. This award celebrates what many readers will call both their industry and their hobby. It achieves twofold: the drive of competition that chefs innately seek, but also the ability to provide access to real change in the world. It will provoke educational, societal, and environmental reform far beyond that which we experience from the pass. Yes, we are experiencing a skills shortage. Yes, we need to think more about kitchen waste. Yes, rents are an issue. But this award has the power to improve people’s lives and change the outlook on the whole sector. And it will yield tangible evidence for ‘outsiders’ that a career in hospitality is entirely worthwhile. Who will you vote for? Nominations close on 30 April and the result will be announced on 11 July 2016. basqueculinaryworldprize.com

Callum Edge @EdgeAndSpoon

CODE in conversation with... Charlotte Edgecombe CODE’s Callum Edge met up with Bonhams’ head sommelier Charlotte Edgecombe to discuss how she got hooked on hospitality and what skills a sommelier needs to cut it in today’s industry. Although becoming less common, we agree that the days of the old school, somewhat sinister sommelier is numbered. “If customers feel a wine is corked, you do not make a point of it – you just change it for something else. You shouldn’t overcorrect.” At CODE we have discussed the recent increase in women as sommeliers, but it is something I’m told that actually applies across the wine trade in general, from writers to buyers and producers. On a similar topic, we touch on the looming recruitment difficulties that are currently daring to ruin the industry, although Edgecombe does not seem to feel that it’s a big problem or, indeed, that staff turnover is ever going to change. “So many people come here on a temporary basis – the best thing employers can do is offer as much training as possible.” It seems fitting that Bonhams Restaurant should be housed in an auctioneers, a place that solely exists for those in the know to find hidden gems. The venue makes sense: the airy, understated room, which overlooks the evocatively named “Haunch of Venison Yard”, is the ideal location for prospective clients to be lunched by auction staff before, after, or even instead of a bidding. The restaurant, under head chef Tom Kemble, gained a Michelin star six months after quietly opening in February 2015. Kemble’s History of Art degree and experience at ingredientled restaurants Hedone and Fäviken seemed to make him the best man for the job with a menu that does not betray itself to modish whims. There is little, if anything by way of smoke and mirrors here; instead the kitchen delivers clean, quality cooking – some even say the finest in the capital.

After working in wine retail at Waitrose for around four years, Edgecombe

We briefly discuss the increase of tea appreciation in the UK; after Bibendum, Edgecombe worked for the next year or so as a tea buyer for Newby in order to “use [her] palate in a different way”. She tells me that there is now more consumer interest other than in English breakfast and Earl Grey, with the subtleties of white and green teas being “more elegant and refined”. I’m also reminded that tea and food pairings are finding their way into the industry at the likes of London’s Gauthier Soho and Eleven Madison Park in New York, suggesting this is a field in which there is enormous potential. Bonhams’s wine list has garnered much acclaim from critics and oenophiles, including Andy Hayler, Will Lyons, and Tim Atkin. Two Enomatic machines allow for a good selection by the glass and an average bottle mark up of almost two and a half times the retail price (getting yet fairer moving up the list) allows a guest’s spend to go further and for more interesting pairings to be had. As such, the most important skill a sommelier needs, Edgecombe suggests, is being able to read your customer; finding out what they tend to like and suggesting something new.

Bonhams has recently only been open at lunchtimes during the week, although it now runs a “supper club” (in effect, a set menu) on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. I ask Edgecombe if these relatively sociable hours for the industry permit her to try wine offerings from colleagues in neighbouring restaurants. “Definitely. There are some interesting things available at 28-50 in Marylebone, as well as Andrew Edmunds and Covent Garden’s 10 Cases.” Edgecombe and Kemble, not to mention the restaurant itself, are clearly of that hackneyed phrase “ones to watch”. At just over a year open, Bonhams has done what few restaurants set out to achieve in over a much longer period – the menu and list evolving each season. But like any hidden gem, it will not be around forever. Best to get your bid in early. Bonhams Restaurant 7 Haunch of Venison Yard London W1K 5ES bonhams.com

Callum Edge @EdgeAndSpoon

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Understandably, there is a degree of synergy between the auctioneers’ wine department, led by Richard Harvey MW, and the restaurant’s head sommelier, Charlotte Edgecombe. The Vintners’ Cup winner (awarded for the highest mark in the WSET Diploma), like Kemble, did not have sights set on the industry (she studied media arts) until she “got absorbed in learning about and tasting wine analytically on holiday in Bordeaux”.

joined the team at Bibendum as a junior sommelier where she “got her first taste of hospitality”, working her way up to the position of head sommelier before leaving in 2013. This experience, she says, “got [her] hooked: to see the first reactions from customers trying a wine was amazing”.

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Coffee culture It’s a part of the industry that has seen massive growth over the past five years but is so often overlooked. Editor in chief Adam Hyman sits down with three coffee experts to discuss coffee culture and the rise of the flat white.

“...the humble 8oz flat white cup is the new fashion accessory and statement piece.” -21-

Coffee culture “A cup of coffee - Nescafé, with lots of milk and even more sugar. After years of po-faced hipster coffee, the sweet, thick Nescafé comes like a mouthful of remembrance. It is the taste of the south, of the Third, left-behind World.” This sentence is from AA Gill’s recent review in the Sunday Times magazine of the refugee camp café in the Jungle at Calais. I read this while penning this article and I thought how well it summed up the journey of coffee over the past decade. I remember first hearing someone order a flat white in a coffee shop in Soho, London. I think I ended up Googling it while I was in the queue - as I had no idea what had just been ordered from the barista. I think the most adventurous I – and your average Londoner - had got before the flat white was possibly an espresso macchiato. Yet now you cannot walk through the streets of central London without seeing every other person carrying a takeaway coffee on their way to the office. And I’m not talking about a giant Starbucks cup that has their name incorrectly squiggled on it. Forget the latest clutch or tote from Net-a-Porter or Mr Porter, the humble 8oz flat white cup is the new fashion accessory and statement piece. We live in world where we prefer to pay more for a specialist product - be it wine, meat or coffee. The high street is changing. Although the likes of Amazon have cannibalised a number of the shops that used to be the hallmark of every high street up and down the country, they’re being replaced by retailers that offer a bespoke experience, as well as specialist advice: something that cannot be easily replaced online. Whether it’s discussing the latest menswear trends from Tokyo with the exquisitely dressed team at Trunk Clothiers on Chiltern Street, restocking your almond hand wash at Dr. Harris in St James’s or browsing the latest global magazine titles at Kioskafé in Paddington.

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Over the past five years, coffee culture has taken its grip on London. The lobbies of boutique hotels across the capital are no longer just full of travellers with their Rimowas waiting for a car to take them back to Heathrow. Locals are cosied up in front of their MacBooks typing away while sipping on a coffee. I first encountered this at the Ace Hotel in New York. I’d never been into a hotel lobby that reminded me of a media agency the place populated with freelancers wearing a sharp pair of Moscots and equipped with a Wordpress blog aiming to take over the world. They’d all vacate their tiny Manhattan apartments in the morning for a breath of fresh air and some inspiration - as well as some interaction with the baristas at Stumptown coffee. This is now a common sight in hotel lobbies across North America, Europe and the UK. A shift in lifestyle, twinned with a new appreciation for speciality coffee, has helped create the coffee culture we now experience. The lobby of the Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch is one such example. On a crisp February evening - the majority of MacBooks had been closed and slid inside a Porter tote - and the coffees had been replaced with negronis. I surveyed this scene as I made my way across the lobby to meet with three men who are at the leading end

of the speciality coffee scene in London; Paul Kelly of La Marzocco, David Abrahamovitch of Grind & Co and Dan Thompson from the Soho House Group. As we settle into one of the private rooms – aptly named the Playroom – at the Hoxton, Thompson, head of coffee development at the global group of private members’ clubs, pulls out his grey iPhone 6 and shows us a clip from Australia’s 9 News. The presenters are discussing and ridiculing a café in Melbourne that has banned customers from speaking on their phones whilst ordering a coffee. Merrick Watts from 9 News leads the attack against the barista. “You’re charging me $3.50 for something that costs $0.50 to make, so just give it to me. You’re not doing real work.” It sadly seems that the perception of being a barista is no different to that of a waiter in the restaurant world. But what’s driven this spurt in the coffee industry over the past five years? “Coffee is a really nice, cheap and accessible way to have a luxury experience. For a couple of quid you can drink something that a lot of work has gone into”, says Abrahamovitch. Along with his business partner Kaz James, Abrahamovitch started Grind & Co five years ago in a former mobile phone shop on Old Street roundabout. “We didn’t have a burning desire to improve coffee”, he says. “We’d actually even discussed doing something with Illy back in the day - which shows you how far coffee has come on in London. I’d inherited a failing mobile phone shop and Kaz and I decided to open a coffee shop there.” The duo now operate six Grind sites around London and John Ayton, the founder of Links of London, is a non-executive director. “We’d experienced great coffee in places like New York and LA - and with Kaz being from Melbourne - we wanted to offer the same here in London, but with less of the attitude associated with it; such as cutting out the crap with having a minimum spend on card and being asked a load of questions by a barista when ordering your coffee. We wanted to serve good coffee, quickly, in a friendly environment.” -22-

Image credit: Soho House & Co

The likes of Grind & Co and Caravan opening in the capital have not only given Londoner’s better access to coffee but has made other operators - especially restaurants - really focus on the quality of the coffee they were serving as customer expectations and knowledge has greatly improved. A good example of this is Thompson’s role at Soho House. As head of coffee development, his role probably wouldn’t have existed five years ago. Thompson, a New Zealander, says, “coffee in the UK has been taken to another level over the past few years. With the Nordic and Antipodean influences - I’d almost say we now have an edge over the coffee market in Australia and New Zealand.” Operators are expected to serve a decent cup of coffee now – it’s what members’ and guests expect. However, as Thompson goes on to say, “it’s still very much the case that you get the odd person who wants the traditional, non-descript coffee. You can’t win them all.” As general manager of La Marzocco UK, Paul Kelly has an important role in the coffee ecosystem in the UK. The Italian coffee machine manufacturer has become a stamp of quality in the growing coffee scene. As a customer - although it’s not guaranteed - if you see a shiny looking La Marzocco in a coffee shop, there’s a perception that the

baristas making your flat white have an idea of what they’re doing. “We like to establish a relationship with the coffee shops and businesses that we work with”, says Kelly. “People think that a coffee shop is an easy business but it’s in fact a very difficult one to run. Good machinery is expensive, as is staff training. That’s why we’re starting to see growth opportunities for places like Grind & Co, who have started to offer food and turn their spaces into bars in the evening”, notes Kelly. As someone who spends his week working closely and travelling to meet with roasters, baristas and coffee shop owners, Kelly makes an interesting comparison to coffee culture and the general public’s attitude to wine in the 1970’s. “People are starting to get far more knowledgeable and interested in their coffee - like they’ve done with their wine. They want to be able to talk knowledgeably about it. However, the UK public don’t like being talked at - they like being spoken to. The coffee

world had started to preach a little and we had to rein that in.”

front bar - whereby the barista is facing you and promotes interaction.

We pause for a few minutes as some sharing plates arrive to help keep our conversation fuelled. It seemed like an appropriate time to channel the discussion towards the difficulty of getting restaurants to take coffee seriously. Thompson nods and says, “coffee is often looked at as a secondary or third sale in a restaurant and is often not deemed important as a wine list or cocktail list. But a coffee is just as important as a glass of wine.”

As the evening draws to a close and we finish off our glasses of Californian zinfandel - I ask everyone for their views on the future of the coffee industry.

“It’s harder to get restaurants to take coffee seriously. It’s still such a small part of their overall takings - especially if they’re not doing breakfast. Ultimately restaurants aren’t willing to investment in equipment and training for such small turnover.” Kelly interjects. “Staff move around so much in restaurants, and unless you have a dedicated head barista to run the coffee, the product is not consistent and it ends up costing too much to keep training other members of staff.” The Fat Duck - the three Michelin star restaurant in Berkshire - used to serve Nespresso coffee because Blumenthal wanted consistency. Like in all aspects of his restaurant, he was adamant that the coffee must taste exactly the same for every customer, which the Nespresso pods offered. However, since it reopened, the restaurant now serves different coffee to its customers. “La Marzocco looks at tools to make coffee as consistent as possible”, says Kelly. “Lyle’s is the best example of a restaurant that takes its food extremely seriously and its coffee just as seriously, with its international pour over menu”, adds Thompson. But as Abrahamovitch notes, “you can give someone the best coffee ninety-nine times in a row. You then give them a coffee once that isn’t quite as good and you’ll hear them complain no-end, even though it’s a £2.50 product.” Like any business, especially hospitality, it seems the coffee world is very much focused on the consistency of their product. Nobody wants to go the same coffee shop every day to get their morning pick-me-up and have a differing experience throughout the week, be it the product or hospitality. This is where the barista seems to play an important part. Not only is their role about producing an excellent cup of coffee, they’re there to converse with the customer.

And it seems retaining baristas is something that troubles the coffee industry. “It’s so important to keep your baristas engaged. I employ fifty baristas and it’s fair to say keeping them at Grind & Co is challenging - keeping them happy and constantly learning. When you have a high barista turnover you lose consistency”, says Abrahamovitch. “For me, the best coffee I have is when there’s interaction with the barista”, notes Kelly. All three chime up at the same time about front bar versus back bar serving. It’s something that had not really clicked with me until they explain. The high-street coffee shops have their machines on the back bar - meaning the baristas make your coffee with their back to you. The independent, specialist coffee bars put their machines on the -23-

He goes on to note that, “customers will very rarely expect to eat chicken that is not free-range today and customers will expect the same about coffee that is ethically and sustainably sourced. We used 35 tonnes of coffee at Soho House in the UK last year that was sourced and bought ethically. The effect it has on the producers is huge. We want to create a better product for the end user and if Soho House takes it seriously, then hopefully other hospitality businesses will too.” Abrahamovitch narrows in on two areas with regard to the future of the coffee world. The Grind & Co co-founder believes that there is still a huge amount of growth for the coffee market in the UK, especially in the speciality market. However, he worries for the small single site speciality coffee shops that just sell coffee and only do so during the day. “These are the ones that are really going to struggle.” As someone who has built an independent chain over the past five years, Abrahamovitch notes that, ”the City is now recognising the industry as investment potentials. Coffee shops are on the radar for VC firms and private equity firms. But they still need to be run by people with passion and who understand hospitality.” Kelly notes that if we were to map out good coffee in London, we’d see a wider offering across Zones 2 and 3, as well as the regions due to the cost of setting up in London. “At La Marzocco, we notice that the tech side of the industry is undervalued. There are lots of dedicated engineers but no new blood coming through. People have fallen into a dream of being a roaster as a lifestyle choice, as opposed to wanting to maybe go into the tech side of things.” As I jump in my Uber to head back into the West End for dinner, I’m left with two resonating thoughts after the chat. The coffee world is no different to the restaurant world. The future of it, at least in London, really comes down to two things: the difficulty and cost of acquiring sites in London and the ever-challenging situation of finding and training baristas.

Adam Hyman @AdamMHyman

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Dan Thompson, Soho House & Co

“If someone told you they were a barista ten years ago, you’d have thought they worked in the legal world”, jokes Kelly. As Thompson believes, “the barista is an important part of the hospitality industry. They like to be charismatic. People will go to that coffee shop because of the barista.”

Thompson notes the rise of the specialist coffee pods - a new wave of better Nespresso but notes that we’re getting to the stage where coffee farmers are not getting paid enough for their product. “There’s not enough reinvestment in these coffee growing regions. Farmers are starting to give up their businesses that have been in the family for generations and instead move to the city to work. I worry that we’re heading towards a shortage of decent coffee and there’s no doubt that coffee is currently too cheap.”

2.0 # Enr ich your wine by the glass offer

Recommended by F.Sommier Best French sommelier 2007

PLUG

PLAY Combine several modules!

For wine at the perfect serving temperature Preserve open bottles from up to 10 days* According to the wine and its vintage - Air vacuum System scientifically proven by theWine andVine University institute (Dijon, France)

www.pro.eurocave.co.uk 57 Chiltern Street • London W1U 6ND Tel: 020 7935 4679 • @eurocave_uk -24-

The ‘no-show‘ must go on Gauthier Soho’s James Lewis takes a closer look at one of the industry’s biggest bugbears: no-shows.

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e’ve all heard it many times before, the little independent local restaurant, surviving on wafer-thin margins and 18 hour days, fully booked on a Saturday night only to find the room half empty with guests who haven’t turned up. ‘No-shows’ are the scourge of the industry and singlehandedly power the most divisive debate in the restaurant trade in years. But has anyone really thought about what to do about it? Let’s look at that dreaded situation. We’ve all been there, staring at a nicely set table when the clock ticks fifteen minutes after the guest is due to arrive. The horror begins to set in; they’re not turning up. It hits like a personal insult, as if your friend hasn’t bothered to come to your party.

a little deeper and say to themselves, “Hmm, what on earth led to this? What safety measures could be put in place, to prevent this from happening, or limiting the damage if it did? Why does this seem to happen a lot at this place?” And the grim truth: ‘This restaurant must be someone’s second or third choice. What kind of place would people no-show?’ Congratulations, you’ve just presented yourself as a second choice restaurant. Even though it might not be true all of the time, the message you are broadcasting is clear: yours is the kind of place people tend to not show up at. Think about it. From a reputation marketing point of view, the goal is for

“ No-shows are the scourge of the industry and singlehandedly power the most divisive debate in the restaurant trade in years.” You feel hurt and a little angry. But what is the first thing you feel like doing? Turn to social media to name and shame, hopefully getting some supportive retweets and maybe even filling some of the empty tables in the process? Those thoughtless bastards, right? You give in to temptation: you fire out an angry tweet bemoaning the situation and casting your absent guests as the terrible rotters they are. Everyone will surely agree.

The immediate response from your followers will of course be supportive, people will howl in empathy and retweet, hoping for a little easing in the form of subsequent bookings. It seems harmless, and satisfying. But consider this. How many times does it take until people start to think

The simple fact is that for 150 years or more, catering schools have been teaching students about guest management, and staff have been trained to deal with it. Restaurants protect themselves in various ways. They take a small deposit for parties over six people. They take as much information as possible when taking bookings, including email address and telephone numbers. They confirm and reconfirm the booking on the day. They overbook by ten to fifteen percent. They allow for error. If they double book, they offer an apology, then immediately offer a solution. People don’t mind waiting, if they are treated courteously, with generosity and respect. The price of offering someone an aperitif with your compliments while they wait for their table is a tiny investment, and often works in your favour, as they are already in a good mood feeling treated and looked after before they even take their seats. I think above all, the most important thing to remember is which side our bread is buttered. Customers, with all their awful habits and peculiarities, are the only reason a restaurant can survive at all. The moment we start treating them as anything but extended friends trying to enjoy themselves, we are in trouble. Sure, there will be occasions where people infuriate us with rude behaviour or don’t show, but it is a vital job of the restaurateur to accept this as part of the business we are in.

And what about this: we all make mistakes. Can you not remember a time when you forget an arrangement with a friend, a meeting, even a table booked at a restaurant? It’s certainly happened to me. It’s difficult, but try to imagine your guests might have really good reason for their absence. Or they might just be forgetful. No-shows are nothing new. Restaurants have always had to deal with the problem, all of them, even the most established and successful. So why the recent debate? Is it the increased visibility and transparency afforded by social media? One reason might be the result of the current surge of -25-

James Lewis @JLewisland

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Well, sort of.

people to consider your restaurant as somewhere they would never dream of not showing up at, even if in reality, of course, it is only true most of the time. Tweeting and moaning about it publicly portrays you as a complainer. Bitter. The self-pitying negativity is unattractive – nobody likes a whiner.

openings from people not always from a traditionally trained background, which is helping to fuel it.

The waiting game Anna Sulan Masing believes that in order to counter the effects of current staff shortages that the industry faces, front of house needs a rebrand.

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e’ve heard about the chef crisis, which really is symptomatic of the fact that the restaurant industry is booming. But it’s not just about chefs – it’s a staff shortage; a shortage of talent. One of the great things about hospitality is that it has always attracted misfits, the gems of society who break the rules to create beautiful things. It will always seduce people who work better on their feet, in teams, and outside society’s civilised hours, but there is a need to attract not just those destined for this life. The “chef brand” has developed around books, TV appearances, and competitions and also – as George Pell, managing director of L’Escargot in Soho, articulated – a whole lifestyle of “foraging, hunting, fire, and creating a craft”. It might not be reality, but the chef persona has become aspirational. What about front of house? Semantics are always important: you just don’t hear “when I grow up I want to be a waiter”. Where are the heroes? ‘Waiter’ and ‘server’ are subservient words in nature – so does front of house need a re-brand?

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

What is our brand? Some work has already been done. We now have ‘mixologists’ who are ascending the heights of cool, and the same goes for the highly trained experts in wine, ‘somms’. But a waiter appears to just ferret products from A to B. “Brand is your business story, your core purpose and your customer promise”, writes Maria Ross, wine writer and marketing consultant. As such, front of house is intrinsic; they are ‘brand ambassadors’. Through their work they build on the story of the food and the environment. They sell the idea that the guest is exactly where they need to be. Brand is also reputation, philosophy, and the cause and reason for business; and the business of a waiter is to facilitate space to provide a service within which people can relax. So, although ‘waiting’ isn’t an allencompassing description of the position, it is hard to think of a better noun for the job title. What makes the job worthwhile is being able to curate that wonderful time.

Perhaps it’s the way we sell the profession to the hesitant youth that needs a rebrand. To complicate matters, being a waiter at one establishment is not the same as another. One terrible restaurant, with bad staff/management/training ruins the “brand” across the industry. Floor staff are having a brand identity crisis – who are we as a front of house industry? We aren’t New York where the concept of service as a profession has become ingrained, nor are we Europe where hospitality feels seeped in family ties. What is the story we’re trying to tell the next generation? What are we selling? Romance. I don’t mean the sullen two tops on Valentine’s Day. I mean the love of the job, the love of the industry, the desire to be on the pass time and again – a sense of joyful purpose. Anett, a bartender at Picture restaurant on Great Portland Street, told me how she fell into the job, then in love with the industry. The constant learning and developing, the fact that “making someone happy makes me happy”. And Yasmin, a waitress at Picture, talked about job satisfaction she feels daily, but they both spoke about the different people they worked with, the bonding and the special relationships gained. James Ramsden, co-founder of Pidgin in Hackney, further explains the idea of learning: it “doesn’t pay well to begin with, but the scope for progression, development and most of all variety is huge”. Tracey Matthews of Gaucho echoed this with “you can’t be Jason Atherton in two years, but you can – if you work hard – be managing a restaurant”. Dan Pink, economics and business author, explains how money, surprisingly, isn’t a motivator. “You need to pay people enough so that they stop thinking about money and start thinking about work, but what gets better performance and personal satisfaction is mastery, autonomy, and purpose.” These three words describe a career in hospitality; these are core values you can get out of this profession. The industry sits on an antiquated work structure. With ‘flexible working’ being the phrase du jour and the rise of working remotely, it is easy to see how the hospitality set-up seems out-of-step with the ever-connected -26-26-

world of business. But these are the reasons that the industry is booming – the public’s need for real moments, personal connection and physical interaction over a meal. How does that translate to the millennial looking for a peg to hang their career on? Matthews talked about trying to think more widely about different paths within the industry – not just in a linear fashion (“a ‘career tree’ not ‘career path’”) – and also about adjusting to different learning styles so that more people could succeed. Pell feels that the industry is moving towards developing brands, which might appeal to a younger generation. A generation who instinctively know how to film bite-sized media to market themselves and a business; a generation that will want to be involved in running and developing restaurant ideas; that’s how they’ll start off as ‘a waiter’. We all know how exciting and how rewarding it can be on the front line – serving people beautiful food and ensuring a wonderful time. That’s easier said than done when battling the daily pressures of running a precarious business, and the rewards just aren’t as Instagram-able for Front of House, but we don’t seem to be good at blowing our own trumpets. For me, I think I want to see more of the faces that make up front of house. I want to have more heroes. Let’s talk more about what we do: the good, the bad, and the ugly. To quote Pell, “my life has been amazing. Sure I’ve missed out on a lot, but the things I’ve seen and done – I’ve had a wealth of experience that you can’t get elsewhere – I wouldn’t change it for the world”. Let’s shout about that story, let’s blow that trumpet, lets make that our brand.

Anna Sulan Masing @AnnaSulan

The wine epiphany Once you’ve had a taste of the good stuff, Zeren Wilson says, “it’s hard to go back”. Here he explores the vinous Holy Grail. Corkscrews at the ready.

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or many of us who work within and around the world of wine, there is usually a story of the ‘moment’, the unforgettable time when the heavens opened and the angels sang. We realised for the first time that this wine lark was more than a bit of ‘alright’, it was ‘fan-bloody-tastic’. Calling on the spirit of an immortal line from Sir Alex Ferguson after his team had scored twice in injury time to win the Champions League final, this is the moment when we stare at the liquid in our glass and say: ‘Wine, bloody hell!’ At the time Fergie substituted the word ‘football’ for wine, but I’m sure he’d appreciate the comparison, as he does indeed love a drop of the good stuff (the very best stuff, in fact, with a penchant for First Growth Bordeaux

wading into a lot more wine, with the kindly help of many great BYOB restaurants in Australia. Chasing to recapture something approaching the feeling of that moment, by chancing upon a new producer, or an unfamiliar grape variety, becomes some kind of vinous Holy Grail hunt. Hopes will be dashed, tedious wines will be opened. Yet the chase will go on… It’s always gratifying plucking an unknown wine from a wine shop or supermarket shelf and finding out that it’s a corker, but the feeling of achieving wine choice nirvana always feels more euphoric in a restaurant, when the first sip tells you everything you needed (and hoped) to know; that you done good, you didn’t screw up, your friends at the table don’t hate

“ It’s likely that the thunderbolt wine revelation usually comes courtesy of a restaurant, via a well chosen list, a savvy sommelier, a beautiful plate of food, and the perfect alchemy of a night out.”

It’s likely that the thunderbolt wine revelation usually comes courtesy of a restaurant, via a well chosen list, a savvy sommelier, a beautiful plate of food, and the perfect alchemy of a night out. I remember my moment clearly: Barossa Valley Shiraz and venison medallions. That was it. Something pinged into place that evening, and I was ready to start

Perhaps a good substitute for these rare exalted moments is the cosseting comfort of getting to know a producer’s wines, bowling into your choice of wine with utter confidence. Not nearly as exciting, but the frisson of pleasure from re-acquaintance is like meeting an old friend. Alex Ferguson sold a chunk of his fine wine collection at Christie’s at a Hong Kong auction in 2014, £2.3m -27-

Always playing catch-up seems to be a wine drinker’s lot, even if you are regularly supping some of the greatest wines ever made. You can’t go backwards, you can’t go back to being really chuffed with a bottle of simply ‘ok’ wine. There will be the nagging harpies in your memory, reminding you of all those better wines and moments that came before. The drama and tragedy of drinking wine. Who’d have thought it? Jose ‘The Special One’ Mourinho regularly shared a bottle of wine with Ferguson, always taking a top bottle of Portuguese wine. Louis Van Gaal loves a bit of it, taking pleasure in drinking “a nice bottle of wine, probably the most expensive wine.” White wine spritzers necked with abandon by some 1970s footballers after a game (sometimes even before) seem light years away. Football managers drinking great wine – bloody hell!

Zeren Wilson @bittenwritten bittenandwritten.com Zeren Wilson is a food and wine writer, consultant and runs bittenandwritten.com

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

and Super Tuscan Sassicaia), and it’s a certainty he would have celebrated that victory with a bottle (or case) of the finest wine in his cellar.

you. It’s not quite the same as that very first epiphany, but it will do. It will have to do.

worth of some of the greatest wines on the planet. The humdinger was a Methuselah (6 litres) of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1997 for £94,815. Why flog off some of his starry bottles? Because now he “has time to search for more wines.” Even Sir Alex is on the chase for that elusive euphoric grape juice ‘high’.

Brizzle kicks The CODE app has recently launched in Bristol. Here’s a handy guide to planning a day around the city’s best hospitality offerings.

9am

Bakers & Co

Hart’s Bakery 11am

Nestled in an arch underneath the approach road to Temple Meads station sits Hart’s - a bustling bakery and cafe that is easy to miss if you’re new in town. If you can find a seat, sate your mid-morning hunger with a sausage roll or pastry whilst watching the bakers at work in the background. Sourdough is Hart’s signature so grab a warm loaf off the shelf to take home (they supply many of Bristol’s restaurants).

The CODE app offer: Tue – Thu (brunch) 20% off food (T&C’s apply)

1pm

The Ox

Source Food Hall & Cafe 3pm

Situated in the iconic St Nicholas Market in the very heart of the city, Source is a food hall with adjoining restaurant. Take some time to peruse the shelves, as there’s a serious selection of charcuterie on offer and the cakes and pastries are all made in house. To combat the declining UK bee population, Source installed a few urban beehives atop the Corn Exchange so be sure to purchase a jar of honey.

The CODE app offer: Mon – Wed (lunch) 50% off food (T&C’s apply)

Start your day with breakfast at Bakers & Co on the busy Gloucester Road. Inspired by the cafes of San Francisco (the head chef spent a short time at Bar Tartine) this is the second venture from Kieran and Imogen Waite, who also operate the popular tapas restaurant Bravas on Cotham Hill. Go for the beetroot cured trout, courgette fritter and poached eggs or the custard toast, maple sausage slice with yoghurt and berries.

Nathan Lee and Jason Mead have been setting the standards high since they opened their first bar, Hyde & Co back in 2010. The flagship restaurant of their mini empire is basement steak and cocktail restaurant The Ox on Corn Street, a much needed respite from the chains amassed around them. There’s a scaleddown lunch menu but fear not, there is still plenty of meat to be had from the Josper grill.

Lido Restaurant The Beer 4pm and Poolside Bar Emporium 6pm

Being at the heart of the cider and scrumpy producing region, it’s no surprise Bristol has a thriving craft beer scene with Wiper and True just one of many top brewers to have sprung up in the city in recent times. Head to the Beer Emporium on your way back into town and descend into the brick walled cavern for a few brews pre-dinner. With hundreds of bottles from around the globe and 24 on tap, these guys know what they’re doing.

Hyde&Co

8pm 11pm

The CODE app offer: Sunday 30% off total bill (T&C’s apply) -28-

Casamia

Sad news emanated from Bristol recently with the passing of Jonray Sánchez-Iglesias at a young age. For some time the brothers were planning to relocate their Michelinstarred restaurant from Westbury-on-Trym to a more convenient harbour side city centre location and the move is now complete. Peter Sánchez-Iglesias is now in sole charge of the kitchen, overseeing a modern British tasting menu (first awarded a star in 2009) changing every season along with the restaurant’s décor.

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

If you’re looking for a nightcap or simply somewhere to continue the party, look no further than Hyde & Co or sister venue the Milk Thistle. Bristol’s vibrant bar scene is evident in the fact that the city hosts its own cocktail week in October and this prohibition themed bar serves some of the best drinks in town.

Bristol can seem fairly spread out, a blessing or a curse depending on your disposition to walking (never fear Uber is here). The best place to take some time out and watch the world go by is at the restaurant and poolside bar situated in the viewing gallery overlooking the Lido. An impressive, modern refurbishment of the building, one can enjoy a drink and head chef Freddy Bird’s dishes while the locals do lengths in the pool.

The Kitchen Shrink Our resident agony aunt, The Kitchen Shrink, is here to answer all of your hospitality woes and worries.

Q

As the maitre d’ at a popular restaurant, our recent refurbishment has proved hugely popular. However, it’s come to my close attention that our ‘shabby chic’ stripped-back design and wooden table are causing a painful issue for some guests – in the form of splinters to the legs. I take great care of my regulars and feel a sense of responsibility. I am in favour of bringing back the tablecloths but I fear management will not agree. Please advise. Ignacio, 33, West Hampstead The Kitchen Shrink: I feel you and your guests’ pain. Aside from keeping a stack of sandpaper at the host’s station and regularly checking the tables in between service, I think returning to tablecloths is the most obvious answer. You do not specify where exactly your restaurant is or the sort it is, but I for one am a big fan of tablecloths in a dining room (and not to mention proper napkins too). Sometimes it’s good to be different – ignore what every other restaurant in London is doing – and bring back those starched white tablecloths.

Q

I need some advice, please. I recently moved to London to work at a West End restaurant as a chef. I’m originally from the West Country, where I’ve worked in the kitchen for the past couple of years. I’m loving my time in London, and despite the incredibly long hours, I’m really enjoying my stage at this restaurant. As well as learning a lot, it’s great to experience the buzz and thrill of a busy central London restaurant. However, I’m living out in Zone 4 as I can only afford to rent here. This means I need to take the night bus home when I’m working the dinner shift. I’m really thinking twice about going to work in a restaurant near where I am currently living. What would you suggest?

Q

Dear Kitchen Shrink, please can you kindly explain to me why so many customers at my restaurant – of all ages – come for a meal but spend the entire time on their phones? I always thought part of the enjoyment of breaking bread with other people was an opportunity to not have to look at emails and social media for a few hours and instead indulge in the dying art of conversation. Siobhan, 57, Kilburn The Kitchen Shrink: I guess I shouldn’t ask you for your Wifi password when I next come to dine at your restaurant then?

Jason, 29, Barking The Kitchen Shrink: Sir, I feel your pain. We’ve all been there and I’m hearing this issue more and more often. An acquaintance of mine actually gave up a great job managing a popular Soho restaurant to move to a restaurant in south London as it was in walking distance of where he lived. There’s nothing more demoralising than finishing a long shift and having to sit on public transport for ages, knowing that you have to be up and back and work in a matter of hours. Stick it out and maybe look at trying to move a bit closer to work. Ask some of your colleagues if they know of any spare rooms going. Good luck.

Have a work place dilemma? Send an email to The Kitchen Shrink: [email protected]

What’s hot. What’s not. Half puddings We only want a mouthful. As seen at Mark Hix and Damien Hirst’s Pharmacy 2. Size isn’t everything.

Bone broth Now available on every street corner in London. Also known as stock.

Crowdfunding Ping! “We are seeking £5m for a 1% stake in our business.” Deletes.

Toto Washlets Warming, functional and slightly arousing. And ladies, the loo seats are automatic too – for your pleasure. Found at Sosharu, The Connaught, Hutong and the Monocle Café. Arigatō.

Wine on tap The new eco-friendly wine trend. Poured from a ‘Key Keg’ system at Galvin, Shotgun, Shuang Shuang, Trinity and Vico.

Menu supplements The tasting menu is £230, but the foie and caviar courses cost an extra £30? Let’s call Pete Wells.

Homemade ketchup We just don’t get it. The one thing we’re happy to have out of the bottle. Stick to Heinz.

Indivisible portions There are four of us but only three croquettes? If you want us to share then make it fair.

BYOB Plonk or vintage collectable – bring your own to Hawksmoor, Picture, HIX, and The Dairy’s new pintxo place. Offer staff a sip though... -29-

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Sunday roasts We love you Mum but there’s competition in town. Sunday Funday at Blacklock, Drapers Arms, Hawksmoor and Café Murano.

Restaurant property has never been a better investment. Looking for that perfect space? Allow us to serve you.

Leisure Property Specialists

020 7100 5520 - www.cdgleisure.com -30-

Last orders In a new feature for the Quarterly, we bring you a recipe for a post-shift pick-me-up from our friends in the industry. The winner of Observer Food Monthly’s “Best Cheap Eats” Award 2015, Max Halley of Max’s Sandwich Shop, gives us his take on Ham, Egg ‘n’ Chips and a Hanky Panky.

At the end of the night, once the restaurant is empty, Francesca - our manager - and I head for the kitchen to begin the food-inreturn-for-booze negotiations. They want beers and glasses of wine and we fancy ham, egg ‘n’ chips. Working in a kitchen, especially one as busy and small as ours, is hot, thirsty work, so Francesca always gives the guys two drinks – one for immediate smashing and another for slightly slower, immediate smashing. At the sarnie shop there are no rules on how much booze or food the staff are allowed, so it’s not unusual to find Francesca or Honza, the head chef, behind the bar mixing a post-prandial bucket of Hanky Panky for everyone to share.

Ham, Egg ‘n’ Chips

Hanky Panky

2 slices of focaccia

25ml red vermouth (Dolin)

80g ham hock - 25% smoked, 75% unsmoked

25ml gin (Beefeater)

Malt vinegar mayo

Couple of dashes of Fernet Branca

Piccalilli

Ice

(Serves 1)

(Serves 1)

1 egg Ready salted crisps Method Slice a big slab of focaccia in half horizontally. Cover one slice in warm braised ham hock and the other in malt vinegar mayo. Cover the ham in piccalilli and place a runny-yolked fried egg on top. Pile on a generous handful of ready salted crisps and squish the mayo-ed lid on top and slice in half.

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Method Stir with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with orange zest.

Are you being served? In association with The Dumbwaiter

Sara Khiabani, Waitress, J Sheekey Oyster Bar What inspired you to join the industry? Like most people I came to it by accident. I originally visited London to learn the language and spend the summer here. When I got bored, I took parttime work at a brasserie down my road. Ironically, this turned out the best way to learn the language and express myself. I’ve never looked back. If you weren’t in the industry, what would you be? I studied economics at home in Italy, so doing accountancy I suppose! I haven’t finished my course yet, but I can’t say I’d complete it. I have been at J Sheekey for four years and what I’m doing now is much more enjoyable.

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

What makes a good waitress? Being presentable, passionate, and pre-emptive, with a great personality. Restaurant pet-hate? Clumsiness. I don’t mind the noise or the buzz in a vibrant restaurant, but I don’t like being pushed around and bumped into. Restaurant staff seem to spill drinks on me whenever I go out…

Victor Guyonnet Sommelier, The 10 Cases

Best place for a post-service bite to eat? I do a lot of research. When I go out I try to compare my service style with theirs; it’s good to see what others are doing – it keeps up your own standard of service. Barrafina is great.

Why did you go into hospitality? I began graduate studies in literature, but decided to change to hospitality after a year. At the same time I worked as a waiter. I really enjoyed the wine side of things, so decided to focus on it.

Any thoughts on recruitment and the industry? You need a basic level of training to work in a restaurant. But the world runs around communication: when people have a problem, it’s necessary to communicate with colleagues to solve them. A lot of difficulties could be avoided this way.

If you weren’t in the industry what would you be? If I completed the literature degree, probably a lawyer. What makes a good sommelier? Being knowledgeable about the subject is as important as knowing your customer – you have to be adaptable to different needs and preferences. Restaurant pet-hate? Arrogant sommeliers that think they know it all. You simply can’t learn everything about wine; there are always new labels, new producers, and new grapes, so it’s important to be humble.

J Sheekey Oyster Bar 28-32 St Martin’s Court Covent Garden London WC2N 4AL jsheekeyoysterbar.co.uk

Best place for a glass of wine? I’d recommend two very different places: The Remedy and Terroirs.

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Trends for wine this year? I think interest in the New World, particularly South America and South Africa is on the increase. They’re still pretty undiscovered regions for the UK. We’re seeing the more famous vineyards in the Old World becoming less popular. Any thoughts on recruitment? Young people who want to join the industry need to have passion; with this will come hard work and dedication. You can’t force interest. There are now more reasonable wine mark-ups, which will make wine and the industry more accessible.

The 10 Cases 16 Endell St Covent Garden London WC2H 9BD 10cases.co.uk

-33Left to right: 45 Jermyn Street | Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester | Bellanger | J Sheekey | Chiltern Firehouse | Flat Iron Henrietta Street | Holborn Dining Room | Hoi Polloi | Theo Randall at the InterContinental

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

Can you guess the following restaurant cruets that you may have used to add a little seasoning to your food. In association with The Dumbwaiter

Guess the cruets

Destination CODE: Amsterdam In association with CODE Travel Guides

On a recent weekend break to Amsterdam, Daniel Reynolds finds a city that easily shrugs off its somewhat seedy reputation. With it only being an hour flight from London, it’s no surprise that Amsterdam is a popular destination for Brits. In fact I struggled to remember a capital city where there were so many of my compatriots. However, Amsterdam is beautiful with a lot to offer, and like anywhere – it’s a case of where to seek out and where to avoid. The Hoxton (thehoxton.com) has recently opened an outpost in the Dutch capital situated on the Herengracht canal between the old town and Jordaan district. Rooms start modestly but I would recommend spending a little more for the spacious ‘roomy’ with a canal view. Just as in Shoreditch and Holborn, they’ve perfected the offering with high levels of service coupled with a buzzy atmosphere on the ground floor, full from morning till night with residents and locals alike using the hotel as a workspace and, later in the evening, as a place to enjoy some drinks. We steered clear of the old town in general, although going to Amsterdam without walking through the Red Light District is akin to going to Paris and avoiding the Eiffel Tower. Barring a few areas, the old town has a Leicester Square vibe running through it, consisting mainly of Argentine steak houses and the city’s famous ‘coffee shops’. Hire a bike to visit other areas of the city, but be wary of the combination of trams, cars, cyclists and pedestrians, as pavements and roads can be hard to distinguish. As in London, Amsterdam’s restaurant scene has a mainly global influence but if you’re after some Dutch fare, head to the Indische Buurt district in the east where you can find Wilde Zwijnen (wildezwijnen.com) - literal translation - wild boar. Choose between a three or four course set menu where - no surprise - boar features, although fish and vegetarian dishes are still championed. The interior ticks the boxes with a stripped back décor and is popular with locals so book ahead (not to be confused with their tapas bar next door).

Issue 6 | Spring 2016 | codehospitality.co.uk

In the south-east of the city in Frankendael Park, you’ll find Restaurant de Kas (restaurantdekas.nl), set within a greenhouse and adjoining nursery. An iconic dining room (although lacking the beauty of Petersham Nurseries), the restaurant follows the farm-to-table philosophy, sourcing ingredients on site. As a consequence the Mediterranean-inspired set menu changes daily and one has to admire the equal emphasis de Kas places on vegetables and meat and its approach to sustainability. It may not be knocking at Michelin’s door but is certainly worth a visit. A ten-minute walk away is one of Amsterdam’s restaurants of the moment, Rijsel (rijsel.com) located just off the river Amstel. Named after the French city of Lille, the fare is French inspired with a nod to Flanders. Although the menu changes fairly regularly, you can always expect quality rotisserie and on our visit we opted for just that along with duck sausage with slices of smoked duck, green beans, and roasted hazelnuts. There’s a canteen feel to the dining room with 60s vintage chairs offset by tablecloths. Surprisingly, Rijsel is closed on weekends so make

sure you plan your trip with a Friday or Monday either side to accommodate a visit. If you’re after something a little more international, head to The Pijp, the city’s ‘global village’. Formerly a student area, it has a bohemian vibe and now the area is facing a hike in rents. Take a stroll through Albert Cuyp Markt (albertcuyp-markt.amsterdam), the single largest daily market in the Netherlands – the food stalls are mainly produce led and many of the Surinamese, Moroccan and Turkish restaurants in the surrounding area source from the market. As a word of warning, the Pijp also contains the Heineken ‘Experience’… enough said. When it comes to culture, the museum district contains the world famous Rijksmuseum (rijksmuseum.nl) and after a decade long renovation, boasts a large collection of Rembrandt and Vermeer. Next door is the Van Gogh Museum (vangoghmuseum.nl) and if you’re a little jaded after that, relax with a drink in the brasserie of the Conservatorium hotel, in the vast, airy brick and glass atrium. A little west of the museum district is the Vondelpark – Amsterdam’s Hampstead Heath (without the hills). If the sun’s out – start the day with brunch at Staring at Jacob (staringatjacob.nl) followed by a day spent cycling round the park. The Jordaan is a slightly more gentrified version of the Pijp and although no sights to see, it’s one of the prettiest areas of Amsterdam so take some time to walk around and explore the side streets. A prolonged downpour on Sunday afternoon forced us to take shelter in De Blaffende Vis off Westerstraat for a much-needed glass of local beer, Two Chef ’s Brewing and a smoked mackerel sandwich. G’s (reallyniceplace.com) in the north of the Jordaan is another brunch spot, popular with American university students. Although in the old town, Wynand Fockink (wynand-fockink.nl) is a must visit for a pre-dinner tipple or a dose of Dutch courage and acts as a timely reminder of the Netherlands’ strong distilling heritage. Going strong since 1679 as a Freemasons meeting place, this tasting house offers up a wide range of liqueurs and jenevers (the original gin) and the ever-helpful staff will guide you through the selection process. Being right on our doorstep, remember there’s so much more to Amsterdam than first meets the eye.

Daniel Raynolds @DanReynolds_

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The CODE app directory LONDON 100 Wardour St 108 Brasserie 28°-50° Maddox Street 28°-50° Marylebone Lane All Star Lanes Bayswater All Star Lanes Brick Lane All Star Lanes Holborn Ametsa with Arzak Instruction Antidote Aqua Kyoto Aqua Nueva Asia de Cuba Barnyard Be at One Greek Street Be at One Russell Street Beagle Bernardi’s Bread Street Kitchen Brunswick House Burger and Lobster Mayfair Café de Paris Cahoots Carousel Cay Tre Hoxton Cay Tre Soho CHICKENliquor Coya Pisco Bar Craft London Crosstown Doughnuts Dabbous Damson & Co Dehesa Dirty Bones Kensington Dirty Bones Soho Ducksoup EAT 17 El Camion Ember Yard Evolution Osteopathy Flat Iron Denmark Street Forge & Co FortyFive10 Foxlow Balham Foxlow Chiswick Foxlow Clerkenwell Foxlow Stoke Newington

Frontier Room Granger & Co. Clerkenwell Hawksmoor Air Street Hawksmoor Guildhall Hawksmoor Knightsbridge Hawksmoor Seven Dials Hawksmoor Spitalfields Heddon Street Kitchen Hélène Darroze at The Connaught Hix Oyster & Chop House HIX Soho Hixter Bankside HO Holborn Dining Room Holborn Grind Il Baretto Jago Jar Kitchen Joe’s Southern Kitchen José Pizarro JUBO Kêu Shoreditch Kêu Soho Koya Bar L’Anima LAB Bar LeCoq Lobos Meat & Tapas London Grind London House Lyle’s MARCUS Mark’s Bar at The Old Vic Market Maze Megaro Bar Melt Room Merchants Tavern Morada Brindisa Asador Opera Tavern Oskar’s Bar Outlaw’s at The Capital Ozone Coffee Roasters Patty & Bun Percy & Founders Petersham Nurseries

Pidgin Piquet Pizarro Pizza Pilgrims Dean St Pizza Pilgrims Exmouth Market Pizza Pilgrims Kingly St Polpo at Ape & Bird Polpo Notting Hill Q-Grill Camden Quaglino’s Queenswood Rabbit Radio Rooftop Bar Rawduck Rivington Grill ROKA Aldwych Rotorino SAGER + WILDE (Paradise Row) Salt Yard Shotgun Shuang Shuang Shoredtich Grind Soho Grind Spuntino St. JOHN St. JOHN Bread and Wine STK London Tapas Brindisa Soho Tartufo The Culpeper The Drapers Arms The Gilbert Scott The Lockhart The Manor The Modern Pantry Finsbury Square The Narrow The Quality Chop House The Remedy The Shed The Shrub and Shutter The Truscott Arms The Worship Street Whistling Shop TY Soho

The CODE app is available to anyone working in hospitality. Simply prove your employment in the industry* and enjoy unlimited access to exclusive dining offers.

* Restaurant, bar, cafe, hotel, private members’ club, catering contractor, street food vendor, commercial airlines and F&B leisure outlet. -35-

Trailer Happiness Tramontana Brindisa Tramshed Tredwell’s Typing Room Union Street Bar Union Street Café Viet Grill Vintage Salt Upper Street Wright Brothers Soho Wright Brothers Spitalfields Wringer & Mangle York & Albany Zoilo NORTH Almost Famous GN Almost Famous Leeds Almost Famous Liverpool Almost Famous NQ All Star Lanes Manchester Asha’s Manchester Bollibar @ Asha’s Busaba Liverpool Busaba Manchester Chapter House El Capo Electrik Evelyn’s Gaucho Leeds Hawksmoor Manchester Home Sweet Home GN Keko Moku Manchester235 MEATliquor Leeds Montpellier’s Mr Cooper’s House & Garden Mr Thomas’s Chop House Mughli Knutsford Mughli Rusholme Polpo Leeds Sam’s Chop House Solita Didsbury Solita NQ Solita Prestwich Tariff & Dale

The Albert Square Chop House The Alchemist New York Street The Bar at Gaucho Manchester The French The Railway Café & Gin Bar The Refectory Volta SOUTH Drake’s (Ripley) MEATliqour Brighton Polpo Brighton The Coal Shed The Salt Room The Set WEST Bakers & Co Bravas Hyde & Co No. 131 and Crazy Eights No. 38 The Park Noche Negra Pata Negra Sticks & Broth The Chequers The Milk Thistle The Ox Bristol The Ox Cheltenham The Ox Clifton The Tavern The Wheatsheaf Inn

*All venues correct at the time of going to print

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