Robert Panket

Introducing Robert Panek, Executive Head Chef at Home House

Robert Panek is in charge of all the wonderful dining opportunities available at Home House.

From a very early age I was surrounded with delicious food. My mum had a farm so I grew up on fresh, organic produce straight from the garden, and on top of that my mum can cook very well. I don’t remember this, but apparently from the age of four or five I started to say that I wanted to be a chef!

The first thing I remember cooking is pancakes with cottage cheese; at that point I just flipped them in the air as a kid. It was such good fun, not to mention the feeling of achievement when they land perfectly in the pan!

It’s almost 20 years since I came to London for the first time, and since then I have worked in a mix of restaurants, member clubs, several new openings, private events and even working for Etihad Airways as a chef for their first class cabin.

I have worked with Giuseppe, our general manager in the past on a few projects and we get along very well, so when this position became available he put me forward to meet with Andrew, our managing director, and that’s how it all started! After that it was a case of a few months of meetings and discussions with regards to trying to make sure we all are on the same page regarding the future for Home House.

Home House’s food offering is a combination of well-sourced produce, all-time favourites, classic dishes and new fresh ideas. It is extremely important for us to be working with good suppliers. High quality products make our job much easier as the food speaks for itself. I’ve worked with Aubrey Allen (our meat supplier) for several years now in a number of places; the quality of the meat is exceptional and consistent, so it’s no surprise that Buckingham Palace uses Aubrey as their main butcher as well.

At one point of my career I was linked with the position at Buckingham Palace; it was a great experience to be part of the recruitment process, to meet the head chef of the Royal Household and see the inside of such an iconic place.

While we are focusing on using British sustainable suppliers, our multicultural team of chefs (made up of 14 different nationalities) will try to make your experience a little bit more memorable. In the past we have had a few comments about our menu not changing often – that’s why we are now focusing on changing our menus on a regular basis, with all our outlets offering different styles of food. House 21 is all about small plates packed with flavours, and the idea is to keep an informal atmosphere and still provide high quality food in a sharing concept.

In our restaurant, the focus is on high quality produce cooked to perfection, and naturally, it is well presented – perfect for a special occasion but also it’s relaxed enough to have a working lunch or dinner.

The drawing rooms are all about comfort and the all day menu is packed with some of our best sellers and all-time favourites, so you can come at any time of the day or night and feel at home, have something to snack on, dive into a club sandwich, or even have a full three-course meal.

Our garden offers a mixture of what Home House has to offer in addition to BBQ weekends – which have been a big success in the past years.

Right now there are few dishes on the menu which I taste more often than the others. Our Sunday roast is a must for me if I’m here on the weekend. The other one is our Reuben sandwich. I just love the combination of salt beef, sour cabbage, melted cheese and mustard mayo. There is something very naughty about that sandwich! And I can’t go through the kitchen in House 21 without trying some Bomboloni (hot Italian mini doughnuts with a chocolate centre).

The best thing about being a chef is: full belly, happy heart! Usually when you have a nice meal you feel happy and satisfied; for the chef it’s a little bit easier to achieve. The most challenging thing is managing your work alongside your private life. When I’m not at work, my favourite food depends on my mood, however most of the time I will be up for a good Thai curry, steak, or a nice sourdough pizza.

The London eating scene is like no other, it constantly changes with new restaurants, hotels and pubs opening and closing every day. Right now more and more people are starting to look at what they eat and you can see the changes around with more healthy food offerings available. Sustainability is a big part of our world now and things need to change – we all know that. At Home House we are doing our bit and are constantly trying to improve on this front.

Exquisite dining is at the heart of Home House and Chef Robert’s mission is to make sure it always delivers ‘full bellies and happy hearts’.

London’s Leading Business Club

Established in 2019 as part of the Home House Collection, Home Grown is the private members’ club for experienced entrepreneurs, sophisticated investors and world-class business leaders. It offers a space for exclusive and unrivalled access to the brightest minds in London’s thriving business community.

Just moments away from Home House and with 35 stylish bedrooms and preferential rates for Home House members, it makes the perfect base for enjoying all the City has to offer this summer.