We're finally into bank holiday season - and so from now on you'll find us at JOIA Rooftop overlooking Battersea Power Station, snacking on tinned fish and sipping vinho verde. Across town, we'll be enjoying the 'world's best pizza' - read on to learn about where you can eat a Margherita Sbagliata. And as if that's not enough for one month, we're thrilled to be opening The Counter Soho to showcase food and cocktails from one of the most exciting chefs we've ever partnered with.
LATEST NEWS
THE COUNTER SOHO and UNDER THE COUNTER to open this month from top Turkish chef Kemal Demirasal
Following on from his debut London restaurant in Notting Hill, acclaimed Turkish chef Kemal Demirasal will bring his elevated take on his native cuisine to Soho - this time with an Aegean twist. The Counter Soho will open its doors this month serving dishes from Turkey's coastal areas (think grilled octopus with mashed fava) and will also be accompanied by cocktail and listening bar Under The Counter, located beneath it. Read more here.
FATTO A MANO team up with Master Pizzaiolo Franco Pepe for charity collaboration pizza
Pizza people, this one's for you - Neapolitan pizza restaurants Fatto a Mano have teamed up with Master Pizzaiolo Franco Pepe (of Chef's Table: Pizza fame) for their May special: a version of Franco's 'world's best pizza', the Margherita Sbagliata. Available at all five UK sites - and raising money for charity - the pizza sees Fatto a Mano's dough combined with Franco's unique topping recipe. It's only here until 2nd June, so don't miss out. Read more here.
JOIA ROOFTOP - with food from chef Henrique Sá Pessoa - returns to Battersea for second summer season
The hottest London hotspot of summer 2023 is back: JOIA Rooftop is now open for a second season of sunshine. Once again, diners will be able to enjoy Iberian small plates from acclaimed chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, alongside views of the London skyline from the open-air 16th floor terrace. Tinned fish fans will also be able to get their fill, with a collaboration selection of beautifully wrapped snacks from Minerva. Read more here.
What's on this month
Summer means seafood, and Sera is celebrating by teaming up with Bentley's and Quality Chop House for its 'The Magic of Surf and Turf' event on 17th May. Thai hotspot Kolae will welcome American writer Austin Bush on 14th May, exploring his new cookbook, The Food of Southern Thailand, with a regional set menu. ROKA is marking its 20th birthday by bringing back hit dishes from its past, with its latest seasonal menu featuring the likes of scallop sashimi with tapioca pearl, yuzu and truffle sauce. This month sees Wiston Estate mark the return of its Sundowner Safari Tours, in which a walk through its vineyards ends with dinner at its beautiful restaurant Chalk. For a taste of the brand new, risotto-inspired fine dining restaurant all'onda will open its doors on 2nd May.
Chef spotlight: Jonny Lake
Chef Jonny Lake knows a thing or two about Michelin stars. Earlier this year, we were thrilled to see Trivet – the Bermondsey neighbourhood restaurant he co-founded with Master Sommelier Isa Bal in 2019 – awarded its second Michelin star.
In previous years, his career was no less star-studded. Jonny joined Heston Blumenthal’s three Michelin-starred The Fat Duck in 2005 - the year it was voted No.1 in World’s 50 Best Restaurants - before becoming Head Chef, then Executive Head Chef of The Fat Duck Group. Here, he met Isa, and their creative partnership began.
Jonny’s love of cooking began back in his native Montréal, where he volunteered for a meals-on-wheels charity while studying biology and physics at university. Soon, he was pursuing a career as a chef, training at the Institut de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie du Québec, before moving to Italy to work at Michelin-starred restaurants A Spurcacciun-a and Quintilio, and for legendary Italian chef, Gualtiero Marchesi at L’Albereta.
Now, his and Isa’s global travels are distilled into the à la carte menu at Trivet, where world food and drink serve as inspiration for the exciting pairings you’ll find between Jonny’s dishes and Isa’s wine and drinks programme - all to be enjoyed in the restaurant’s relaxed surroundings with impeccable, warm service.
