Monday Bulletin: A new Parisian residency for Kennington and a lot of lamb chops

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

Retan

Exclusive: The travelling supper club Retan will begin a three-month residency at Louie Louie in Kennington from 28 September, allowing founders and chefs Cameron Dewar and Josh Dalloway to give their concept a new sense of permanency in autumn. The duo, formerly of Elliot’s and Sager + Wilde respectively, said they hope to bring ‘honest and playful cooking’ to Louie Louie, a buzzing lunch and evening space on the Walworth Road. Both said their food will be ‘underpinned by French techniques set within an environment that seeks to emulate a relaxed Parisian bistro’, and Cameron told CODE Retan will be ‘an accessible, special dining experience… one that represents the casual enjoyment of dining.’ Dishes will include oysters and coppa; aged beef tartare with a seaweed relish; and salted pollock with kohlrabi and horseradish. Wines will come from the Languedoc and from Burgundy. Three courses will cost £45.

From the restaurant floor: Imogen Davis

‘Heading into winter is usually a time of bubbling anticipation for us. Christmas party bookings flood the inbox and the hectic times ahead both excite and intimidate. As we know, a third of hospitality’s annual turnover is made over the festive season. With the past couple of years’ celebrations shelved, we might be forgiven for looking forward to what could be a booming 2022 winter. It would give us all that extra boost we need, both on a personal and a business level.’ Read more.

Small plates

• A new restaurant, bar and garden called King’s House will open on the King’s Road in Chelsea on 14 October. The venue will ‘bring laid-back dining, al fresco socialising, and late-night cocktails to an expansive space’. 
   
• Korean corn dog purveyor Bunsik is heading north for its latest outpost opening. Occupying a spot on Camden High Street, Bunsik will open its third outlet in early October. On the menu? Various corn dogs, chicken katsu cupbap, and Korean fried chicken. 
   
• Chefs Manu Canales and Edward Brunet have devised three specialist dinners in October and November at Kebab Queen, the ten-seat fine dining counter restaurant in Covent Garden. Three one-off menus – vegan, game, and offal – will ‘showcase innovative and seasonal cooking’.
   
• Covent Garden’s Piazza at the Royal Opera House will relaunch tomorrow. A new menu includes dishes such as burrata and heritage beetroots; Lemon sole with mushroom and Pershore broccoli; and a ‘butcher’s cut’. CEO Alex Beard said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted to be opening Piazza at the Royal Opera House, another great reason to visit our beautiful home.’ 
   
• Jason and Irha Atherton have announced the end of a six-year partnership between the Social Company and Starr Restaurants in New York, The Caterer reports. The team said the move was due to a ‘difference in vision’. 

For the fishers

On Thursday 13 October, the team behind the charity The Fishermen’s Mission will be heading to The Alverton hotel, based in the heart of Truro, to co-host a celebratory evening of Cornish food and drink that will highlight the important work they do and raise much-needed funds to help them continue to deliver their mission across the county. In a true celebration of Cornwall’s coastline, some of the county’s top chefs will be taking over The Alverton’s kitchen for the evening, including St. Enodoc’s Guy Owen, Kota’s Jude Kereama, and The Rick Stein Group’s Stephane Delourme. More here.

The Mutton

Next month will see the arrival of The Mutton, a new family pub and dining room in Hartley Wintney, north Hampshire, housed in a restored 19th century former public house and post office. The project is the work of the Taylor family, with support from family friend Ashley Hatton, and hospitality specialists Nigel Sutcliffe and James McLean (The Oarsman at Marlow and The Crown at Bray). In the kitchen will be Rob Boer, who began his career under Nathan Outlaw. His menu will include dishes such as mutton fat crumpets with pickled red cabbage and torched mackerel in spiced pakoras.

David Stevens

David Stevens has been promoted to group executive chef of the newly named Wolseley Hospitality Group as it prepares to launch the long-awaited restaurants Manzi’s in Soho, and Wolseley City in the former House of Fraser on King William Street. Stevens previously served as head chef and head pastry chef at the original Wolseley in Mayfair. He began his career in his native Brisbane, Australia, and moved to Europe in the ‘90s, eventually joining Caprice Holdings as pastry chef at the Ivy in 1998.

Karen Jones

Legendary hospitality professional Dame Karen Jones will step down as executive chair of Prezzo after four years. Jones, who remains chair of the restaurant groups Hawksmoor and Mowgli, will continue to work with the Italian chain as a special advisor. She said: ‘It has been an extraordinary journey over the past four years. With the active support of our new ownership, we have curated an outstanding leadership team that is well-equipped to navigate the current challenges of the economic environment.’ 

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