From Richard Corrigan’s latest restaurant to The Chelsea Fishmonger’s takeaway meals, here is the latest hospitality news from the CODE Bulletin

Catch up on the latest industry news stories of the week from the CODE Bulletin

The Park Café

Word’s out about Richard Corrigan’s new Dublin restaurant. The Bentley’s legend plans to open The Park Café in the former Shelbourne Social, which is one of Dylan McGrath’s old venues, interestingly enough. It will be a casual, all-day fixture, with a menu using produce grown at Corrigan’s country estate Virginia Park Lodge. In an interview with the Irish Times, he said: ‘I would like to be able to think that you could come for a wonderful cream scone in the afternoon, and maybe have a really nice brunch on Sunday morning, and come with your family and have a pretty, polished meal in the evening.’ Corrigan was fairly vague about an opening date, but it could be as early as mid-August. A roof garden, for ‘small parties’ and with views of Dublin Bay, is also part of the operation, as is a new 60-cover ‘all weather’ dining terrace. The chef said there won’t be any huge changes to the décor – ‘If I can get things recovered and renewed, I will’ – but the lighting will be tweaked.

Cooking

Years ago, atop a Saxon church tower in Transylvania, a couple of souls asked Jeremy Lee whether a cookbook might ever materialise. There appeared only to be relaxed inclination. Well ring the bells, because the Quo Vadis chef will release his debut cookbook on September 1. Cooking: Simply and Well, for One or Many is ‘written in Jeremy’s unique voice, full of gusto and phenomenal knowledge’, Louise Haines of publisher 4th Estate said, and there will be more than 150 recipes alongside warm asides, gentle culinary musings, and memories of Lee’s Dundee childhood, where his mum first taught him to cook. Pudding will quite naturally be a point of focus. The publisher added: ‘Cooking is brimming with stories, wit, infectious joy for food and indispensable advice. It is brilliantly illustrated by John Broadley and photographed by Elena Heatherwick, and will surely be one of the most distinctive cookbooks published for years.’

The Chelsea Fishmonger

One of London’s best-known fishmongers – and a favourite of Nigella – has expanded his business to include prepared meals to take away, as well as sauces, stocks, and homemade mayonnaise. Rex Goldsmith of The Chelsea Fishmonger has moved to a larger premises next door and taken on the former Kitty Fisher’s head chef Karl Goward, who’s turning out lobster lasagnes, crab and samphire tarts, fish cakes, taramasalata, and other seafood dishes and meals. Goldsmith told CODE: ‘Last year, the shop next to us became available. I wasn’t sure because the rent’s higher, but my wife and son said, ‘go for it’. We had a refit and put in a kitchen, and it’s going really well. We’re selling pissaladieres and smoked haddock tarts alongside our fresh fish, adapting to the climate, modernising, and better serving our customers. When there’s competition snapping at your heels you can’t be complacent.’ Goldsmith also hinted of possible plans to open a champagne and oyster bar in his old unit next door, which he’s still paying rent on, but not using.

Small plates 

Le Cordon Bleu, the famous Parisian cooking school, will launch its first London restaurant this Summer. Cord, which was due to open in 2020 but was delayed by the pandemic, will comprise a fine dining restaurant, café, and an outpost of the culinary institute. CEO and president André J. Cointreau called the launch a ‘notable milestone as we continue to celebrate excellence in teaching around the world’. 

Filling the space left by the departed Goila Butter Chicken at Carousel will be the US burger joint Lucky Buns. The site will be Lucky Buns’ first venture outside of America, and from June 23 guests in London can expect chilli nachos, chicken nuggets with crispy garlic and herby salad, and burgers topped with Gouda, rocket, charred red onion and pickles.

Quince

Kent-based duo Ben Hughes and Rafael Lopez, who worked together at the highly acclaimed The Goods Shed in Canterbury, have opened their first restaurant, Quince, in Westgate near Margate. The 32-cover bistro will serve British ingredients, mostly from Kentish farms, ‘with a southern Mediterranean flair’. There’ll be a small list of English and global vintages curated by master of wine Clive Barlow, while front of house will be led by Portia Hughes (Ben’s wife). The team has also recruited from both The Goods Shed and Sargasso, Margate’s popular new restaurant by the sea. On the menu at Quince now are starters such as braised cuttlefish with hazelnuts and lovage, asparagus with truffle and hollandaise, and pork with wild garlic and liver terrine. Main courses might be sea bass and fennel gratin or Longland Farm duck with cos lettuce and lentils.

Amber Francis

Amber Francis has been appointed head chef at The Zebra Riding Club, Robin Gill’s restaurant at the Hertfordshire members’ club Birch. Amber started working for Gill in 2018, first joining The Dairy in Clapham before moving to Bermondsey Larder in 2020. More recently, the chef worked at Brawn in Shoreditch, which she joined early last year. Amber began her career as an apprentice at The Ritz, and also earned a distinction from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. She was crowned highest achiever in the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Graduate Awards and was among the finalists in the National Chef of the Year 2017 competition.

Lucy Timm

Lucy Timm has been appointed group head chef at London restaurants 26 Grains in Neal’s Yard and at sister site Stoney Street in Borough Market. Timm’s arrival follows the departure of Tom Cenci, who stepped down from his role as head of food last month. Timm started last week and plans to develop new menus featuring ‘comforting and seasonal’ dishes across the two restaurants. She started her career at Sager + Wilde before taking on a position at Fare in Old Street. Timm then worked at Leroy in Shoreditch before becoming head chef at the Provencal-style Royale in March 2021. 

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