CODE Bulletin Catch Up

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

Terry’s at Maria’s

Terry’s Cafe owner Austin Yardley has revealed ambitious plans to redevelop Maria’s Market Cafe in Borough Market. He took over the running of the site in December, when the previous operator Maria Moruzzi retired after almost 20 years there (and many more elsewhere). Austin said he wants to make Maria’s “the heartbeat” of Three Crown Square and shared renderings of his plans alongside the slogan, “from one family’s legacy to another”. For now, the Terry’s team is serving classic fry ups and breakfast baps. Austin hopes the market approves his planning proposals in the coming months so he can reopen with his own, more extensive menu in the summer. He told CODE: “We might keep some of the dishes but we want to put our own spin on things and bring in our £12.50 prix fixe. We’re limited as to what we can do there at the moment so I hope Borough Market gives us the go ahead. I really want to crack on.” Austin said he wants to maintain the cafe’s heritage but there is room for some modernisation and expansion. “For us, the takeover feels really appropriate – I want our history to merge with Maria’s. If it wasn’t us it might have gone to someone else, and I feel it’s an opportunity for Terry’s to step out of Great Suffolk Street into the wider world. We’ve got a good reputation now and we’re bringing a lot to the market. We take food, service and a warm welcome very seriously, and home cooking and cafe food is what the market is all about, traditionally.”

Terry’s Café London has no further affiliation with Maria’s Market or Borough Market as of July 2022.

Sketch

Sketch has done away with its Barbie pink Gallery restaurant, where since 2014 celebrities and influencers have sat on plump, marshmallowy chairs and snapped photos of David Shrigley works. The Mayfair space has undergone a lively transformation courtesy of the Iranian-French architect India Mahdavi. The designer, who was behind the original look, has swapped pastel pink for yellow and copper hues and the makeover is more dramatic still thanks to the British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare CBE, whose Modern Magic pieces now adorns the walls. “After Matisse showed Picasso African art for the first time, it changed the history of modern art”, he said. “Picasso was interested in appropriating from another culture, and I also appropriate from European ethnic art. Cultural appropriation can be a two-way street.” Gallery chef Pierre Gagnaire, meanwhile, has added new dishes to the menu which reflect their new surroundings, including “Yinka Rice”, inspired by West African jollof, and a Yinka Zobo cocktail made with rum, pineapple liqueur, lime juice, honey and ginger.

Apricity

The chef Chantelle Nicholson will open her new Mayfair restaurant on April 12. Apricity, a long-time coming and her first solo and permanent venture, stands for “regeneration, warmth, generosity and light”, and in many ways the concept echoes Nicholson’s Hackney pop-up All’s Well, which was short-lived but adored. Nicholson told CODE previously that her restaurant will put sustainability first, and her head chef – who we now know to be Eve Seemann – will follow a no-waste approach. Dishes might include Cornish mackerel with Shetland mussels and sambal butter; koji-glazed mushrooms with black garlic and nettles; and venison, pickled walnuts, and pickled rhubarb. 

Small plates

JKS Restaurants will open Arcade at Centre Point next month. The food hall (or ‘food theatre’ as it was previously described) will host cuisines from around the world. So far the Southern Thai concept Plaza Khao Gaeng, and the Indonesian brand Bebek! Bebek! have been announced. 

Soho House’s excursion into Brighton was first mentioned in 2015. It will launch at the end of this month. Little Beach House Brighton is situated in a Grade II-listed building on Madeira Drive – not far from Brighton Palace Pier – spans two floors, and has a pool with sea views.

Tyler King, formerly senior sous at Prism in Berlin, will open Bridge 15, a modern Scottish restaurant in Edinburgh, later this month. He said: “I always knew I wanted to come back to Scotland to open a restaurant and showcase the top-quality produce we have here.”

Rest of UK and International

Hospitality work for Ukrainian refugees

The Sanctuary Foundation, a partnership between charities, churches, and other organisations, is looking to coordinate support for refugees fleeing Ukraine. Jay Rayner told CODE he has already been approached by the people involved about routes into hospitality, and sent us the campaign as a heads up. In time, there may be a way to help find work for those looking across the industry. For now, the foundation is in need of donations.

Hot Fat

A word also for the Irish cooking duo Russell Alford and Patrick Hanlon, whose debut book, Hot Fat, is due out on May 5. “Hot Fat is ultimately about pure, unadulterated, edible joy,” the authors said. “We were very conscious to avoid attaching any negative connotations or emotional charge to any of the recipes or ingredients, so you won’t find phrases like ‘guilty’, ‘dirty’, or even ‘fakeaway’ in the pages of our book.” Refreshing. 

People

Adriana Cavita

After a series of excellent residencies, the Mexican chef Adriana Cavita will open her own restaurant in May. At Cavita, on Wigmore Street, diners can expect dishes such as Carlingford oysters with clamato oil and jalapeno vinaigrette; baja fish tacos; barbecued octopus with guajillo and pasilla adobo; and grilled chicken with green mole and coal-roasted vegetables. The chef, who trained at restaurants such as Pujol and El Bulli, said the food is “inspired by the flavours of my childhood – each dish is connected to my memories of family, celebration and adventures.” She added: “Cuisines are constantly evolving, never set in stone for eternity. So words like ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ are always a little loaded, but I do my best to get to the heart of authentic Mexican cuisine and showcase it in my cooking”. 

Tinie Tempah

The British rapper Tinie Tempah is having a toast, a celebration, and indeed getting a glass out having launched his first restaurant brand, RAPS. For now, the fried chicken brand will manifest as a four-month residency at the John Lewis rooftop bar, but will also be available for delivery in neighbourhoods across London. Tinie said the food, created with the former Sardine chef Hasan Semay, is a “nostalgic nod” to the South London chicken shops he frequented when growing up. Wraps come filled with the likes of deep-fried jerk-marinated chicken with plantain, BBQ sauce and lime mayo slaw. “Food is an exploration of culture through its ingredients and flavours and London, the city I’m from, is rich with diversity and culture,” he told ES. Heidi and Audrina eat your heart out. 

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