Marylebone & Fitzrovia Magazine April 2017 by Runwild Media Group

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CONTENTS April 2017 80

Regulars 10 Editor’s letter 12 Five minutes with... Christopher Lecoufle, head sommelier at Marylebone restaurant 100 de Taillevent 14 The agenda A cultural round-up of what to read, see and do this April 56 Shades of change Prepare for unpredictable spring showers with nifty layering tricks

Features 18 There’s something about Mere Chef Monica Galetti and her sommelier husband’s new venture

100

23 Good enough to eat Exploring the colourful world of food styling 26 Buckle up for the ride Meet the cousins behind Blandford Street culinary and creative hub Carousel

30 Spice up your life Thomasina Miers on her new cookbook and ten years of Wahaca 66 Charlotte’s web Accessories designer Charlotte Olympia Dellal collaborates with Globe-Trotter 80 First place Leading interior architect Tara Bernerd reveals the secret to a good hotel 89 Be our guest Shining a light on a new era of dining out 96 Cooking up a storm The impressive culinary credentials of The Wild Rabbit inn 100 Paradise regained Luxury resort-hopping in the Maldives

34 Collection

50 Fashion

84 Health & beauty

94 Travel

45 Art

73 Interiors

86 Food & drink

107 Property

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08/03/17 12:10

editor’s letter

MARYLEBONE

& FITZROVIA A P R I L 2 0 1 7 s iss u e 0 1 1

Editor Lauren Romano

editor

From the

Assistant Editor Melissa Emerson Contributing Editors Hannah Lemon Camilla Apcar Kari Colmans Collection Editors Olivia Sharpe Richard Brown Acting Assistant Editor Marianne Dick Brand Consistency Laddawan Juhong Senior Designer Daniel Poole Junior Designer Paris Fielder Production Hugo Wheatley Jamie Steele Alice Ford General Manager Fiona Smith Executive Director Sophie Roberts Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Proudly published by

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well” Virginia Woolf Monica Galetti has had a few sleepless nights lately. It’s not food that’s keeping her awake, but nightmares about ordering bar stools and fixing broken pipes. Why? The MasterChef: The Professionals judge and ex-Le Gavroche sous chef has launched her own restaurant in Fitzrovia with sommelier husband David. She talks about her quest for perfection, keeping her cool in the kitchen and juggling family and work life on page 18. The plates are also spinning at Carousel where four cousins are taking diners’ tastebuds on tour by inviting guest chefs from around the world to come and cook in their Marylebone restaurant (p.26). Elsewhere, get some tips on what to do with your leftovers from Wahaca founder Thomasina Miers (p.30), feast your eyes on delectable food photography (p.23), and fill your boots on a great British gastro break. Whether it’s a cookery course in Hampshire or dinner at The Wild Rabbit in the Cotswolds (its restaurant has recently been awarded a Michelin star), tuck in from page 95.

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Lauren Romano Editor Follow us on Twitter @MandFMagazine

On the

cover

Also published by

R u n w i ld M ed i a G r o u p

Monica Galetti image © Cody Burridge. Read the interview on page 18.

luxurylondon.co.uk A website. A mindset. A lifestyle.

Regulars

5 minutes with...

I decided I wanted to educate myself about wine during my studies at business hospitality school. I became good friends

Every time I open a bottle of Clos Rougeard it’s a special moment. Many memorable episodes in my life seem to be related to wines from this extraordinary producer that has crafted some of the greatest Cabernet Franc ever made.

with the head sommelier at a restaurant where I was interning and when I started sniffing, swirling and sipping wine with him, I instantly became hooked.

Les 110 de Taillevent is a sister restaurant to Taillevent Paris. Both pay tribute to Guillaume Tirel, also known as ‘Taillevent’, who was appointed by Charles V of France to write the first French cuisine book in the 14th century. ‘Les 110’ refers to the 110 wines we have available by the glass.

The wine menu is the soul of our restaurant. We work very much like a painter does, but we use perfumes, flavours and textures. To the sommelier, the dish is often like a canvas and the wine is the substance that brings new tones and nuance to the tasting experience.

London is an incredible platform for international wines. It presents so many

Christopher

Lecoufle The head sommelier at French brasserie Les 100 de Taillevent on his favourite wine regions and pairings

“I look for classicism, elegance and bottles that have made, and will make, history in the wine world”

options, but I’m also lucky enough to be able to pick many of my wines from the Taillevent cellar in France. I look for classicism, elegance and bottles that have made, and will make, history in the wine world.

One of those immortal pairings is an old comté cheese with an oxidative Arbois, loaded with nutty and creamy notes. We also have a superb white Corbières (from the south-west of France) with a citrus flavour that sizzles long through the finish. It’s delicious with our turbot and fish mousseline dish.

I am very attracted to Australia as a wine region,

turf dish of veal sweatbreads, crayfish, shellfish cannelloni and bisque and veal jus.

however the Rhône Valley is where I seem to feel more at home these days. The wines there are complex, plush and have fantastic ageing potential, and of course the weather is sensational.

I’ve tasted a few thousand wines, but I don’t keep count.

Our bar is the perfect place for beginners. We have a

Each deserves to be tasted one at a time. That’s the only way to really listen to what they have to say. The right balance of freshness, alcohol and flavour is what makes a good wine.

team of passionate sommeliers and plenty of fantastic books, maps and stories to help you travel the entire world of wine, without even leaving Marylebone.

We serve fun, refined classic French cuisine with a bright, modern twist. I love our surf &

Les 110 de Taillevent, 16 Cavendish Square, W1G, les-110-taillevent-london.com 12

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NE W O P ENIN G

Wardrobe update After a successful 2016 pop-up, Sofia StrazzantiLynes’ boutique in.no has re-opened for the next few months in Fitzrovia. The boutique is an extension to her multi-brand sales and retail agency Innocenza, and will stock its own in-house knitwear range as well as womenswear labels such as Ilse Jacobsen and Stella Forest alongside Nikki Strange stationery and fragrance by Chabaud Maison de Parfum. If retail therapy works up an appetite, the family’s pasticceria and deli, Strazzanti, is just next door. 51 Cleveland Street, W1T, in-no.co

The agenda Local news and events from in and around the area W O R D S : m e l i ss a e m e rso n

26 June Montagu Square Garden Party The annual garden party organised by Kay & Co is a chance for the community to get together to enjoy food, drinks and live music, with proceeds going to local charity West London Day Centre. Tickets available from 1 May at Kay & Co, 20a Paddington Street, W1U, kayandco.com

20 May

Marylebone Interiors Day

7-10 June FitzFest

14-18 June

Taste of London

17-18 June

Marylebone Summer Fayre

26 June-2 July Feast@Fitzrovia

literary itinerary The Beef Bible Chef Richard H. Turner’s training at the hands of the Roux brothers, Pierre Koffmann and Marco Pierre White has stood him in good stead. As well as working in restaurants including Hawksmoor and Foxlow, Turner has brought NYC’s Meatopia festival to Europe and co-founded independent butcher and rare breed meat supplier Turner & George – all of which inspired his beef cookbook Prime. With information on everything from breeds to butchery as well as more than 180 recipes for classic dishes such as Thai beef salad, the book covers techniques on frying, smoking, braising and baking. Prime by Richard H. Turner, £25, octopusbooks.co.uk

Regulars

EXHIBITIONS

Architectural visions

top story: Mies-designed tower block for Mansion House Square scheme ©John Donat, RIBA Collections; column story, from top: Ur-schrift ovvero Avant-testo, 28-5-02, 2002, 56 x 50cm; Ur-schrift ovvero Avant-testo, 2-5-01, 2001, dyptYch 16 x 24cm each, 32 x 24cm . BOTH: irma blank, Ballpoint pen on polyester on wooden stretcher, ©the artist, courtesy Alison Jacques Gallery, London, PhotoS BY C.Favero; centre story: Untitled, 2016, anish kapoor, Gouache on paper, 51 x 66cm, ©Anish Kapoor 2017, Courtesy of Lisson Gallery; bottom story, from left: 49757 (St Gregory The Great), 2016, ©C2RMF; N-0583-00-000135 (The Battle of San Romano), 2016, ©The National Gallery, London. BOTH ©Alejandro Guijarro, Courtesy of Tristan Hoare

RIBA’s new exhibition Mies van der Rohe & James Stirling: Circling the Square compares the two architects’ design styles and methods through their respective visions for one iconic location now known as No 1 Poultry in the City. Featuring working drawings and restored models, the show brings into focus a transitional era in architecture, spanning three decades of the mid-20th century, alongside the debates and enquiries that were sparked by both sets of plans. A programme of talks, films and workshops will also accompany the exhibition. Until 25 June, 66 Portland Place, W1B, architecture.com

Sculpting success Mumbai-born, Londonbased artist Sir Anish Kapoor, has been exhibiting with Lisson Gallery for more than 30 years, with 16 exhibitions so far at the

Marylebone art space. Kapoor won the Turner Prize in 1991 and in 2010 was commissioned to create the UK’s largest (and arguably most controversial) sculpture, the ArcelorMittal Orbit, for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. His oeuvre combines works on paper, installations and sculptures, some of which can be seen in this exhibition. 31 March – 6 May, 67 Lisson Street, NW1, lissongallery.com

Pen to paper The act of writing has been a common thread in German-born artist Irma Blank’s work. “I free writing from sense and highlight its structure, its skeleton,” the artist once said. Now Alison Jacques Gallery is hosting a second solo show of creations from her 50 year career that draws on this theme. Highlights include pieces from Blank’s Avant-testo series in which she uses circular movements in blue ballpoint pen to mesmerising effect. 24 March – 26 April, 16-18 Berners Street, W1T, alisonjacquesgallery.com

Hidden masterpieces Alejandro Guijarro’s second solo show at Tristan Hoare Gallery is titled LEAD, after the substance which was common in 17th and 18th century paint. Having worked with conservationists at museums including The Prado Museum in Madrid and the Louvre in Paris, Guijarro presents reproductions of X-ray and ultraviolet photographs of Old Master paintings by the likes of van Dyck and Goya, transforming the once-recognisable images into mysterious scenes. Until 28 April, 6 Fitzroy Square, W1T, tristanhoare.co.uk s l u x u ry l o n d o n . c o. u k s

Regulars

SPOTLIGHT

R EC I

Cultural feast Fress is THE LATEST culinary buzzword. The Yiddish term, which means to eat copiously or without restraint, is also the title of Emma Spitzer’s debut cookbook. Spitzer’s recipes focus on Middle Eastern and Eastern European flavours, inspired by her travels to Israel, Egypt, Jordan and North Africa, as well as by the Algerian cuisine of her mother-in-law and her own mother’s signature dishes. Spitzer was a 2015 MasterChef finalist (for more MasterChef related news, turn to page 30 to read our interview with 2005 winner Thomasina Miers) and her unfussy cooking style favours simple ingredients. Split into chapters, from Soups and Small Plates For Sharing, to Dressings, Pickles and Sauces, the book includes recipes such as duck with black za’atar (a herb and spice blend) and puy lentils, and sweet apricot and orange blossom frangipane. Out 6 April, Fress: Bold Flavours From A Jewish Kitchen by Emma Spitzer, £25, octopusbooks.co.uk

Baharat Spiced Chicken Serves six • 12 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs • 2 red onions, thinly sliced • 2 tablespoons baharat • 2 teaspoons ground sumac • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • 1 teaspoon ground coriander • 4 preserved lemons, halved and flesh scooped out and discarded • 3 garlic cloves, crushed • 400ml chicken stock (using 1 tablespoon chicken stock powder) • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 teaspoon sea salt • A few twists of black pepper • Rice or couscous to serve 1) Add the chicken thighs to a sturdy large resealable plastic food bag with all the other ingredients, then seal well before massaging the bag to mix everything together. Leave to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of two hours, but preferably overnight.

3) Add the chicken and all the remaining contents of the bag to a baking tray and roast for 45–50 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced with a knife. 4) Serve the chicken with a generous amount of onions and lemon skins over rice or couscous, ladling the juices over the top.

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images courtesy of Claire Winfield

2) Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ Gas Mark 6.

there’s something

about

mere Monica Galetti and her sommelier husband David have bid adieu to Le Gavroche to open their own restaurant, Mere – pronounced ‘Mary’ – on Charlotte Street. Lauren Romano finds out why the move has been such a long time coming

onica Galetti is a stickler for detail. As anyone who has witnessed her poker-faced, straighttalking judging on MasterChef: The Professionals will know, her standards are high and uncompromising. Plating up perfection comes with the territory. As the former senior sous chef at Michel Roux Jr’s two Michelin-starred Le Gavroche, Galetti has had 17 years to perfect classical French haute cuisine. Since hanging up her apron at the Mayfair institution in 2015 and launching her own restaurant earlier this month, her remit is now as much about sofas as it is soufflés. In the run-up to the opening of Mere, the Samoanborn, New Zealand chef’s self-confessed control freak tendencies went into overdrive. Rumour has it that she vetoed 50 or so chairs before finding a curved blue velvet banquette that was just right for the bar. “It’s been stressful at times,” she admits when I catch her before lunch service. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist so I’ve been involved in every part of the process, but nothing ever runs smoothly.” To date there have been leaks, broken appliances and furniture

delivery mishaps. Amid all that, the carpet has been specially commissioned, as has the art work. My eye wanders to an abstract depiction of a swirling flute of champagne cast in tactile gold that dominates one wall. “I like the fact that you can’t steal it,” she quips. Fizz, as it happens, is her favourite drink and Monica being Monica – and having a French sommelier for a husband – decided to blend her own. The Galettis spent three days sipping their way around Champagne, with daughter Anais in tow. It’s not your average family holiday, but then any ten-year-old with Le Gavroche alumni for parents is bound to appreciate the finer things in life. “She’s unfazed by it all,” David says with a shy smile, as he pours the wine. By the sound of things, he’s spent a lot of time running errands on his wife’s request between Fitzrovia and France. He drove all the way to the family wine cellar in Jura to collect old wine crates for the feature wall downstairs in the elegant dining room. Together they make a good team – David’s softly-spoken charm and easygoing nature is a good

“We’ve spent a lot of time walking around this area and eating here in the past, so we feel quite at home”

Image ÂŠCody Burridge

interview

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counterbalance to Monica’s more direct, no-nonsense attitude. Theirs was a workplace romance. The couple met when David joined the team at Le Gavroche in 2001, so restaurant life has always been an integral part of their relationship. “It’s great having him by my side,” says Monica. “It’s just a shame that we don’t get to see each other more often.” Their daily routine sounds militant: David is in charge of the school run, while Monica opens up. On Saturdays she tries to slip home after lunch to spend time with Anais before rushing back for evening service. “I try to make it home for 1am and David will stay and close. I usually wait up for him so we can spend maybe half an hour together before bed.” And then it’s back to work again. Mere has been a long-time coming, mainly because of the difficulty of juggling family life, but now that Anais is older, the time felt right. “I’ve wanted to open my own restaurant for about 25 years. I think most chefs aspire to open their own place and I’m no different to the rest,” Galetti says. Even so, I doubt most other chefs would be caught in their vests sawing shelves for the meat freezer – another pre-launch problem. Today she’s left her toolbox at home and emerges quietly from the kitchen after lunch service still in her chef’s whites, working her way from table to table to greet guests tucking into their petits fours. She looks remarkably fresh-faced for someone who is five days in to realising their long-held dream. I’ve just polished off a banana, coconut, rum caramel and whipped cream concoction

(pictured below) when she arrives at our table. High on sugar, I declare it a ‘sexy banana split’, which is met with a raised eyebrow. “I’ve never heard it called that before,” she responds. The menu is inspired, Monica says, by her type of cooking. The basic techniques are French, but her Samoan and New Zealand roots have informed the flavour combinations. There’s a signature dish of black curry scallop with lime, kumquat and puffed rice, as well as a more refined take on a traditional Maori pork boil up of ham hock, watercress doughboy, horseradish and spiced broth. One of her favourite childhood foods was her dad’s baked pig’s head. “We used to fight over the cheeks when we were kids,” she smiles. “I’ve always loved cooking. My mother taught me from a young age and I really enjoyed being in the kitchen with her. Food was an important part of our family growing up. Everyone would sit down at the table and have a real conversation, and I think that’s stuck with me.”

interview

Monica and David, image ©Cristian Barnett

The couple have tried to recreate that sense of comfort and familiarity at Mere, making it a place where you can relax, sit comfortably and enjoy great food and wine. After months of searching for a site, they knew that the Charlotte Street premises was the one. “It was like when you’re looking for a new house and you walk in and get that feeling,” Monica says. “We used to live not far from here, actually, near the British Museum. We’ve spent a lot of time walking around this area and eating here in the past, so we feel quite at home.” One place she has never truly felt at home is in front of the camera. Does she feel under greater scrutiny given her eight-year judging stint on MasterChef? “The publicity has definitely had an impact,” she confesses. “The show has a huge following – bigger than I realised when I first started it, which has given me a public persona and probably given people certain expectations for the restaurant.” Expectations might be high, but as predicted, Mere has exceeded them, carpets, couches, cuisine and all. 74 Charlotte Street, W1T, mere-restaurant.com

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“Mayfair’s best kept secret”

info@hush.co.uk Telephone: 020 7659 1500 Fax: 020 7659 1501 No.8 Lancashire Court, Brook Street, London, W1S 1EY

Exceptional presentation is no longer the reserve of the Michelin-starred chef. Melissa Emerson explores the new wave of food and photography lovers dishing up works of art

top right: Photography by Matteo Stucchi, from Visual Feast, ©Gestalten 2017; right and overleaf: dishes photographed by Ann Charlott Ommedal, courtesy of bomPas & PARR

he appetite for capturing what’s on our plates is as insatiable as ever. Cast an eye around your average trattoria or brasserie and you’ll see someone deliberating over what filter to give their amuse-bouche. Food styling used to be reserved for chefs, but with the rise of social media sites, it has become a hobby for the masses. An artfully photographed cookbook is now just as likely to be found on the coffee table than in the kitchen, and even the humblest of food stuffs have been given the Instagram treatment. Food stylist and photographer Adeline Waugh’s snaps of mermaid and unicorn toast topped with coloured cream cheeses and sprinkles have earned her thousands of likes on social media (@vibrantandpure), while online platforms, such as The Art of Plating, which is “devoted to the exhibition of gastronomy as a form of high art” continue to thrive. In celebration of food styling and its evolution, publisher Gestalten has released Visual Feast: Contemporary Food Staging and Photography. Images in the glossy compendium range from pared-back close-ups of a single ingredient to dramatic

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prop-strewn tableaus. The book acknowledges the role social media has played in boosting the popularity of food imagery, suggesting that the often short-lived crazes it generates give stylists and photographers never-ending sources of inspiration. Fashion and film are key themes throughout the book. Artist Yeonju Sung deconstructs food into strands that she reassembles to take on the form of clothing, while photographer Heami Lee recreates food moments from iconic films including Groundhog Day and Beetlejuice in photographic series Scenes. Goldsmith Kia Utzon-Frank even uses a specialist marzipan printer to transform her cakes into marble sculptures. From the bookshelf to the newsstand, contributors to specialist food and culture magazine The Gourmand hail from the design and fashion realms, too. This, the editors claim, brings a fresh perspective to the culinary narrative, taking it beyond the predictable formula of interviews, reviews and recipes into social commentary

this IMAGE: photography by Aaron Tilley; below left: painting by Eric Wert; below right: photography by Luke Kirwan; all from Visual Feast, ©Gestalten 2017

territory. Excess, overconsumption and its consequences were at the centre of a recent Disaster Tables shoot (pictured right), which depicts scenes including a tsunami-like wave of caviar and a meringue-topped dessert, cracking as if pulled apart by an earthquake. Environmental considerations and politics are on the menu at this year’s Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year competition. The Politics of Food category, for example, looks to the wider context of food in society, from harvesting it to celebrating with it. More than 7,000 images were entered in 2016 and this year’s competition has been similarly inundated with entries, with the winners set to be announced on 25 April. Professionals aside, classes aimed at the aspiring food stylist are also on the rise. Marylebone’s organic farm shop and café Daylesford runs a Food Styling Class at its Gloucestershire cookery school. Geared towards teaching participants how to use imagery to promote their blog or social media channel, it covers lessons in lighting, camera angles and props, as well as focusing on styling with real rather than artificial or inedible ingredients – something that was not always possible in the past. The tricks of the trade used to include glazing meat with motor oil and substituting mashed potato for ice cream and PVA glue for milk, examples which are all captured in set designer and creative director Sandy Suffield’s Faking It series. With online platforms such as Instagram key to the sharing of styled food images, it seems only fitting that professional photographers such as Catherine Frawley and Emily Quinton have taken their food photography and styling course digital, teaching students via a series of online videos and written lessons from their Makelight site. The course combines both photography and styling skills and highlights the increasing number of food stylists acting as their own photographers. The rise of bloggers is ultimately influencing the way chefs think in the kitchen. Software engineer and food blogging enthusiast Adam Goldberg attributes this change in chefs’ attitudes to their awareness of how their dishes are increasingly being picked apart, reimagined and shared online. “They’re starting to consider how a dish will look when it gets out on Instagram or other social sites,” he said, speaking to Wired.

“Researchers have demonstrated how changes to the visual appearance of a dish can shape people’s expectations”

Others such as Sam Bompas and Harry Parr of Bompas & Parr make their own rules. What began as a jelly-making business has grown into an entire creative studio that crafts some of the most theatrical food experiences in the world, from the interactive Dinner at the Twits (a banquet marking Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday), to a Valentine’s Day anatomical whisky tasting, where different blends were licked and sipped directly from the contours of bodies the same age as the spirits (performance art at its bravest and most bizarre). They have cooked with lightening, plasma and lava, made

feature

glow-in-the-dark ice cream and crafted a 200-course tasting dinner, served over 24 hours (pictured left). “Jamming with other professionals and seeing what they can bring to food is always a pleasure. In the past we’ve worked with perfumers, pyrotechnicians, molecular biologists, magicians and animal handlers,” says Bompas, of their interdisciplinary approach. The duo’s inspiration comes from the most unlikely sources. “Bella Hadid came to me in a dream and said: ‘You need to make a cocktail bar where all the drinks are made by mermen’. The result was Beyond the Waterfall at Westfield London, which featured a boat-up bar, live jellyfish and a host of swarthy mermen mixologists. Dreams are a legitimate source of creativity,” he adds. A journal article contributed to by the University of Oxford’s Department of Experimental Psychology suggests science is the next way in which boundaries in food styling will be pushed. “Researchers have demonstrated how changes to the visual appearance of a dish can shape people’s expectations, resulting in changes in consumption behaviour and enjoyment of the food, and even influence our brains’ response to a given taste. It is our contention that what has up until now primarily been an ‘art’ (of plating) could easily be turned into a science,” the report reads. Whether this is pursued or not, food is one of the few true necessities that we all share, and as it happens to be a photogenic one at that, it is inevitably a major source of storytelling. With social media sites now allowing people to share ideas, as well as images easily, it is little wonder that food styling has reached new heights and amassed many devoted followers. Excuse me while I get back to Instagramming my lunch. Visual Feast: Contemporary Food Staging and Photography, £40, gestalten.com; bompasandparr.com

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Buckle up for the ride The Templeton cousins behind Maryleboneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Carousel have redefined the dining experience with a programme of chef residencies and cultural workshops. Lauren Romano meets them to find out why the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revolving door policy is striking a cord

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ED, OLLIE, ANNA AND WILL TEMPLeTON

interview

f the Templetons were born in a parallel universe – let’s say rural Virginia during the Great Depression – they could be the less straight-laced, dinner-party throwing relations of the Waltons. The likelihood of John-Boy, Mary Ellen and Jim-Bob opening a mountainside small plate shack in Jefferson County is rather far-fetched, granted, but having burst onto the scene with their immersive pop-up dining experiences, I imagine that the Templeton cousins could easily pull off a Come Dine with the Waltonsthemed evening, should they ever have the inkling. What’s more, like their fictional counterparts, they seem to genuinely get on, despite working alongside each other day in, day out. “We all used to live together actually,” Anna begins. “We had a rule that after 6pm we weren’t allowed to talk about work, otherwise we would have gone insane!” The curfew seems to have done the trick, and the quartet – Ed and his brother Ollie, and Anna and her brother Will – have thrown their collective efforts into creating their Blandford Street culinary and creative hub, Carousel, which opened in 2014. Known for its revolving line-up of chef residencies, exhibitions and workshops, the three-storey venue pioneers a different type of dining experience, far removed from no-bookings venues or white tablecloths and silver crumb dustpan places. At Carousel, guests can throw clay and practice sun salutations at pottery or yoga club and then sit down to a dinner cooked by the cream of the culinary crop.

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“There’s an open kitchen and in the evening there’s only one sitting, so guests can see the chefs in action. It makes it more of a performance” The team are in high spirits when I meet them – there’s a lot of talking over each other, and jumping in to finish off sentences in that telepathic way siblings have. “Our dads are identical twins,” head chef Ollie says by way of explanation. “We were driving back from our annual family holiday one year and were all dreading going back to work, so we decided it would be cool to do something together. We came up with the concept of Mile High [a series of pop-ups inspired by the golden age of travel] and Anna and Will’s dad recorded the conversation on his phone as evidence,” he laughs. Mile High was the cousins’ first foray into experience-led dining events. At the time Ollie was working at Moro on Exmouth Market, but the others had jobs in TV, events and advertising, so the joint career change proved to be a complete baptism of fire. Thankfully, they emerged unscathed and after a year of successful events hosted under their umbrella company, Shuttlecock, and much roaming around town on jobs, it became apparent that the nomads needed a permanent home. They eventually came across the premises tucked away on Blandford Street.

“It had been empty for a few years,” says Anna. “The landlord championed the idea of getting someone like us in to spark off something different in the area. When we saw the size and scope of the space, it became clear that it wasn’t just a potential home for Shuttlecock, but for something bigger, so we came up with the idea for Carousel.” The concept, in a nutshell, involves inviting chefs from renowned restaurants across the globe to come to Carousel for a two-week residency. The dinners are ticketed (namely to reduce waste), and diners book a spot and pay in advance for the set five-course tasting menu. The lunch service is more of a drop-in affair, with Ollie in charge of the seasonally-inspired menu of small plates. Carousel has had a who’s who of chefs stepping up for their fortnight-long turn manning the hot plate. Cooks hailing from the likes of NOMA and Oaxen Krog have stove surfed over to Marylebone in the past – not that the Carousel team likes to name-drop. It isn’t all about attracting those of the Michelin-starred ilk, however – there are plenty of emerging chefs represented too, who

the team hear about through word of mouth, or discover on their travels. “We wanted to create a communal sense of experience,” says Ed, who is in charge of front of house. “There’s an open kitchen and in the evening there’s only one sitting, so guests can see the chefs in action. It makes it more of a performance.” “The guest chefs come out at the beginning of the meal to introduce themselves and talk about the menu they’ve devised,” Anna continues. “Having only one sitting is key because we don’t want people to feel rushed. It’s not about being hurried through and told you only have your table for two hours. We want guests to get to know the chef and the food.” Ollie has been tasked with masterminding the chef’s calendar, although he admits it’s a job that has been made much less daunting by the friendships he has fostered along the way. “It’s an amazing opportunity for me and the

interview

to take the lead,” he says, adding that the events arm of the Carousel merry-go-round is an important starting point for introducing people to what the space offers, both day and night. It must be a symptom of being surrounded by some of the world’s most influential and experimental chefs on a nightly basis, that when I ask the cousins to describe their fantasy dinner parties, Ollie draws a blank, Anna says she would opt for a low-key barbecue with friends, and Will would settle for some “sick Thai food”. “I just want to go to Tayyabs with Arsène Wenger,” says Ed, as the others erupt with laughter. Curry for two with Arsène Wenger is almost as far-fetched as the sight of John-Boy in an apron, but when it comes to a fantasy dinner party, Marylebone’s residents could do worse than settle for a place at Carousel’s bountiful table. 71 Blandford Street, W1U, carousel-london.com

NEED TO KNOW Coming up in the kitchen

“It’s not about being hurried through and told you only have your table for two hours. We want guests to get to know the chef and the food”

4-15 April

François Roche (Frenchie, Paris & London) 25-29 April

Diego Rossi (Trippa, Milan) April workshops 1 April

Urban Yogi club with Rikke Brodin 8 April

team to learn, we’re always challenged,” he says. “Other restaurants might have one menu for nearly a whole year, but we change things up every two weeks.” The fortnightly shake-ups in the kitchen are supplemented by a programme of workshops (spoon carving, anyone?), fitness classes and art exhibitions in the on-site gallery and workshop space, which Anna and Will take the lead on organising. Will is also in the process of programming the next year of events in the new gallery space, Carousel: Next Door, which has just opened on the corner of Baker Street. “There’s been an interesting turn away from the super fine dining, white tablecloths type of set-up. Now a more relaxed atmosphere has really started

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Barre Burn class with Third Space 10 April

Tinyjohn terrarium with London Terrariums 17 April

Screen printing with Nicole Line 22 April

Pop-up pottery with Finola Maynard 29 April

Life drawing with Dan Whiteson APRIL EXHIBITIONS Until 27 April

Araminta Blue, Carousel: Next Door Until 23 April

Margaux Bonopera presents The Dose Makes the Poison, Upstairs at Carousel

All photography ©tara fisher

With her Wahaca empire almost a decade old and a new cookery book ready to hit the shelves, Thomasina Miers shares her recipe for success – and leftovers – with Lauren Romano

interview

oodies have a lot to thank Thomasina Miers for: smoky chipotle chicken tinga tacos for one; flash-fried steak skirt burritos for another. Before her Mexican street food chain Wahaca burst onto the scene, there was a black bean and guacamole tostada-shaped hole on London’s culinary horizon. A decade later and more than 20 restaurants under her apron belt, the former MasterChef winner is turning her attention from eating out to staying in, with her latest book Home Cook, released last month. Brimming with more than 300 recipes, it includes fool-proof guides to knocking up shortcrust pastry and Sunday roast cheats, alongside adapted family classics and dishes inspired by her travels. Where possible, each recipe also includes a bonus dish so that leftover ingredients and sauces can be put to good use. “Home cooking is so often undervalued,” Miers tells me. “Being a working mother of three, it’s a constant juggling act to get lovely meals on the table. For me, healthy eating isn’t about abstinence or cutting out food groups, it’s about cooking things from scratch – using good ingredients and as few processes as possible.” Food that hits neither the waistline nor the wallet too hard is the order of the day. “I’ve always wanted to write a book inspired by Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management from 1861,” Miers continues. “We didn’t have much money growing up, so there were always the same ingredients, like mince and squash, in the fridge, but my mother would turn them into something delicious. “I was really bad at playing, so I just hung out with her in the kitchen from the age of five. She

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taught me how to make a white sauce and sweat onions, so there are lots of adaptations of dishes I grew up with in the book.” Alongside recipes for her mother’s “killer” five-sugar marmalade, there are other family favourites, such as meatballs packed with leftover oregano, thyme, rosemary and parmesan that have the stamp of approval from Miers’ three young daughters. Several dishes were concocted at a moment’s notice, standing, staring at the contents of the fridge and deciding what on earth to cook. There are melted leeks on toast, for example, made sexier with the addition of yoghurt tahini and chipotle dressing. “My food always has little twists, it’s never completely classic,” she says. As an intrepid explorer, travel has always informed Miers’ love of food. A trip to Thailand introduced her to the ease and expedience of

Thai cuisine, and provided her with a fail-safe seabass curry recipe that she debuted at a New Year’s Eve feast for 14 guests a few years back. Then of course, there’s Mexico – a country she has been enthralled by since she first visited as a teenager on her gap year. Back in 2007 when Miers launched Wahaca with her business partner Mark Selby, Mexican food was a misunderstood, Tex-Mex affair. “In Mexico there isn’t this notion that you have to be rich to eat well. Food doesn’t have to be chichi,” she says. “When I founded Wahaca, people had misconceptions about the cuisine – I know I did. When I visited the country for the first time I didn’t have any real notion of what I was going to eat.” The path to founding the restaurant chain was not a straightforward one – there have been countless false starts and career changes along the way. Miers studied languages and economics at Edinburgh, and fleeting phases as a financial journalist and model among other professions followed, before she happened to meet the late celebrity chef Clarissa Dickson Wright who encouraged her to go to cookery school. She enrolled at the prestigious Ballymaloe school in County Cork, Ireland at the age of 26, working at a cheese farm on the side, but by 29 was drawn back to Mexico City and got a job running a bar there as the pipedream of launching her own place started to take shape. “After graduating, it took me eight years to actually start working in food,” she admits. “I went to quite an academic school. We were all supposed to be bankers, or lawyers – my mother wanted me to be an accountant. I never thought

“In Mexico there isn’t this notion that you have to be rich to eat well. Food doesn’t have to be chichi” cooking could be a career. The food industry has exploded in the last decade, but when I was growing up, you were either a chef or a smart girl doing dinner parties with your own catering company. I couldn’t really see how I fitted into either one of those scenarios.” Her MasterChef win in 2005 catapulted Miers into culinary circles, out of the frying pan and into the fire. “I will never forget the challenge when I had to

cook for the army and there was a bunch of basil lying around, so I shredded it into the rice pudding. John [Torode] and Gregg [Wallace] looked at me as though I was completely mad. Nobody would question putting herbs in a dessert now,” she laughs. “The London food scene is bonkers. People can no longer be complacent about food, because standards have just shot up. The quality and level of skill demonstrated are absolutely amazing.” After MasterChef, Miers worked for Skye Gyngell at Petersham Nurseries before she met Selby and launched Wahaca. “It’s a pretty incredible feeling having 1,200 people work for you, especially when they are as passionate and

interview

“The London food scene is bonkers. People can no longer be complacent about food, because standards have just shot up” committed as our team,” she confesses. “I love the fact that all these Mexican restaurants are now opening in London and that the food is spreading to a wider audience.” Juggling the ever-growing chain with writing a column in the Guardian, the publication of Home Cook and a busy family life is at times stressful, but luckily food provides the ultimate distraction for Miers. “People are on such a treadmill these days,” she reflects. “There’s a lot of talk about happiness and mindfulness, but for me cooking is one of the things that lets your mind drift. It not only nourishes you in a physical and mental way – you feed yourself and make your body and mind healthier in the process – but it’s also good to just disconnect sometimes and potter around the kitchen.” She claims ‘good’ and ‘not good’ do not enter her vocabulary when it comes to her diet. It’s all a question of balance. “If I’m shattered, I go for a Cadbury Boost every time. If I’m in the pub and

there are triple cooked chips on the menu, they’re on my plate with a lot of mayonnaise”. The occasional chocolate bar or bowl of chips aside, Miers wants to pass on lessons in eating well to her children and believes the key to this, apart from cooking together, is shopping at her local farmers’ market in Queen’s Park. Her mission to cut down food miles has also been the catalyst behind Fork to Fork Festival, which she helped to launch at ARK Franklin Primary Academy two years ago. So far, the family-friendly event has helped raise almost £180,000 to teach children about the benefits of sustainable eating. “People say farmers’ markets are expensive, but good food costs more,” she admits. “Once a week I’ll buy a chicken to roast it, but then I’ll make a stock with it too, so we can have a delicious soup.” And if you want a recipe for that, you’ll find one in her book. Home Cook is out now, £25, published by Faber & Faber, faber.co.uk

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udging by International Women’s Day, women the world over seem united in a common cause. This is a similar message being spread by Pomellato in its new advertising campaign to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The fine jewellery brand called on six independent female figures in a bid to pay tribute to diversity and authenticity. They include nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson, artist Anh Duong, brand adviser Helen Nonini, art curator Caroline Corbetta, writer Pihla Hintikka and model Larissa Hofmann (pictured wearing the M’ama non m’ama range). Pomellato has also released a new collection, Ritratto (Italian for ‘portrait’), which incorporates the antique portrait cut used in Indian jewellery to cover miniature paintings. Ritratto, from £2,180-£8,100, pomellato.com

Women of the

Larissa Hofmann, Pomellato Global Advertising Campaign, photography: Peter Lindbergh

world

INTERIORS

Travel and hospitality design has been an interest of Bernerd’s ever since she was a child. As the daughter of property developer Elliott Bernerd, a passion for high-quality service was instilled in her from a young age and she recognised early on in her career that the design of a building is just the beginning of a hotel’s road to success. “I was very fortunate to be able to travel a lot as a girl. I was always so interested in the hotels and these different worlds that we went into,” she tells me. “When we are designing, I think what inspires me is that you’re creating an atmosphere. It’s not just about wall finishes and different trends, it’s about layer upon layer of decisions and how, after each one is applied, you are creating an atmosphere that will make people want to return. That’s something that still intrigues me today.”

“What inspires me is that you are making an atmosphere – it’s not just about wall finishes” Although she admits that she’s “not great with favourites”, she praises the Belmond group for having “some of the most beautiful hotels” and staff members who “are such characters”. Her stand-out hotspots include the Belmond Hotel Caruso in Italy’s Ravello (“it’s so beautiful and so tasteful”), and The Mercer in New York (“I can still walk in and think ‘wow’. When André Balazs first did that hotel with Christian Liaigre it was so cool... and it still is”). She also has a soft spot for Claridge’s, where she likes to meet her mother for lunch. Of her own projects, the ones that she recalls most fondly are Sixty Soho in New York and Thompson Chicago, although she struggles when it comes to her out and out favourites. “Each project has evoked so much and there have been so many incredible people involved that every one is a family member in itself,” she explains. “There are projects that I’m very close to just because of the people involved. Each one is an experience.” As the company celebrates its 15th anniversary this year – which Bernerd hopes to mark with a party at The Hari hotel in Belgravia – the team is working hard on projects in the USA (a New York office is opening imminently), and looking forward to the future, in which the designer plans

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from top left: Westminster Terrace Penthouse with artwork by Jim Lee and Guido Mocafico, photography: Philip Vile; Tara Bernerd’s home in Battersea, PhotographY: Philip Vile; all ©Tara Bernerd, from Place by Tara Bernerd, Rizzoli New York, 2017

to expand the brand and continue to work on projects around the world. Reflecting on the past 15 years, Bernerd comments on how much the industry has evolved since she started. “It has changed in two ways: one is how we constantly try to understand people’s preferences, whether it be a living space and how people might want to use that,” she explains. “What might have once been a traditional layout for a living room may not suit how people live today. “The second fold is how we work in our studios,” she continues. “It’s very hard to go to a presentation without computer-generated images, so our design process is far more technical.” When it comes to her own home, Bernerd favours mid-century furniture, but cites The Conran Shop as her go-to for ceramics and glassware. Her own apartment in Battersea is the first featured in her new book. The space is the ultimate representation of Bernerd’s design style, but it was actually the location that drew her to the building in the first place. “I run every morning in Battersea Park and I love my view of the river. I think Albert Bridge is one of the most beautiful in the world,” she enthuses. “I like the energy that London has and I think that it’s one of the most creative hubs globally. The amount of talent that comes out of here, we’re just spoilt by restaurants and chefs, museums and art galleries.” But with projects based all over the world, it sounds as though Bernerd gets to spend less time in the capital than she would like, and when I ask her about her plans for the future, she laughs at the prospect of looking further than the next few weeks, which are set to be hectic to say the least. “Right now, I feel that if I can make it to the airport tomorrow and get to Hong Kong in one piece, then come back to London and go to Paris, Munich and then Mexico, we’ll be on the right track.” Passports at the ready... Tara Bernerd: Place, £42.50, rizzoliusa.com

Spritz of

spring From the blue skies and sparkling oceans at Hermès to Lalique’s rose and freesia bouquet, spring clean your scent collection with these refreshing new fragrances

Glow getter With new additions to Chanel’s Les Beiges collection, you need not wait for summer to achieve natural radiance. The aqua-gel format of the new Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation is 56 per cent water and contains a unique formula to help skin reflect light. Layer with new pink and coral shades of blush, or soften eyes with pearly beige and satin pink eyeshadows. From £34, chanel.com

Fleur Musc, from £40 for 30ml, Narciso Rodriguez, selfridges.com

Beauty news W O R D S : m e l i ss a e m e rso n

Eau des Merveilles Bleue, £72 for 50ml, Hermès, uk.hermes.com

All eyes on Louboutin Hot on the heels of its nail polishes, lip colours and fragrances, there’s no stopping Christian Louboutin as it launches its latest category this month: eyes. The Art-Decoinspired mascara has vertical and horizontal bristles to lend volume to lashes, while even Cleopatra couldn’t fail to be impressed by the plum, peacock and chartreuse velvet eye definer pencils. From £33, eu.christianlouboutin.com

Wildly Attractive, £135 for 50ml, Diana Vreeland, selfridges.com

Rêve d’Infini, from £72 for 50ml, Lalique, lalique.com

the shiseido filter The Smart Filtering Smoother is the latest addition to Shiseido’s Ibuki range – aimed at solving the skincare concerns of busy millennials – designed to give skin a smooth look in one quick fix. Marjoram extract hydrates to give a rosy glow, while the serum-powder combination covers uneven contours and limits shine. £20, houseoffraser.co.uk

Dandelion Fig, from £30 for 30ml, Shay & Blue, shayandblue.com

health & beauty

S PA R E V I E W

Facing the elements The Fire & Ice facial from iS Clinical is the red carpet beauty secret that Hollywood stars swear by. Marianne Dick braves the elements at The Bulgari Hotel London

he prospect of a facial called Fire & Ice sounds rather dramatic and not altogether relaxing, however considering it is one of the most renowned beauty therapies among A-listers (Halle Berry and Gwyneth Paltrow are apparently both fans), I have to see what all the fuss is about. Developed by iS Clinical and pioneered in Beverly Hills (this might explain the Hollywood fanbase), the two-step mild peel treatment promises to resurface the epidermis, reduce the appearance of lines and blemishes and leave me looking radiant – all in 30 minutes. It sounds too good to be true, and as I make my way to the Bulgari Hotel spa – one of the few London-based wellness centres where it is available – I feel apprehensive that I’m going to be left red-faced. When I arrive, such feelings soon dissipate: the atmosphere is just as blissfully calm as it would be for a standard treatment.

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My therapist Nicole begins by cleansing my face to remove make-up and then swiftly applies the Intensive Resurfacing Masque – the ‘fire’. As the thick product is painted on, I am told that it might tingle and potentially sting in problematic areas. It makes my skin feel tight and smells sweetly of cinnamon; and the warm sensation is not at all uncomfortable but feels rather satisfying. The blend of sugar cane extract (a natural source of glycolic acid), retinol (vitamin A) and niacinamide (vitamin B3), encourages cellular renewal; to put it simply, it eats any bacteria and undesirables that may be hitching a ride on your skin. The product is removed after five minutes and the Rejuvenating Masque is applied (coined ‘ice’ because of its cooling, gel-like consistency). This hydrating formula contains hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and extracts of green tea, grape seed and rosemary. With the masque still on, Nicole massages my face with actual ice for a further five minutes, before cleansing the skin again. Half an hour later to the minute, the treatment is complete. I am handed a mirror to inspect the results and am pleasantly surprised to see my skin glowing and only a little flushed. The Fire & Ice facial is brisk and accessible, even for my sensitive skin, and while the actual process is nowhere near as dramatic as the name suggests, the results are undoubtedly more conspicuous than any other facial treatment I’ve experienced before. I’m ready for my close-up now. iS Clinical Fire & Ice facial, £250, The Bulgari Hotel London Spa, 171 Knightsbridge, SW7, bulgarihotels.com

Roux the day

IMAGE credit: PAUL JUDD FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

oux at The Landau doesn’t do things by halves, and the restaurant’s new Farmhouse Brunch offering is no different. For starters, there are three courses. First up is the Farm Table buffet (pictured), loaded with the likes of Scottish smoked salmon, morel and wild garlic quiche, native lobster cocktails and Cornish oysters on ice, while the mains – truffled eggs benedict, beef wellington, haybaked ham – are served à la carte. Finally, there’s a dessert buffet. If you want to keep the Bloody Marys and champagne flowing, opt for the bottomless option... and wear something with an elasticated waistband. Sundays from 12-2pm, £49 for three courses; bottomless brunch from £75, 1c Portland Place, W1B, rouxatthelandau.com

FOOD & DRINK

French fancies The sound of clinking champagne flutes is in the air in Bloomsbury this month following the opening of Bon Vivant. The dining spot is as French as Gérard Depardieu in Breton stripes: there are croissants and espresso for petit déjeuner; tartines, charcuterie and cheeses for lunch and decadent dinners of boeuf tartare and crème brûlée, while weekend brunch is a bottomless, bellini-soaked affair. 75-77 Marchmont Street, WC1N, bonvivantrestaurant.co.uk

Food & drink news W O R D S : l a u r e n ro m a n o

An egg-ceptional

EASTER Tasty treats worthy of the most decadent hunts

13kg Giant Atelier egg, £1,000, godivachocolates.co.uk

Harrods x Camille Walala egg, £350, harrods.com

Bao out BAO’s steamed buns are up there with the best in town, so why order one when you could have five? This month co-founder Erchen Chang and the team are rustling up a limited edition mini bao set comprising smaller versions of the classic slow-braised pork, confit pork, cod, daikon and beef short rib varieties. Just 50 sets will be made each week and served at lunch until they run out. For those who miss out, other Taiwanese street food dishes have been added to the Fitzrovia outlet’s menu, including cep broth with duck breast and prawn tartare with raw potato. £16, 31 Windmill Street, W1T, baolondon.com

Daddy cool

IMAGE ©ALEX MAGUIRE

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Ramen king Bone Daddies has opened on James Street. Classic favourites such as 20-hour pork bone broth tonkotsu and signature yuzu margaritas are on the menu, while chefs Ross Shonhan and Tom Moxon have created a selection of robata and wok dishes especially for the new restaurant. Expect skewers of chicken, ox cheek and salmon marinated in sweet chilli ponzu and bowls of yakisoba noodles, served to a soundtrack of guitar riffs. It’s wok n’ roll (sorry) and we like it. 46-48 James Street, W1U, bonedaddies.com

Oeuf Dentelle egg, £46, pierreherme.com

Kimono doll, £125, uk.marcolini.com

Chocolate egg with marzipan chick, £42, rococochocolates.com

TO READ MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS VISIT www.luxurylondon.co.uk

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@theofficialll

feature

From cannabis-laced curries and syringe shots, to reimagined food waste and a new wave of philanthropic culinary drives, Kari Colmans shines a light on the new era of dining out

hether it’s a Sunday roast with all the trimmings, an expertly executed spicy tuna roll, or a cooked-toperfection steak frites, everyone has a favourite haunt, and a time-honoured dish that holds a special place in their heart. But in a new age of dining out, where a chef’s culinary calling card must promise a side of experience with the seabass, many are using the power of food to do much more than simply feed their diners. With so many chefs and restaurants constantly reinventing the wheel – plus all the blink-and-you’ll-miss-them pop ups in between – we’ve rounded up some of the most innovative gastronomic experiences whetting our appetites this month...

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Where: The Cheese Bar, Gail’s What: Food for thought Why: Most of us have spared a coin or even a

Where: wastED at Selfridges What: Posh slops Why: New York chef Dan Barber has been elevating

coffee when passing someone sleeping rough. But a handful of local foodies are taking the idea of philanthropic fare to the next level. Last month, The Cheese Bar held a sandwich amnesty at its takeaway hatch, where diners could upgrade their shop-bought sandwiches for a Cheese Bar version. The pre-made sarnies were then distributed to soup and street kitchens across Camden. Elsewhere, Gail’s bakery is putting its surplus bakes to good use with local volunteers collecting freshly made goods at the end of each day and delivering them to more than 40 charities across the capital. Gail’s also has a partnership with Magic Breakfast, whose mandate is to try and stop school-aged kids being too hungry to learn, raising money for 10,000 breakfasts in the process. camdenmarket.com; gailsbread.co.uk

leftovers at his provocative Selfridges pop-up wastED for the last month to rave reviews. He isn’t rummaging through bins just yet, but the team here is thinking outside the box by creating delicious dishes out of ignored, but very much edible offcuts and encouraging new applications for what we think of as food waste. Although the menu changes daily, the star dishes of cod’s head, lettuce ‘butts’ with caviar and ‘skin and bone’ fish and chips give you a taste bud-tingling teaser. If you’ve left it too late to book in down the road, then hop over the pond to Barber’s famous Blue Hill restaurant in the heart of the Big Apple (core). Until 2 April, 400 Oxford Street, Marylebone, W1A, selfridges.com; bluehillfarm.com

Where: Mac & Wild What: Highland games Why: If you’ve always envied the inherent blue-bloodedness of the weekend welly brigade (with your furthest relative living in Slough), then here’s a place where you can don your tweeds and shoot a pigeon or two without having to leave Zone One. Practice your shot at Mac & Wild’s Devonshire Square virtual Gun Room, after a wee dram of whisky and some hearty Scottish game. Or if you fancy the Highland food without the macho fanfare, then the Fitzrovia outpost will still blow the wind up your kilt with its haggis pops and wild rabbit rillette. 9A Devonshire Square, EC2M; 65 Great Titchfield, W1W, macandwild.com

FEATURE

Where: Imad’s Syrian Kitchen What: #CookForSyria Why: Syrian refugee and restaurateur Imad Alarnab fled to London during the continuing crisis, where he joined the #CookForSyria initiative to help raise much needed charitable funds through cooking. His ongoing pop-up restaurant on Columbia Road features a series of homegrown dishes including traditional fattoush (toasted flatbreads, pomegranate molasses, tomato and cucumber), kabsa (spicy chicken with cardamom and rice) and tabakh rohoo (aubergine, squash and tamarind stew), served as sharing platters. Staffed by Alarnab’s friends and fellow refugees now living and working in London, the pop-up is the first-step to a permanent address. cookforsyria.com

Where: Farmacy What: Natural highs Why: Following a craze that started in the States, Notting Hill’s healthy-eating mecca Farmacy is adding a drizzle of cannabis oil and a smattering of medicinal mushrooms to its traditional menu offering, claiming the plant-based miracle superfoods are antiinflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-depressant. Alongside the clean curries, macro bowls and veg-tastic burgers, you can now try a selection of syringe shots, such as the O.M.G (flaxseed oil, cannabis oil and grapefruit), cocktails including There’s Something About Mary (cannabis oil, vanilla vodka, homemade hemp, chilli sauce and mango puree) or a shroom shake for the ultimate guilt-free buzz. Pass the smoothie to the left-hand side… 74 Westbourne Grove, W2, farmacylondon.com

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Where: Alfred Le Roy What: Cocktail cruise Why: If the idea of cocktails on public boats sends booze cruise shivers down your yacht-accustomed spine, Alfred Le Roy is a far cry from both Mediterranean rites of passage. A classic British canal boat that has been lovingly renovated into a floating bar which cruises along the River Lea, you can expect cocktails and a simple sharing platter menu of Neal’s Yard cheeses and E5 Bakehouse bread. While it’s an, erm, cosy option in winter, come May, with the wind in your hair, it’s a memorable way to enjoy a glass of prosecco or a summer knees up. Who’d swap the views of East London for Spain, anyway? alfredleroy.com

A pizza the

action

Queues have been forming for Homeslice’s 20-inch pizzas since it opened its first outpost in Covent Garden in 2013. Now, with a similarly packed out venue on Wells Street, Lauren Romano finds out why the place has the upper crust with co-founders Alan and Mark Wogan

ith Uzbek caviar houses and Nordic pubs putting down roots in the city, the capital’s new breed of tastebudson-tour restaurateurs are doing anything but playing it safe with Londoner’s palates. In such a culinary landscape, it can take a lot for your local pizzeria to stand out from the crowd. Fortunately, Homeslice has never had that problem. Its 20-inch pizzas come loaded with the likes of wild venison, kale and dukkah; or aubergine, harissa and cauliflower cheese – anything other than your average ham and pineapple. It all began in 2011 when young Kiwi chef Ry Jessup built a portable pizza oven in his back garden and carted it off to street food festivals. It wasn’t long before his slices won over former chef Mark Wogan and his brother Alan, who

together concocted a business plan to deliver bigger and better things. The trio opened their first venue in Neal’s Yard in 2013, before arriving at Wells Street in Fitzrovia two years later. “As none of us are Italian, we aren’t held to any rules as to what you can and can’t have on a pizza,” says Mark as we roll up our sleeves to share one, half of which is topped with caramelised onions, kalamata olives and anchovies and the other half with XO pig cheek, collard greens and furikake (think nori seaweed with pork crackling). “We experienced a bit of a social media backlash when we took the braised goat shoulder with savoy cabbage and sumac yoghurt off the menu; the people of Wells Street weren’t happy,” he laughs. Mark has worked in the industry since he started out as a chef at Neal Street Restaurant in 1989. Together with his brother Alan he launched a catering company before being lured back into the kitchen at the Groucho Club. He stopped cooking professionally in 2003, but missed the buzz of service and was eager for a new venture when he met Ry. There might be three branches of Homeslice now (the third opened in Old Street in 2015), but the brothers stress that it isn’t a restaurant chain in the making. The only common denominator being the pizzas, some of which are available by

interview

something in a side street that people didn’t know about, would it work?”. Luckily the gamble paid off, and the restaurant is right at home in Fitzrovia. “What’s strange about this area is that it’s been sitting here quietly for a long time and all of a sudden everyone’s realised that actually it’s really nice, with lots of places to go out. It used to be all mansion block streets and a dying rag trade, now postproduction companies and the like are moving in and you’ve got a lot of art galleries opening up, so it’s really changed,” says Mark. Bonnie Gull, Mac & Wild and Clipstone are among the brothers’ favourite local haunts, but on the rare occasion they have a night off, they like nothing better than to order something from Supper (think a more upmarket version of Deliveroo). Homeslice has recently partnered with the Great Titchfield Street-based delivery company, so local office workers can enjoy their slices of salami, rocket and parmesan al desco. For those who prefer to dine in, the restaurant reserves some tables for bookings (hurrah!), but if you end up queuing, at least you can reward your patience with a carafe of minimal intervention wine. Alan and Mark have sourced just one white and one red variety from Spain, selecting familyrun vineyards where pesticides have been sidelined to produce tipples the natural way. “It’s not a table wine, or a house wine; it’s the best we can serve you for £4 a glass,” Alan explains. Elsewhere on the menu, great pains have been taken to source the very best produce, with the team taking twice weekly deliveries of mozzarella from Naples. “The idea was always to take a pizza and inject some culinary integrity into it,” Mark concludes, and that’s just what he, Alan and Ry are doing, one slice of XO pig cheek pizza at a time.

“The idea was always to take a pizza and inject some culinary integrity into it”

the slice, served with only a cutter and a paper plate in the way of cutlery and crockery. It’s very much a get-stuck-in kind of affair, matched with relaxed, friendly service. “We don’t want to be homogenous, that’s why every site we open looks completely different. We like to think of ourselves as your neighbourhood pizza joint,” says Alan. In Fitzrovia the décor has gone down the distressed and industrial route, with bare brick walls, blackboards chalked with the selection of craft beers, communal tables and an open kitchen. There’s also a space that can be hired out downstairs for private parties. It took two years for Alan to strike gold on the venue, which was previously an Irish pub. He was drawn to the site because it was tucked away slightly from the action. “It was a test for us to see if we opened

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ABOVE: HOMESLICE COFOUNDER AND HEAD CHEF RY JESSUP

52 Wells Street, W1T, homeslicepizza.co.uk

Wanders of the

world M

arcel Wanders’ maverick design touches are scattered throughout the new Mondrian Doha hotel: a smattering of Swarovski crystal chandeliers here, giant columns topped with golden eggs there. Not to mention a spectacular four-tier spiral staircase that’s housed inside the falcon-shaped hotel. There’s nothing subtle about this lavish 270-room pad in Doha’s booming West Bay region (although the suites are thankfully decked out in calming, sandy desert hues). The ‘more is more’ ethos is reflected in the number of restaurants and bars – there are eight – including an outpost of Wolfgang Puck’s acclaimed CUT steakhouse, where dinner is guaranteed to be as much a feast for the eyes as the belly. From £190 a night, mondriandoha.com

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A taste of la dolce vita For some, a holiday is the time to hang up the oven gloves and be wined and dined, while for others it’s the perfect opportunity to scour local markets for culinary inspiration. The latter could do worse than book into The Thinking Traveller’s spectacular Rocca delle Tre Contrade in Sicily. Set within lemon groves overlooking the Ionian Sea, the villa comes with ample entertaining space and a private chef to teach guests the secrets of Sicilian cuisine, or take over cooking duties entirely. From £17,782 a week (sleeps up to 24 people), thethinkingtraveller.com

Travel news WORDS: LAUREN ROMANO

Wilde about Dublin The Westbury, Dublin is taking a walk on the wild side this month with the launch of the hotel’s restaurant and covered garden terrace, WILDE. Creeper plants and green accents lend the space an indoor-outdoor feel, and when spring arrives the sides of the terrace will be folded back so guests can enjoy Carlingford Lough rock oysters and chef Sandeep Singh’s seasonal Irish produce under the stars. From approx. £225 a night, doylecollection.com

epicurean escape Since quitting Saturday Kitchen, James Martin has put his downtime to good use by helping to launch a cookery school at Chewton Glen in Hampshire. He’ll be making guest appearances at the stove from time to time, along with the likes of Tom Kerridge and Richard Corrigan, but in the main, courses will be taught by chef tutor Rob Cottam. Wannabe cooks will be tutored in the art of ‘found and foraged’ and ‘nutritious and delicious’ menus at 12 cooking stations that look out over the kitchen gardens. Cookery courses from £185, chewtonglen.com/thekitchen

Raise a toast Having mastered haute cuisine (he held both his Michelin stars for 18 years) celebrated chef Michael Caines has turned hotelier, launching Lympstone Manor in Devon this month. The old stately home on the banks of the Exe Estuary, near where Caines grew up, has been transformed into a contemporary country house. Design studio Meraki has fine-tuned the sophisticated and sumptuous décor, while in the kitchen Caines is making the most of the abundant local produce. Word on the grapevine is that a vineyard could be next. Rooms from £245 a night, lympstonemanor.co.uk

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s t Cooking up a r m The Wild Rabbitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culinary credentials keep on growing. With its first Michelin star in the bag, Lauren Romano heads to the charming village inn to see what else is on the menu

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BELOW: HEAD CHEF TIM ALLEN All images courtesy of the wild rabbit

he drive from London to the Cotswolds takes forever and a day. Not a great start for a quick weekend sojourn. A heavy cold that has been stewing for days has finally simmered to the surface, making every consecutive traffic jam and wrong turn down narrow country lanes that appear to lead nowhere, all the more frustrating. I turn up the volume of Classic FM full blast in an attempt to assuage my road rage as the sat-nav, seemingly set to sabotage-the-route mode, keeps urging us to ‘turn around, immediately’. But just when I despair that a village will never materialise from the rolling harlequin green landscape, we round a corner as the orchestra strikes up with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and arrive in tiny, tranquil Kingham – home to The Wild Rabbit. Modelled on the traditional English inns of yore, the charming bolthole, complete with restaurant, pub and rooms has all that a weary, city-fatigued traveller could need – blonde flagstones, breathtaking views, duck egg blue bed linen and all. The Wild Rabbit has also just been awarded its first Michelin star with executive chef Tim Allen (previously chef patron at Launceston Place in Kensington) manning the stoves. Situated at the heart of the Daylesford Estate, Allen is rather spoilt for choice when it comes to locally reared and grown produce, of which more later.

For now, I only have time to greedily scoff the buttery homemade cookies left out in my room as I have an appointment down the road at the Bamford Haybarn Spa. It transpires that ‘down the road’, in countryside terms, involves donning wellies and walking through a field for a mile, but being up against the clock and with an ominous inky cloud looming overhead, we decide to drive. The nearby Daylesford Estate has a café, a farm shop that makes Whole Foods look frankly pedestrian, and a spa tucked away in a peaceful courtyard. Inside, the divine scent of geranium, peppermint and lavender assails the senses and I’m taken to the waiting area – a wide, bright space with generous windows looking out onto the vast orchard beyond – to relax. Gnarled tree bark sculptures, sumptuous white textiles and rattan lamps add to the at-one-with-nature vibe. It’s impossible not to feel instantly soothed here. The room where I’m having my full body massage is filled with natural light too, which fades gradually as the afternoon melts away and the masseuse attempts to tackle the tension in my shoulders, working in essential oils to pep me up. It does the trick, and 40 minutes later I emerge sinuses unblocked and knots untied. It’s still light enough outside to explore the surrounding chocolate-box villages after my spa session, but we refrain from changing into our waterproofs in favour of retreating to the nearby Kingham Plough for a late ploughman’s platter lunch. The deliciously addictive locally churned butter alone makes it a worthy pitstop on any gastronomic crawl of the area. Back at the hotel I peruse the selection of paperbacks on the shelves, from Ian McEwan to Sebastian Faulks, and take a nap on the comfiest,

Situated at the heart of the Daylesford Estate, Allen is spoilt for choice when it comes to locally reared produce

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most generously proportioned of beds (not too firm, nor too soft). The Wild Rabbit has 12 rooms and cottages, all named after woodland creatures. Our warren for the night is the Squirrel, which is definitely on the cosy side, but it’s no matter, as what it lacks in space it makes up for in charm, with light stone work, a window seat, quaint illustrations of rabbits and moles, cashmere-soft blankets and a serene colour scheme of biscuit beiges and light greys. The bijoux bathroom comes stocked with a plentiful supply of heavenly scented Bamford bath products, so I continue the pampering until it’s time to turn our attention to Tim Allen’s star quality in the kitchen. The dining room itself is a thing of beauty: walls of roughly-hewn stone with spindly chairs and tables dotted here and there. An old, distressed looking dresser dominates one wall, stacked with pewter plates and mottled earthenware, and a roaring fire is the focal point of the other, while a

long banqueting table running almost the length of the room acts as an elaborate plinth for an extravagant, oversized floral arrangement. The combined effects of (the briefest blast of) country air, a fireside seat and a single glass of superb Pinot Noir is enough to leave me with the ruddy chops I usually associate with rural dwelling folks used to the good life. I take the opportunity to speculate on what brings my fellow diners here. Have they had to come far for the hand-dived scallops with Agen prune and apple vinegar caramel, or are they lucky enough to call The Wild Rabbit their local? The place certainly has a familiar feel, and everyone looks so content and at ease, it’s hard to distinguish the regulars from the foodie pilgrims. In an age of ambiguous menus, it’s refreshing to see that The Wild Rabbit denotes its dishes with simple, straightforward names: Wild Duck; Quail; Mackerel, etc. We opt for the latter two dishes and things get off to a promising start. The roasted quail arrives as an artfully arranged ensemble of components – Morteau sausage, smoked shallots, crispy leg and verjus reduction – that tastes as good as it looks. The mackerel meanwhile unites a more difficult kettle of flavours, but the sharp tang of gooseberry,

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borage, pickled cucumber and frozen buttermilk adds extra oomph to the fish. I get automatic food envy when my guest’s Wootton organic lamb with courgette and basil arrives, accompanied by a parmesan bon bon so delicious it makes me wonder why I haven’t eaten one before. The dish is however a little on the rich side and my rump of English veal pips it to the post. Served with confit onion, truffle purée and baby capers, the mélange of caramelised flavours is irresistible. The only dessert I can make room for by this point is a scoop or two of sorbet, and I’m glad I do. The homemade bitter chocolate, served alongside a white peach variety is yet another taste sensation, and a refreshing palate cleanser, too. After dinner, it’s thankfully only a short amble upstairs back to the comfiest cloud-like bed where I nod off counting bon bons. When I wake the next morning, I’m greeted by the aroma of croissants wafting through the open door. Downstairs, the banqueting table has been covered in a delightful breakfast spread. There’s a smorgasbord of locally-grown berries, bowls of bircher muesli, seeded loaves fresh from the oven and jams and marmalades of every description. I fill my boots and leave a very happy bunny indeed – until I hit the motorway. Treatments at the Bamford Haybarn Spa from £50; rooms from £150 a night for a small double for two; starters in the restaurant from £13, main courses from £20, thewildrabbit.co.uk

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Paradise regained The Maldives is synonymous with luxury travel, but with so many firstclass offerings, holidaymakers can be left feeling all at sea. Katy Parker takes on the enviable task of investigating, and presents the best

Baros

ur first stop is Baros, which sits just a hop, skip and a jump away from Malé airport. You can trust me when I say that there’s nothing like a 25-minute cruise in a speedboat across crystal-clear azure waters to blast the cobwebs after a ten-hour flight; island after island of picture-perfect palm tree-lined shores, separated by the most beautiful blue waters you will find anywhere on earth. Baros is one of the founding fathers of luxury tourism here, being one of the country’s first five-star resorts to open back in 1973, and we

quickly learn from conversations with our fellow guests that it has a devoted clientele who return year after year. Once we catch a glimpse of our overwater villa, we can see why: it’s a slice of heaven on stilts. Inside the abundance of natural materials, from stones to coconut thatch, means that the wonder of the outdoors never feels far away, which is completely spoiling after days of going from bed to Tube to desk with scarce doses of fresh air. Both bath and bed afford views of the ocean, and

TRAVEL

baros spa garden

Both bath and bed afford views of your decking and the ocean, and the thrill of waking up to that view never gets old

the thrill of waking up to that view never gets old. Plus, with our own private pool and direct access to the sea, it’s tempting to never leave the room. But you must, for treasures await. Mostly in the form of the hotel’s spectacular house reef, which is abundant with marine life including turtles, blacktip reef sharks, vibrant purple and turquoise parrotfish and mighty titan triggerfish. Make the most of this and book in a snorkelling trip with the resident marine biologist, who knows the reef like the back of her hand and will be able to highlight all the best spots. Perhaps because it is such an old-timer, Baros cultivates a personal, family atmosphere, with staff who will know your name and room number by heart. It isn’t family friendly, however, and won’t accommodate children younger than eight. This means that the adults get all the fun, with an endless stream of ridiculously romantic experiences on offer: one particular highlight is a three-course breakfast on the Piano Deck, perched out in the middle of the Indian Ocean. And for dinner, do not miss The Lighthouse restaurant, which offers fine dining – and the best tuna steak I’ve ever had.

ALL IMAGES THIS PAGE ©Baros Maldives

Rates start from approx. £464 a night in a Deluxe Villa on a B&B basis, baros.com

beach villa with pool

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the spa at baros

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Milaidhoo Next up is Milaidhoo – Baros’ flashier, more extravagant sibling. A venture by the same owner, the hotel is being pitched as ‘more luxurious’ than its counterpart; a contrast that is apparent right down to the toiletries on offer in the rooms – Milaidhoo showcases glitzy Italian brand Acqua di Parma, while Baros offers the more rustic L’Occitane. The suites are vast and exquisitely designed. Again the focus is on bringing the outdoors in – the general manager proudly informs us that both the water and beach suites open 180 degrees of the way round – and the contemporary design has been richly inspired by Sultans of yore, with vibrant shades of turquoise and fuchsia found throughout. The private pool is larger than that found in the water villas at Baros, and finishing design touches are more evident, such as the propeller-shaped alarm clock and the swinging seat that prevails over our deck.

Dining offerings are unique too; the signature restaurant is set in a building resembling one of the Sultan’s boats and is the only restaurant in a five-star hotel dedicated to serving Maldivian cuisine. Exclusive and intimate, it has an open kitchen and just eight tables. And you’re not restricted to dining just in the restaurants. We enjoy a memorable evening feasting on a meat and seafood barbecue on the private beach of a villa; a meal that concluded with the best dessert of the trip – a beautifully made screw pine panna cotta. Rates start from approx. £1,308 a night in a Water Pool Villa on a half-board basis, based on two sharing, milaidhoo.com

Milaidhoo Maldives beach pool villa ©Felix Hug

The décor evokes a sense of barefoot adventure in the style of Robinson Crusoe There are thoughtful additions: a chilled bottle of champagne greets us on arrival and villa hosts are contactable via a mobile phone, meaning you can order lunch from the comfort of your sunbed. The serene overwater spa, again, is the height of luxury; our couple’s suite opens up onto decking with a standalone bathtub and unobstructed ocean views, making it the most heavenly place imaginable to relax after a 90-minute spa treatment. If you start to feel restless and hungry for activity, opt for a private yoga lesson in the pavilion, or visit the marine centre for snorkelling or diving. The experience here offers something different, with a chance for guests to plant their own coral tray using small fragments of coral, so you can play your part in helping to sustain and rebuild the reef. The trays are labelled and guests are given bi-yearly updates on its progress.

Milaidhoo Maldives water pool villa ©Felix Hug

TRAVEL

WATER VILLA WITH POOL, Six Senses Laamu

Six Senses Laamu Last stop: Six Senses Laamu, which promotes a sense of barefoot luxury in its purest form. On stepping onto the boat we are invited to take off our shoes and confine them to a canvas bag for the duration of our stay. This ethos continues throughout, with a relaxed and informal atmosphere; what we call a ‘luxe backpacker’ vibe. The hotel has the largest overwater complex of anywhere in the Maldives and as such you will find yourself gazing into those azure waters over breakfast, lunch and dinner. The latter can be enjoyed at one of the hotel’s three restaurants – Japanese eatery Zen, Longitude and The Leaf restaurant, which offers a change of scene. Situated in the vegetable garden, the restaurant showcases the finest fresh produce grown on the island plus fish and seafood from the local seas. We are lucky enough to be staying in a beach villa, with our own pool and patch of private beach – rooms here pack serious wow factor. The décor evokes a sense of barefoot adventure in the style of Robinson Crusoe – with sinks crafted from leather suitcases and a stunning al fresco bathroom, meaning that you are indoors to sleep and to sleep only. There is much to explore and do at Six Senses Laamu, from the swimming pool and poolside Sip Sip bar, which has a chilled, Ibiza beach club feel

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to the wine cellar where you can enjoy tastings with cheese and chocolate pairings, and the outdoor cinema that screens films every other night, complete with drinks and popcorn. All of this sits alongside the usual snorkelling and diving. Six Senses is family friendly, with a kids’ club and special kids’ movie nights. On top of this, there’s an ice cream parlour open daily stocking more than 40 different flavours. Needless to say, this is definitely not just for children. And if your holiday is designed more around purging than gorging, try the wellness screening, where a doctor will measure everything from your metabolic rate to your body’s pH levels, and devise a programme to follow during the course of your stay. There is a real environmental and sustainability focus here too, with the notable absence of plastic in the rooms – all water is in glass bottles – and restricted use of golf buggies. Instead, each guest is given a bicycle for their stay, which has a plaque on it bearing their initials – a lovely personal touch. These sorts of details are where Six Senses really excels. Prior to our arrival we are invited to specify the scent we would like sprayed on our pillows nightly, and our GEM (villa host) is on hand to help with anything from booking spa treatments to waking us up at 3am in order to catch turtles hatching. It’s these once-in-a-lifetime experiences that make the Maldives so special, and with any luck, and a little more awareness, the coral islands will be here for future generations to enjoy for decades to come. Rates start from approx. £643 a night in a Lagoon Water Villa, sixsenses.com

family villa with pool, Six Senses Laamu

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Hamilton Terrace, St John's Wood NW8 A beautiful 4/5 bedroom Georgian house

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A grade II listed Georgian house arranged on Hamilton Terrace, one of St John's Wood finest roads. Master bedroom with walk in wardrobe and bathroom, 4 further bedrooms, family bathroom, 4 reception rooms, kitchen, conservatory, balcony and garden. EPC: F. Approximately 232.25 sq m (2,500 sq ft). Freehold

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Lanark Road, Little Venice W9 Three bedroom duplex apartment with a terrrace Situated on the top two floors of a converted building the apartment benefits an abundance of natural light. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms, guest shower room, open plan reception/kitchen area and a terrace. EPC: E. Approximately 95.1 sq m (1,024 sq ft). Share of Freehold

Guide Price: £1,695,000

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Beaumont Mews, Marylebone W1G A newly refurbished mews house with garage and large roof terrace

KnightFrank.co.uk/marylebone marylebone@knightfrank.com 020 3641 7938

A well-proportioned house offering extensive and flexible accommodation. Master bedroom with en suite shower room and dressing room, 2 further bedroom suites, large reception room with extra ceiling height due to a pitched roof, contemporary kitchen/dining room. On the third floor is an expansive private roof terrace. Further benefits include hard wood flooring, cooling system and ample windows. EPC: F. Approximately 190.6 sq m (2,052 sq ft). Freehold

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Bryanston Court, Marylebone W1H An immaculate penthouse apartment This beautiful apartment is located in one of Marylebone's finest mansion blocks. Spacious master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, 2 further double bedrooms, family bathroom, double length reception room, family room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room and guest cloakroom. Further benefits include 24 hour porters and lift access. EPC: E. Approximately 156 sq m (1,679 sq ft). Share of freehold

Guide price: £5,250,000

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Portman Square, Marylebone W1H A well presented three bedroom apartment on a beautiful garden square

KnightFrank.co.uk/marylebone marylebone@knightfrank.com 020 3641 7938

The apartment has been recently refurbished adding a modern and contemporary feel throughout. Master bedroom with dressing area and en suite shower room, 2nd bedroom with small balcony, 3rd bedroom, bathroom, spacious open plan reception/dining room and high-end Italian kitchen. Further benefits include lift access, 24 hour porter and access to a prestigious garden square. EPC: D. Approximately 109.5 sq m (1,179 sq ft).

Leasehold: approximately 134 years remaining

Guide price: £2,550,000

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Introducing One Seymour Street, a spectacular collection of new 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments in Marylebone R EG I S T ER YO U R I N T ER E S T 020 7971 7637 oneseymourstreet@knightfrank.com oneseymourstreet.com

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Nottingham Place, W1

contemporary townhouse has become available on Nottingham Place, just moments from Marylebone High Street and within easy walking distance of Oxford Street and Regentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Park. The Marylebone Village property is finished to an exceptional standard and boasts an array of interesting modern design features mixed with the proportions of the wonderful period architecture. It benefits from high ceilings throughout, air conditioning and

generous storage space, making it an ideal family home. Arranged over six floors, it provides 4,386 sq ft of living space and comprises a master bedroom with luxury en suite bathroom, complete with his and her sinks, a walk-in shower and separate bath, as well as a dressing area. There are six further bedrooms (one with an en-suite bathroom), a family bathroom and study. The bright open-plan bespoke kitchen/breakfast room features a mezzanine level that

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reaches all the way up to a large reception room on the first floor, which benefits from floor-to-ceiling windows. The entertaining space continues on the lower ground floor, which has a spacious cinema room with a self-contained kitchen and bar area. Three terraces provide ample outside space, perfect for al fresco dining or simply for relaxing in peace. There is also the additional benefit of residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; parking, as well as

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excellent transport links, with Baker Street and Marylebone stations only a short walk away. Considering its prime location, this property offers unrivalled space both inside and out and is a secluded sanctuary in the heart of bustling Marylebone Village. Guide price: ÂŁ6,950,000. For more information, contact Knight Frank, 55 Baker Street, W1U, 020 3641 7938, knightfrank.com

115

Period Property with Town Garden Upper Wimpole Street, Marylebone, W1G

• Two Bedrooms • Two Bathrooms • Guest WC • Kitchen • Reception/Dining Room • Utility Room • Garden • Approximately 1,050 Sq. Ft • Energy Rating: E

£2,250,000 Leasehold Kay & Co Marylebone & Fitzrovia Sales

020 3394 0027

marylebone@kayandco.com kayandco.com

Bright and Spacious in Superb Location Paddington Street, Marylebone, W1U

• Two Bedrooms • Two Bathrooms • Kitchen • Reception / Dining Room • Communal Terrace • Approximately 1,036 Sq. Ft • Energy Rating: D

£807 Per Week Furnished or Unfurnished Kay & Co Marylebone & Fitzrovia Lettings

020 3394 0027

marylebone@kayandco.com kayandco.com *NO LETTING FEES TO TENANTS*

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Not just

Opening Doors In Marylebone & Fitzrovia Since 1982 Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve used our in depth street-by-street local knowledge for the past 35 years to make lasting property matches. Whether you are buying, selling or renting, we know where the best lattĂŠ is, where to park and what the neighbours are really like. Does your agent? Let us give your next move the care and attention it deserves. KAY & CO MARYLEBONE & FITZROVIA 20a Paddington Street, London, W1U 5QP

marylebone@kayandco.com 020 3394 0027 kayandco.com

12:40

A COLLECTION OF 7 APARTMENTS LOCATED IN ST JAMESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Oceanic House presents the rare opportunity to purchase a unique apartment at the heart of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s West End, in an exclusive new development steeped in history. The imposing former White Star Line headquarters - the booking office of the glamorous Titanic ocean liner - has been sensitively redeveloped to provide six apartments and one two-storey penthouse for private sale.

Leasehold

Prices starting

Approx. 125 years

from

remaining

ÂŁ4,750,000

paul@beauchamp.com +44 (0)20 7499 7722

CADOGAN GARDENS CHELSEA SW3 A BRIGHT, MODERN RECENTLY REFURBISHED THREE BEDROOM APARTMENT Fully furnished to the highest standard with quality fixtures and fittings throughout. This unique apartment comprises of three bedrooms one of which is ensuite, with their own private balconies. Surrounded by leafy parks and located just two minutesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; walk from Sloane Square underground and all of the local amenities. Accommodation: Entrance hall, reception room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Amenities: 3 balconies, communal garden, 1,854 sqft.

£3,500 / Week

Karolina@beauchamp.com

No tenant fees

+44 (0)20 7499 7722

www.beauchamp.com

24 Curzon Street, London W1J 7TF

+44 (0)20 7722 9793

RESIDENTIAL NEW HOMES

MARGARET STREET, FITZROVIA, W1 BRAND NEW

DEVELOPMENT

SHOW APARTMENT READY FOR VIEWING

Prices from Â£1,950,000

A brand new development comprising of two and three bedroom apartments (some with terraces) finished to a very high specification located in Fitzrovia, moments from Oxford Circus. A considered approach and attention to detail runs throughout each apartment. From bespoke German designed kitchens, to top of the range sanitary ware and hand finished timber floors, no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of designing the ideal inner city apartment.

020 7927 0616

newhomes@rib.co.uk

23-24 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8LF 6784 - RIB - Marylebone and Fitzrovia Ad APR 2017.indd 2

www.rib.co.uk 14/03/2017 15:40

6784

RESIDENTIAL NEW HOMES

BATEMAN STREET, SOHO, W1 BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT

SHOW APARTMENT READY FOR VIEWING

Prices from Â£1,490,000

Four apartments work across the five levels of the building but no two are the same. One bed or two bed. Terrace or cinema room. Entering from Bateman Street or Royalty Mews. Soho breeds individuality. Our creative team devoted 2,260 hours of meticulous architectural and interior design time to this project.

020 7927 0616

newhomes@rib.co.uk

23-24 Margaret Street, London, W1W 8LF 15:40

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THE CHILTERNS, MARYLEBONE W1 A unique opportunity to purchase over 2,600 sq. ft. of lateral living space with two generous outdoor terraces in this landmark development by Galliard Homes and Frogmore in the heart of Marylebone Village. The development consists of 44 stunning apartments expertly designed to combine the highest technical specifications with the finest interiors from world-renowned designer Rabih Hage. State of the art facilities complement outstanding design features creating an unrivalled living experience. The development boasts secure underground parking, 24-hour concierge services and use of the exclusive residential club which includes a 990sq ft gym, steam room and sauna. This is one of the last apartments remaining in the development.

020 7580 2030 WWW.ROKSTONE.COM 5 Dorset Street, London, W1U 6QJ enquiries@rokstone.com

Price: ÂŁ8,000,000

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

Drawing of St Dunstan-in-the-West by SPAB Scholar Ptolomy Dean

Founded by William Morris, the SPAB protects the historic environment from decay, damage and demolition. It responds to threats to old buildings, trains building professionals, craftspeople, homeowners and volunteers and gives advice about maintenance and repairs. Since 1877 countless buildings have been saved for future generations.

Information about maintaining your home is available through events, courses, lectures, publications and telephone advice. To support our work why not join the SPAB? Members receive a quarterly magazine, our list of historic properties for sale and access to our regional activities.

www.spab.org.uk 020 7377 1644 A charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales. Company no: 5743962 Charity no: 1113753 37 Spital Square, London E1 6DY

PROPERTY

Property news PrimeResi brings you the latest news in prime property and development in London

Small Packages

Suite dreams Amazon Property and British Land transform iconic Hempel Hotel

mazon Property and British Land have unveiled their much-anticipated conversion of The Hempel Hotel in Bayswater. The project has converted hotelier and designer Anouska Hempel’s former A-list hangout into an 18-unit scheme called Hempel Gardens, which officially hits the sales market this week. The five-star establishment gained worldwide fame in the ’90s after welcoming the likes of Michael Jackson and the Beckhams through its minimalist foyer, and the revamp has aimed to capture the original essence of the building’s starry heyday. Rom-com buffs may recognise the private garden square from the final wedding scene of Notting Hill. The developers enlisted BradyWilliams, the design studio behind the revamps of a number of Corbin & King restaurants, to put together different schemes for three of the show units.

PrimeQResi

The laterals and duplexes, which range in price from £875k for a two-bed up to £6.95m for a marquee 3,000 sq ft penthouse, form part of the wider Hempel Collection, which has delivered a set of 33 residences from a series of grand period buildings set around Craven Hill Gardens. Chris Lanitis, director of Amazon Property comments: “Hempel Gardens offers residents a rare and highly sought after combination of a quintessentially British period property together with the conveniences and contemporary style of a modern residence. Given the history of the building, we undertook a highly sensitive restoration which has allowed us to capture the original essence of this iconic landmark, while introducing a contemporary twist. We hope residents will enjoy living in this magnificent building which really does offer the best of both worlds.”

Small and medium new-build schemes dominate London’s housing development pipeline Small and medium sized developments (SMDs) account for 66 per cent of new build schemes in London, but will only provide 19 per cent of the properties, according to research by Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward. Greater London currently counts a total of 1,031 private new-build developments either awaiting planning permission, with planning consent awaiting construction, or under construction. These schemes will provide a total of 214,875 properties. Five boroughs – led by Westminster (89.6 per cent of schemes are SMDs) and Camden – have the majority of schemes being delivered by SMDs. John East, Director of Land and New Homes at KFH comments: “The Government’s Housing White Paper makes clear that small and medium sized developments are vital for London to meet its housing needs. Our analysis proves that more has to be done to support developers at the smaller end of the scale. Making more land available for these developments and accelerating the construction of sites that already have planning permission is a start. It is clear many boroughs need to do more to include SMDs in their local plans and get behind the developers hoping to build them. Local authorities, central government and developers must work together if London is to get anywhere close to fulfilling its housing requirement.”

thehempelcollection.com

primeresi.com

Journal of Luxury Property

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property

Property news ‘Change in psyche’ in PCL The market is now ready to move forward with greater confidence, says residential agency JLL

LL has picked up on a real change in psyche in Prime Central London in recent months, following Q4’s uptick in transactions. A 36 per cent increase in the number of purchases looked good on a quarterly basis, but bear in mind that was from a low base – Q3 2016 was one of the quietest periods since 2009, with just 500 deals concluded across the whole of PCL. Q4 saw a significantly healthier 700 deals tucked away, and the market is now “ready to move forward with greater confidence”, according to the team, with buyers and vendors getting their heads round the new pricing levels and learning to accept external factors like stamp duty, and even the EU referendum result. Admirably managing to pick out some positives amid the gloom, the firm observes that the average price fall of -0.1 per cent in Q4 was a slight improvement on the -0.2 per cent drop in Q3 and significantly less than the -1.1 per cent and -0.9 per cent falls seen in Q1 and Q2 respectively. Richard Barber, Director of sales at JLL comments: “Q4 saw a marked upturn in transactional volume throughout Prime Central London with some notable high value sales. While some values have undoubtedly slipped throughout 2016, it was interesting to note that exceptional properties were still commanding high rates per square foot and on a similar level with 2014 peak values. “Much of this activity can be accounted for by the weakness of sterling and stronger post-referendum sentiment. While this is encouraging going forward, the market will still be mindful of potential external influences such as the road towards a hard Brexit. Nevertheless, both Prime Central London demand and sentiment now appear to be stronger.” Lettings demand remained generally strong during Q4, added the firm, although high-value properties are proving harder to shift. The volume of deals recorded in PCL was one per cent higher than in Q4 2015, while the annual total in 2016 was one per cent lower than in 2015. Average rental values fell by -3.1 per cent during Q4, leaving the annual fall at -8.6 per cent.

“Much of this activity can be accounted for by the weakness of sterling and stronger post-referendum sentiment”

PrimeQResi

Spotlight on lettings Emily Englander, head of lettings at Knight Frank’s Marylebone office welcomes her new replacement Arya Salari “After seven exceptionally happy years at Knight Frank I will be leaving the firm on 31 March to peruse my dream of sailing across the Atlantic. My husband Tom and I will leave Southampton waters at the beginning of June on our 38 ft Beneteau Oceanis, Neverland. We will set sail to the Mediterranean where we will spend the summer months before sailing down to the Canary Islands in October. From there we join the ARC Plus (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) to sail across the Atlantic to St Lucia where we will spend the next four months exploring and sailing the Caribbean. I have loved my time at Knight Frank and it has been a pleasure working with and for so many wonderful people who I will miss. Our adventures will be documented on Instagram, Facebook and on our website sailingneverland.com. Arya Salari will be taking over the reins as the Marylebone lettings manager. With a decade of experience in the property industry, Arya will work alongside our established and experienced negotiators, Ryan Stokes, Lizzie Normandale and Daisy Munro. 2016 was a record year for the Knight Frank Marylebone lettings team and the future of 2017 is looking very bright. Good luck to Arya and the team, I wish you all the best!”

primeresi.com

Journal of Luxury Property

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WAT ERS I D E H OMES FAS H I ONED FOR C I TY LI F E W E LCO M E TO T HE WOR L D O F K I N G’ S C R OSS Become neighbours with Central Saint Martins, Louis Vuitton, Everyman Cinema and the new Thomas Heatherwick designed shopping destination, Coal Drops Yard. Be part of London’s best connected neighbourhood. Studio apartments from £810,000.*

* P r i c e c o r r e c t a t t i m e o f g o i n g to p r e s s .

Brilliant exteriors, breathtaking interiors.

Register your interest at gasholderslondon .co.uk or book an appointment +44 (0)20 7205 2166 to vi ew o u r s a l e s g a ll e r y a n d s h ow a p a r tm e nt o n G o o d s Way, K i n g ’s C ros s N 1 C 4 U R

Hyde Park Sales 020 7298 5900

Haselbury House, Marylebone W1

sales.hydepark@chestertons.com

£1,995,000 leasehold

A 2 bedroom apartment of approx. 1,036 sq ft with 24hr porterage, beautiful wood flooring throughout, working fireplaces & high ceilings. Haselbury House is centrally located with easy access to a wealth of restaurants, shops & amenities. The nearest underground stations are Marble Arch & Baker Street. EPC rating D

Mayfair Sales 020 7629 4513

Marathon House, Marylebone NW1

sales.mayfair@chestertons.com

£7,950,000 leasehold

An outstanding 4 bedroom duplex penthouse boasting breath-taking views across London’s skyline. This immaculately presented apartment features approx. 4,079 sq ft of bright & spacious open-plan living space & has been completely renovated by the current owner to the very highest of standards. *The lobby image is indicative only and should not be relied on for accuracy. EPC rating D

chestertons.com

Hyde Park Lettings 020 7298 5950

Connaught Square, Hyde Park W2

lettings.hydepark@chestertons.com

£875 per week / £3,792 per month

This stunning 3 bedroom apartment benefits from a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, a separate fully-fitted kitchen & a bright & spacious reception room. Connaught Square is conveniently located a short distance to Hyde Park, Marble Arch & Oxford Street, & is one of London’s most premium addresses. EPC rating D

Marylebone Lettings 020 7368 3048

Stourcliffe Street, Marylebone W1H

lettings.marylebone@chestertons.com

£750 per week / £3,250 per month

An extremely well-presented 3 bedroom apartment located on the 3rd floor of a portered mansion block, ideally situated close to Hyde Park & Oxford Street. The property is newly refurbished to high standards & comprises a spacious reception room & modern fully-fitted kitchen. EPC rating D

Additional tenant charges apply: Tenancy agreement fee: £222 (inc. VAT) References per tenant including credit check: £60 (inc. VAT) References per guarantor including credit check: £60 (inc. VAT) Inventory check (approx. £100 – £250 inc. VAT dependent on property size) chestertons.com/property-to-rent/applicable-fees

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