Standard International has announced that it will launch its first hotel outside the US this summer in Kings Cross, with two drinking and dining spaces from Executive Chef Adam Rawson.
Adam will take up residence of the ground floor of the ten-storey hotel, launching two distinct spaces: Isla and Double Standard - each with entirely separate menus and design created by long-standing Standard collaborator Shawn Hausman.
All-day restaurant Isla will offer laid-back, elegant dining from a pretty and seasonal menu with a predominantly natural wine list. Integrated with the lobby, Isla also gently spills out to the garden terrace nestled in a residential area of Kings Cross.
Isla will be the cornerstone of Adam’s culinary offering at The Standard. Inspired by Britain’s island geography, Isla will focus on coastal cuisine, light proteins and seasonal British produce accompanied by a selection of natural wines. Isla will host an abundance of foliage set alongside rich blues and reds to add depth and warmth. The stylish, outside space will have a retractable awning, allowing guests to bask in the summer sun or providing welcome shade on hotter days.
Double Standard is an introduction to the Standard’s signature mischievousness and will be the ground floor's most boisterous space. With a menu inspired by traditional pub classics and NYC dive bar food, the stand alone bar will serve craft beers, wine and classic cocktails alongside Adam’s menu running late into the night. Heavy-set wooden doors, textured glass and plush red carpet will encapsulate the cosy feeling of a British local, whilst pastel tiled flooring, rounded soft pink shelving and an exposed felt ceiling are unexpected design elements to create a modern and playful feel unique to the city.
Rawson trained under Nuno Mendes before going on to launch Lucky Chip and then Pachamama where he was awarded YBF Chef of the Year. Rawson has been working closely with the guidance of Standard International’s Creative Director of Food and Culture, Angela Dimayuga, on concept and menu design for the ground floor of this iconic brutalist building. Formerly of the Mission Chinese Food, New York restaurant fame, Dimayuga has been appointed by Standard Hotels to guide the food, programming and culture at the international hotels to create community-engaging spaces with a fresh, vibrant and playful energy and thoughtful execution.
Rawson said: “I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of creating menus which reflect the distinct personalities of Double Standard and Isla. Double Standard is going to be a more raucous, convivial space, so I’ve come up with a selection of elevated snacks perfect for sharing (or soaking up a few pints). Isla’s menu will be more delicate and much lighter - perfect for enjoying in the summer sunshine.”
The second phase of this hotel opening will take place late summer where the remaining rooms will open alongside a stand-alone bar and a restaurant and bar from acclaimed Chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias. This will be Sanchez-Iglesias’ first opening in the capital. The Michelin-starred, award-winning Chef is currently Bristol-based, where he runs family-owned Casamia and Paco Tapas.
The London opening is Standard International’s first outside the US and the sixth from the group praised for its ethos that hotels can deliver more than just a place to sleep. The group will open The Standard, Maldives later this year, with further plans to bring industry leading cultural, art and music hotel spaces to other cities around the world in 2020.
