Monday Bulletin: Smith & Willis & Joséphine Marylebone

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

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Smith & Willis

Friends, business partners, and fellow Mancunians, Johnny Smith and Daniel Willis of Luca in Clerkenwell, have launched a new hospitality group together called Smith & Willis. Headquartered out of The Loft above Luca in Clerkenwell, the nascent restaurant group so far comprises their flagship restaurant Luca and partner restaurant Osip in Bruton, recently awarded Restaurant of the Year at The Good Food Guide Awards. A new London restaurant is also in the works. Smith & Willis will focus on owner-managed and partnership brands that share their “built to last” and “committed to craft” ethos. Smith & Willis will support partners with brand and marketing, people and operations and creative direction. It will also inaugurate a group leadership programme and other people-focused initiatives. Smith and Willis made their names as hosts of The Clove Club, back when it was a Dalston supper club in 2010, going on to crowdfund and open the bricks-and-mortar Clove Club with Isaac McHale in 2013. As Smith & Willis, the duo will be back in supper club mode, hosting events at The Loft and opening it up for private hire.

Joséphine Marylebone

Joséphine in Chelsea with its wine ‘by the metre’, dedicated ‘PDT’ (pomme de terre) menu, and signature saucisson brioche, was one of 2024’s most talked about new restaurant openings. Now Claude and Lucy Bosi – Lucy is one of CODE Hospitality’s Women of the Year 2025 – have announced the imminent arrival of une deuxième Joséphine, opening 24 April on Blandford Street in Marylebone. Whereas, at the original, they leaned in to Bosi’s Lyon upbringing, for the sequel, they’ve looked for inspiration to 19th Century Paris and its grand brasseries. Highlights of the menu will be soufflé au Camembert, escargots a l’ail, fruits de mer, steak tartare, and mousse au chocolat to share. There will also be an oyster kiosk – fun! – and a breakfast menu for the first time. The design is by Fabled Studio so you know it’s going to be très chic.

Small Plates

• From SoHo to Soho. NYC’s Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer opens a massive London flagship on Glasshouse Street on 17 April. Expect big portions, CrazyShakes, graffitied walls and a hip-hop soundtrack.
   
• Sussex art gallery Hastings Contemporary has a new Mediterranean restaurant called Coquina. Ruby Boglione (of the Petersham Nurseries Boglione clan) and Silvy Pilkington, founders of BAYTE in St Leonards-on-Sea are behind it.
   
• Mary’s on the former Pollen Street Social site is under new ownership. Jason Atherton’s The Social Company is no longer involved. The restaurant will become Motcombs, sister of Motcombs St John’s Wood. The news was revealed in an email to customers from The Social Company
  
  
• Something new at Somerset House: Setlist, a riverside venue and platform for music, art, and food creatives. Sophie Wyburd, Terri Mercieca, Masafina, and Ope Odutayo (CODE’s 30 Under 30) are all signed up. Opens 8 May.
  
  
• London’s getting its first dedicated Japanese claypot restaurant. Donabe Hannah opened its doors on Saturday on the old site of Hannah Japanese restaurant at County Hall.
  
  
• Rachel Jones’s ACE pizza has found a permanent home for her ‘London-style’ pizzas in Hackney’s Victoria Park Village. Due to launch this summer.
  
  
• Sally Abé has departed The Pem for a new role as head of food at The Public House Group’s Bull, Charlbury in The Cotswolds. The move is a return to pub cooking for Abé who previously led The Harwood Arms.
  
  
• Siblings Josh and Holly Eggleton have completed the five-year renovation of The Pony Chew Valley, their restaurant, cookery school and gardens in Somerset. Their new orangery-style restaurant is open Wednesday to Sunday.
  
  
• Tickets are now on sale for The British Library’s Food Season 2025, 17 April to 1 June. The fascinating programme includes a panel talk on the impact of Ozempic and a celebration of MFK Fisher.
  
  
• Le Cordon Bleu marks its 130th anniversary with an extra-special annual scholarship. This year’s prize, open to aspiring chefs of all backgrounds, includes a full scholarship for the Grand Diplôme®, a year’s paid accommodation and more. More here.