Monday Bulletin: Barletta in Margate crowdfund and kids eat for free at Rockfish

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

Hot 4 U

The team behind the delivery concept Hot 4 U will open a permanent restaurant, Papi, early next year. Hot 4 U, co-founded by chef Matthew Scott during the pandemic, turned heads as it developed into a pop-up restaurant, with dishes such as garum pom bears and a whisky bone marrow luge. Now, Scott and Charlie Carr of Wingnut Wines will launch Papi in a site on Mentmore Terrace, Hackney, describing it as a ‘natural culmination of a journey’. Read more.

Exclusive: Flor Bakery closure

Flor Bakery in Bermondsey will close at the end of November after almost a year of trading. In a statement sent to CODE, the Flor team said the decision was ‘heartbreaking’ but added that ‘it will give us time to work out what the future holds’. The bakery and wine shop opened in Spa Terminus late last year and was founded by the chef James Lowe in partnership with bakers Helen Evans – who has a new project on the horizon – and Florin Grama. Full story.

Small Plates

• Ex-Noble Rot head chef Myles Donaldson has been appointed head chef at The Garden Museum Cafe, at the award-winning Garden Museum in Lambeth.
   
• A crowdfund has been launched after the Barletta restaurant in Margate was struck by a ‘horrendous’ scam which stole £50,000 from its bank accounts, The Caterer reported.
   
• The Italian kitchen and workshop Officina 00 will open in Fitzrovia this week. ‘We couldn’t be more excited to introduce a new menu to this part of London’, said co-founder Enzo Mirto.
   
• Sushi expert Takyya Watanabe, the man behind the much-loved Jin in Paris, has opened Taku Mayfair, a serious omakase restaurant well worth visiting.
   
• Tom Kerridge’s Manchester restaurant, the Bull & Bear at the Stock Exchange hotel, will reportedly be replaced by a family-run bar group run by bartender brothers Joe and Daniel Schofield next year.
  
  
• Sheffield duo Luke and Stacey Sherwood-French, of JÖRO fame, will launch a cookbook next month, featuring anecdotes, insights and recipes from leading chefs in the UK.
  
  
• Owen Sullivan, formerly of Gordon Ramsay Group, has joined Bluebird Chelsea as its executive head chef.
  
  
• After a successful four-month pop-up at Ronda La Cave at The Hoxton, Holborn, Chet’s will open at The Hoxton in Shepherd’s Bush from 12 December.

Exclusive: Kids eat for free at Rockfish

Southwest restaurant group Rockfish will offer children under 11 free fish and chips from 1 December to March 2023 to help ‘make fresh, sustainable seafood available for all’ this winter. Rockfish wants to encourage families to eat out together, and to support the fishing industry further in difficult times. Founder and CEO Mitch Tonks said: ‘We believe in the value of memorable family meals. Our aim is simple, to bring families together this winter to enjoy the amazing local, sustainable seafood on our doorstep. We’re hoping our initiative might inspire others in the industry to take a similar approach – convivial dining being such a key aspect of hospitality, family life and the values reflected in our business ethos.’ Kids under 11 eat for free when dining with adults who purchase a main meal.

Corrigan in Dublin

Richard Corrigan has opened The Park Café in Dublin. It offers a menu driven by the produce available on the chef’s country estate Virginia Park Lodge in County Cavan. Dishes include smoked fish platters and oysters; an escargot omelette with pancetta, parmesan and chives; roast pork with crab apple and pickled mustard; and, naturally, Corrigan’s famous Bentley’s fish pie, probably one of the best dishes available anywhere in Europe.

Si Toft

‘I missed the budget. At least in real time. I was busy peeling potatoes in my mate’s pub, having temporarily closed my restaurant a couple of weeks ago to try and ride out the winter. I understand there was a lot of back slapping and bluster. Sigh.Late on Thursday night, post-work, I found the time to read through what the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has set out. As a small business owner in an industry that has felt like a whipping boy in recent years, I have no choice but to comb through the detail and find out what, if anything, the Government is doing to support me, and thousands like me.’ More here.

Tommy Banks

The chef Tommy Banks will close the Black Swan, in Oldstead, North Yorkshire, on Sundays, to allow his team the opportunity to recharge with family and friends over the weekend. Banks will change the restaurant’s opening hours from Wednesday to Sunday to Tuesday to Saturday from next year. He said: ‘Our industry can be a challenging place to work and employees’ work/life balance can so easily be compromised. Closing the Black Swan on Sundays enables our team to take time and recharge at the weekend with family, friends and loved ones – something I know is crucial for both personal and professional development.’ 

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