On Tuesday 6th August, Cornus will open in London’s Belgravia, the second restaurant from David O’Connor and Joe Mercer Nairne of the acclaimed Chelsea restaurant, Medlar. Executive Chef Gary Foulkes will lead the kitchen, joining from the Michelin-starred Angler, to offer a regularly changing menu that showcases the bounty of British and European seasonal produce through precise and vibrant cookery.
Leading the kitchen, Foulkes will combine his ingredient-led approach with flavours and techniques encountered on his travels around the world. Another alumnus of The Square, Foulkes will serve a seasonally-changing à la carte menu of elevated dishes, grounded in the traditional principles of French cuisine. Showcasing the best of British and European suppliers, the menu will include starters of Seabass tartare with oyster cream, green apple and shiso; Hand rolled spaghetti with native lobster, Amalfi lemon, N25 caviar and Two Fields olive oil; and Hubert Lacoste’s tomatoes dressed in cherry juice with soft curd and fig leaves. For mains, guests can enjoy dishes such as Roast Landes chicken, sourced from revered producer, Arnaud Tauzin - with Scottish langoustines, sweetcorn and roast chicken sauce; Lake District Farmers Lamb with Romero pepper piperade, lamb kofte, fried capers and olives; and a sharing dish that will spotlight hero suppliers, which for August, will be a Côte de Beouf from the Butcher’s Block in Banstead, served with potato and truffle galette, crispy artichoke, summer truffle and red wine sauce.
Together with Head Pastry Chef Kelly Cullen - who joins from Michelin-starred Cornerstone - Foulkes has created a dessert menu of comforting classics, including Creamed rice pudding with caramelised oat milk, cherries and cherry ripple ice cream; Mille-Feuille of English raspberries with lemon verbena cream and baked raspberry ice cream and an Amalfi lemon tart with Greek yogurt ice cream. These will sit alongside a selection of five cheeses handpicked from Buchanans Cheesemonger in London, who O’Connor has worked closely with for over 15 years.
Named after the botanical appellation for the native dogwood shrub, Cornus will build on Medlar’s enduring reputation to deliver an elevated yet accessible dining experience. O’Connor will work alongside his wife Monika (both worked at The Square) to oversee the front of house team, creating an elegant neighbourhood dining destination for Belgravia. Many former Medlar team members will also return for the project, with Melania Battiston (previously Head Sommelier) joining as Wine Director, and Mario Aranquez (previously Head Barman) heading up the bar.
On the sommelier team, Battiston will be joined by Lukasz Gorski, currently the World Young Sommelier of the Year. The two will guide guests through a wine list that reflects Foulkes's menu in showcasing unique and premium vintages at their very best quality at the time of drinking. The list will draw on the taste for classic, fine wines that Battiston developed at Medlar, while also exploring new varieties and producers that she has encountered on her travels. Example bottles will include a 2021 Assyrtiko ‘34’, Artemis Karamolegos, Santorini, and a 2006 Chablis Premier Cru ‘Chapelot’, François Raveneau, France. An extensive by-the-glass offering will feature a number of wines traditionally served by the bottle, allowing diners the flexibility to pair glasses with their meal, with a range of wines also available in larger formats for big groups. Cornus will also offer a corkage service and Battiston encourages guests to bring their own bottles to the restaurant, with a number of the best wines she has tried having been introduced to her by Medlar's guests.
From Cornus’s central bar, Aranquez will offer a range of classic cocktails and signature serves such as a Clarified Coffee Negroni. A wide and varied array of non-alcoholic options will also complement the food menu in their complexity and design, and the broader drinks programme will continue to develop and adapt over time, with plans to introduce premium teas, daily by-the-glass wine specials and a range of sakés to pair with Foulkes’s menu and showcase the rice wine’s varied expressions.
The 70 cover restaurant is located on the rooftop of Grosvenor’s “The Ice Factory” at Eccleston Yards, Belgravia. The original warehouse, built in 1830 for Shingleton’s Ice Company, has been reimagined by Day Studio, the interior designers behind Islington’s Trullo. To reflect the elegant, precise nature of the food and service offering, the interiors lean into the glamour of the mid-century modern aesthetic with a rich palette of woods, muted greens and tans. The wrap-around floor-to-ceiling windows will offer views of the London skyline, softened with sheer curtains to allow the space to take on the characteristic of the hour and the seasons. A marbled bar bringing in soft green and pink hues, bronze light fixtures and luxurious banquette seating will elevate the space while ensuring a timeless design.
Of the opening, O’Connor says: We have been finessing the Cornus offering for a number of years and we are incredibly excited to finally bring this to fruition. What we are creating builds on the Medlar reputation while delivering a fresh perspective on French dining to Belgravia. Superior service will always be at the heart of what we do, and Cornus will be the destination for easy lunches, long dinners and everything in between. There is a harmony between Gary’s elevated menu and the unique wine offering from Melania that comes to life in this light-filled rooftop, creating something special we cannot wait to share with guests soon.
Cornus will open on 6th August, at 27c Eccleston Place, Belgravia. From 23rd July - 3rd August, there will be a soft launch period with 30% off the food menu.
Bookings can be made here.
