Soho House Book. Low Res

EAT DRINK NAP BRINGING THE HOUSE HOME

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Published by Preface 2014 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Copyright © Soho House 2014 Soho House have asserted their right to be identified as the authors of this work under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Addresses for companies within The Random House Group Limited can be found at www.randomhouse.co.uk The Random House Group Limited Reg. No. 954009 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 1 848 09411 6

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser First published in Great Britain in 2014 by Preface Publishing 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road London, SW1V 2SA

The Random House Group Limited supports the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), the leading international forest-certification organisation. Our books carrying the FSC label are printed on FSC®-certified paper. FSC is the only forest-certification scheme supported by the leading environmental organisations, including Greenpeace. Our paper procurement policy can be found at www.randomhouse.co.uk/ environment

An imprint of The Random House Group Limited www.randomhouse.co.uk

Produced, edited and designed by Brave New World www.bravenewworld.co

Printed and bound in Italy by Graphicom Srl Main photography: Jean Cazals, Mark Seelan, Chris Tubbs.

Additional photography: Leanna Creel, Rick Foulsham, Adam Gichie, Jonathan Gregson, Brett Harkness, Robin Hill, Steven Joyce, Tom Mannion, Amy Murrell, Gesi Schilling, Kari Skaflen, Stephen Toner, Dai Williams.

Moodboard furniture images p28-29, courtesy of 1stdibs.com Thanks to Matt Armistead, Shelley Armistead, David Arnott, Susie Atkinson, Lilaj Battista, Stephanie Betts, Ronnie Bonetti, Christopher Cooper, Vicky Charles, Zoe Fletcher, Dan Flower, Francesca Gavin, Vanessa Harriss, Charlotte Hogarth-Jones, Jane Hornby, Richard Howard, Sarah Hubbard, Alex Jackson, Amie Jones, Tom Kerr, Katie Miller, Gill Morgan, Tanya Nathan, Stephen Reid, Christina Russillo, Rebecca Seal, Emma Sutton, Kavita Tandon, Julia Taylor-Brown, Josh Tully, Jonathan Yeo

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H O U SE ST YLE page 6

cookhouse page 60

country house page 122

From planning a room to vintage finds: bringing the Soho House look home

No-fuss recipes and chefs’ tips: here’s how to make your favourite House dishes

Inside Babington: our take on country-house living. Wellies optional

F our

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O N T H E house page 164

BEACH house page 194

A RT house page 222

All the secrets of cocktail hour: House tonics and barman’s tips

Flip-flop glamour and poolside style from Soho Beach House Miami

Our House curators’ advice on how to buy, collect and hang art

SEVEN

E ight

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H O U SE PART Y page 244

N AP house page 268

… and cowshed page 288

From last-minute bashes to long-planned weddings: our favourite party tricks

The art of a great night’s sleep: how to design the perfect bedroom

Spa treatments at home, DIY facials and chocolate brownies

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FOREWORD

Since we started Soho House back in 1995 I've been amazed and frankly flattered by the number of times our members and hotel guests have asked where we get our ‘stuff’ and how exactly we make their favourite dish or drink.

We’ve learnt a lot over the years and we’re still learning – the next Soho House we open will be different from the last; but at the heart of every House are central guiding principles that help to make it what it is.

From how to throw a memorable party to how to make a truly comfortable bed, if you like what we do then this book will help you take the House home.

Nick Jones

S O H O H O U S E : 4 0 G reek S treet. F ounded L ondon 1 9 9 5

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ONE

H O U S E style

L E F T: R E C L A I M E D C E I L I N G tin F R O M A B O D Y S H O P I N N E VA D A , C L U B R O O M , S O H O H O U S E N E W Y O R K ; A B O V E : V I N TA G E WA L L S C O N C E , L I B R A RY, T H E E L E C T R I C ; T H I S PA G E : PA N T O N E 5 4 9 3 C A S U S E D I N H I G H R oad house —

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house st yle When we opened our very first club at 40 Greek Street in Soho, London, we wanted it to feel welcoming.

A proper home from home. We’ve opened more Houses around the world since but the aim has remained the same; each House has its own individual sense of identity and style, but they all stay true to the original spirit.

Getting just the right measure of grit and glamour takes planning.

You’ve got to love the feel of a building when you first walk in. We work to bring out the history of the place, and source furniture and lighting that are in tune. We add personality and comfort with big, comfy sofas and practical tables to eat and work on and memorable statement pieces like chandeliers and mirrors. Reclaimed flooring and tiles make our places feel multi-layered and a little bit undone. The style is practical yet indulgent and it needn’t cost the earth.

mohair chaise longuE, BEDROOM, SOHO HOUSE NEW YORK —

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DINING ROOM, SOHO HOUSE NEW YORK —

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a sense of place Each club has a strong sense of place in its design and needs to be created with an understanding of who’ll be coming through the doors each day. Everything starts with the history of the building itself and time spent doing a bit of research can really pay off.

VINTAGE-INSPIRED LOUNGERS AND UMBRELLA, SOHO BEACH HOUSE MIAMI

In Miami we drew inspiration from some 1940s postcards of the building in its swinging heyday as the Sovereign Hotel. We chose beach parasols with Forties fringing, mirrored cocktail cabinets and handmade tiles to add a splash of Cuban colour.

SOHO BEACH HOUSE MIAMI —

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ROOFTOP, SOHO HOUSE NEW YORK

In New York’s Meatpacking District we exposed as much of the original warehouse as possible, including the floorboards, roof beams and brick walls and then found industrial lighting and tin ceiling tiles from the same period to match.

games room, soho house new york —

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garden, SOHO HOUSE WEST HOLLYWOOD

In West Hollywood, Soho House occupies the penthouse floors of a landmark 1960s block that had been the personal apartment of Charles Luckman, the architect behind Madison Square Garden in New York and Kennedy Space Center in Houston. We played the strong natural LA light against sharp modernist lines, weathered wooden floorboards and contemporary artworks.

Eating under the olive trees, hung with simple rattan globe shades creates the perfect central city escape.

GARDEN, SOHO HOUSE WEST HOLLYWOOD —

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ROOFTOP POOL, SOHO HOUSE BERLIN

Soho House Berlin has made its home in a building that started life in the late 1920s as a department store before being requisitioned by the Nazis during the war. It went on to become the Communist Party’s offices of state. Thankfully it was eventually returned to the descendants of the original Jewish owners and is now a cornerstone of a burgeoning creative hub in the Mitte district.

Berlin’s brutalist edge has been tempered using English chintz prints reimagined with contemporary colouring, while the modernist lines of the rooftop pool chime with the city’s aesthetic.

SOHO HOUSE BERLIN —

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rooftop, shoreditch house

At Shoreditch House, which occupies the top three floors of a 1930s warehouse in London’s East End, the view is central to the atmosphere, as are the furnishings – no drapes, windows that frame and break up the urban skyline, and seats that face out as well as in. You can apply the same principles to a central city home; sitting rooms, kitchens and terraces can really benefit from welcoming the vibrancy of the cityscape in.

location HOUSE KITCHEN, explanatory SHOREDITCH text about HOUSE specific published photos

6TH FLOOR RESTAURANT, SHOREDTICH HOUSE —

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DOING a room from scratch

Dress the bones Stick to plain walls if you’re using lots of furniture, and go for wallpaper or wooden panelling to add interest if you’re not. Smarten up your ceiling and floor, whether it’s boards, tiling or carpet – paying attention to the basics at this stage makes all the difference.

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Clock your space Note the period of the building and the location of the room. Empty the space completely and strip everything right back. What’s under the carpet? If there are floorboards they might be worth sanding or painting then adding an interesting rug. Look up at the ceiling too – is there anything worth highlighting? If not, paint it out in a single colour.

location explanatory TORSTRAßE, SOHO HOUSEtext BERLIN, about DURING specific CONsTRUCTION published photos

TORSTRAßE, SOHO HOUSE BERLIN, when finished —

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Live it Spend some time in the main living room at all times of the day. What do you do there most? Where does the light fall? How will this affect the layout? Make a sofa or fireplace the focus of your room, rather than a TV.

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Get a floorplan Draw up your own to scale or see if your estate agent has one.

Play around with where your furniture might go and look at what’s happening in the room and if you have enough space.

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Take your time Finding the right pieces takes a while. Don’t expect to complete a room straight away – the process can be enjoyed as much as the result.

CLUB FLOOR, SOHO HOUSE BERLIN —

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makING a mood board Making a mood board is a great way to begin designing a room, allowing you to experiment with different colours and textures before making your final decision. Here’s how to do it.

1. Take a large piece of pinboard or foamboard with plenty of pins.

2. Draw a large, accurate plan of your room to scale as best you can, or retrieve and blow up the original estate agent's plans if you have them.

3. Collect any inspirational drawings, photographs or tear sheets from magazines. They will remind you of the overall look that you’re going for.

You can also create your mood board digitally – there are lots of apps out there that can help. It’s all about collecting references, ready for when you have the money or dream space.

4. Work out the overall mood and colour scheme that you want your room to have. Think about the period and history of the building, as well as what the light’s like in the room itself.

5. Gather fabric swatches, paint colours, carpet samples and anything else that you are considering including in the room.

6. Add in pictures of furniture, lighting and accessories. Use your mobile phone to snap anything you’re thinking of buying in shops or reclamation yards, then print out and add to your board. It will help you decide which pieces work together.

7. Lastly, edit and review the board. Look at what you have, and remove anything that doesn’t seem to fit or hasn’t worked out quite how you expected.

House Tip A MOOD BOARD IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. KEEP EXPERIMENTING UNTIL YOU'RE HAPPY

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House Tip THE OLDER AND MORE WORN IN THE FLOORBOARDS, THE BETTER

reclaimed parquet, drawing room, soho house toronto

antique stone, reception, soho house toronto

Flooring We always use reclaimed floors when we can: oak, parquet and antique tiles especially, as well as slate, stone and granite. All of these mix well with textured carpet, sisal and matting. They add instant warmth and character to a room, as well as being practical – tiles that are already worn don’t show any bashes, and wooden floors actually look better the more they are used and re-waxed.

For authentic wooden floors, track down boards that are original to the building in style. You can experiment with staining, waxing, polishing and sanding but be careful – you don’t want to sand off all the lovely age and markings that took 100 years to build up.

LIBRARY BAR, ELECTRIC HOUSE

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CUSTOM-MADE TILES BASED ON A 19TH CENTURY DESIGN, DINING ROOM, LITTLE HOUSE mayfair

BAR, SOHO HOUSE TORONTO

BATHROOM TILES, SOHO BEACH HOUSE MIAMI

Tiling Tiles are a bit of an obsession for us at Soho House. They are a great way of adding colour and pattern. Large quantities of antique tiles can be hard to source, so they’re especially good for smaller spaces like bathrooms and halls (eBay and local salvage yards are good places to start). Some companies, especially in France, can ‘antique’ modern tiles for you with specialist products and glazes, but this is only really worth doing if you are using a large number of them.

Try looking online for companies that import modern tiles from ­Morocco, France, Spain, South America: you can find some lovely, ­unusual designs. We’ve used everything from simple, ­reclaimed white subway tiles in the Cowshed Spa at Babington, to hot ­Moroccan patterns in Miami Beach, and crackle-glazed antique mosaic on the floor of Little House in Mayfair. See what you can find and don’t be too restrained – a gorgeous tile can really make a room.

House Tip MAKE A SPLASH IN ONE SMALL AREA WITH PATTERNED OR BRIGHTLY COLOURED TILES IF YOU’RE NOT SURE ABOUT DOING A WHOLE ROOM —

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SOHO HOUSE WEST HOLLYWOOD

Old and New Every design book written these days talks about mixing old and new.

It’s a great idea but it can easily look hackneyed or just plain wrong – our Design Director Vicky Charles gives her tips on how to do it right, and how to find the best pieces.

1. Look everywhere. Local antique shops, auctions, car-boot sales, markets and reclamation yards. And try travelling to good hunting grounds – Lille in northern France and some of the market towns in the south are particularly good. Google is your biggest friend, and don’t forget to search eBay and other antiques websites. We spend hours online: when we needed a salvaged tin ceiling for Soho House New York we trawled the internet for ages – eventually we found it in a metal body shop in Nevada.

2. See through the dust. Some of the most glamorous pieces can come out of really grotty shops, or have been neglected for years. Imagine what things will look like once they’ve been well cleaned and polished and are in a different environment.

3. Be open-minded. You can go out thinking you want to buy a ­chandelier, and then see a very unusual 1950s light that would work just as well instead. And if you see something you absolutely love, buy it! We often have pieces waiting to find their perfect home – some things are just too beautiful to pass up.

4. Get things checked. Lots of lights, especially ones from France, will need rewiring before you can use them, but don’t let that put you off.

It’s usually quite a simple job for an electrician. When it comes to furniture, always ask the seller about any damage or faults. Something can look beautiful from the outside but need a significant amount of work. You need to decide if it’s worth it.

5. Have things sourced. Many local shops and antique dealers are ­happy to help you find what you want if you let them know. Tell them what you’re looking for and let them spread the word – they have their own network and often travel to find things, so they can be a second pair of eyes while you’re looking for that particular something.

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The Miami club chairs Every bedroom in Miami has a 1940s leather club chair from France. You can’t fake old leather and these have aged really well – they’re very comfortable and masculine and they make an interesting contrast against the floral fabrics.

our top salvaged finds 1

The Berlin lobby chandelier This huge chandelier was originally in a ballroom in Florida. With a 12ft diameter, it fits exactly between four concrete columns in the Berlin club foyer, and is a glamorous addition to the otherwise industrial surroundings.

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The West Hollywood DIY bar-top lamps We only had five hours to find these before we opened Soho House West Hollywood because we couldn’t find anything that we liked. In the end we bought a whole box of old, broken-down chandelier parts, and got the electricians to wire them up on site. Once lit, they worked surprisingly well.

3 Babington House dresser This lovely old dresser is currently in the Babington House orangery, where we had it shipped from northern France. It was sourced for us by an antique dealer in Petworth – proof that two pairs of eyes are better than one.

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The New York bar The bar in New York dates from 1893 and we bought it from a man in Pennsylvania who collects bars as a hobby – it was originally on a superyacht. We bought it, took it back to Manhattan and restored it.

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bedroom cocktail cabinet, SOHO HOUSE MIAMI

design director Vicky Charles’ eBay Rules

•Be persistent. Don’t expect to find everything you’re looking for straight away – it will take time.

•Always check measurements. Photography can be very misleading on eBay, and things can turn out to be smaller than you expected. Always measure out the dimensions listed – and mark them on the floor if necessary – before you bid.

•Don’t be afraid of shipping. As long as you’re not working to a short deadline, shipping things isn’t very expensive, and we get a lot of our stuff this way.

The longer you can wait for an item to arrive, the cheaper it becomes. There are hundreds of reputable shipping companies that you can get quotes from, and if you get them to speak to the seller directly, they can let you know what kind of crating the item will need.

•Don’t be put off ‘Pick Up Only’ items. If you see something you love, try contacting the seller and asking if they’d be happy for you to arrange shipping or transport yourself – often they’ll say yes.

•Contact owners of eBay shops. As with any other antique dealer, they’ll have a good knowledge of what’s around in their area and might be able to find you what you’re looking for; they might even have it in stock elsewhere.

•Set your alarm clock. Lots of people don’t watch items they’re bidding on late at night or at strange times and you can get some real bargains this way.

•Do your research. Contact sellers to find out the condition of something in depth and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. This way you’ll understand what work may need to be done, as well as knowing exactly what you’re getting.

House Tip Try eBay’s own shipping service to make sure you don’t miss out on great items from overseas DRAWING ROOM, SOHO HOUSE WEST HOLLYWOOD —

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form and function One of our guiding principles, whatever we are buying, is that it has to work. It’s no good having a table you can’t get your knees underneath, or an armrest at the wrong height. Comfort is always key so don’t be afraid to test before you buy – we’ve abandoned everything from some elegant French station benches to a set of beautiful but very upright chairs, all because they weren’t comfortable enough. Never settle for style over substance – it’s completely possible to have both.

MOHAIR READING CHAIR, SOHO HOUSE BERLIN APARTMENTS —

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Sofa Power If there’s one thing we like at Soho House, it’s a comfy sofa: slouchy corduroy couches or deep-buttoned mohair Chesterfields that just invite you to kick off your shoes and relax. A great sofa will always make a room, so it’s worth getting it right – here are some tips for finding a good one.

• Go for the deepest one you can. This is what makes a sofa especially comfy.

• Find one big enough to nap on. A sofa isn’t just for sitting

on; you should be able to stretch out on it for a snooze or pile on to one with the whole family.

• Look out for clever details that give a design twist.

One of the sofas at Babington House has just one long sofa cushion instead of two, for example, so that people don’t fall down the gap in the middle. Little things like that make a big difference.

• Get things copied. We’ve got a kennel bed sofa in Berlin that

we had made, based on a vintage version that was much smaller.

A good upholsterer will probably be able to advise you where to get an old piece of furniture you love either copied or adapted.

• Focus on upholstery and fabric. Whether it’s a deep,

jewel-coloured velvet or an unusual, vintage-feel print, bold fabrics are what turn a sofa into a statement piece of furniture.

• Add some glamour. Sofas with fluted backs add instant 1950s

glitz; a chaise longue in a large bathroom looks particularly chic.

• Go classic. The most commented-on sofas are our t­raditional

Chesterfields. Whether old and bashed-up or modern ­copies, the style works well virtually anywhere and never seems to date.

COWSHED RELAX CORNER, SOHO HOUSE BERLIN —

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red mohair club sofa based on a 1940s design, drawing room, soho house new york —

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entrance, babington house

First impressions Your front door and hallway set the tone for the rest of the building, so it’s worth getting them right. First impressions really do count. Go for one bold feature, like a great paint colour, stunning light or beautiful rug. If you have space, nothing beats a signature piece of furniture in a hallway to turn a dead space into a warm, inviting part of the house. If you don’t have space, a favourite piece of art on the wall will instantly add character. And make sure the lighting isn’t too harsh – a side light or lamp will make all the difference.

location DEEP-BUTTONED explanatory CONVERSATION text about PIECE, specific HALL,published BABINGTONphotos HOUSE —

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STUDDED SOFA AND TABLE, ELECTRIC HOUSE

detailS…DETAILS...DETAILS...

Whatever you buy, make or reclaim, detail is what separates a good room from a great one. Pay attention to upholstery, furniture legs, piping, buttons, fixtures and fittings. There is real beauty in small detailing. Very clean, flat objects may looking striking at first, but they can quickly become boring to the eye. It’s also vital to make sure that you get the best finish you possibly can afford on decor, switches, flooring and lights. We love adding in the odd lived-in object, but it has to be against a backdrop of a great, smartly finished room.

ANTIQUE TABLE WITH AN ICE WELL AND A BRIGHT, MID-CENTURY location explanatory CHAIR, DRAWING text ROOM, about SOHO specific HOUSE published WEST HOLLYWOOD photos —

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deco style chandelier, BAR, SOHO HOUSE BERLIN

1920s factory lights, PANTRY BAR, SOHO HOUSE TORONTO

L ights Good lighting makes a room. However, what works in one place doesn’t necessarily work in another. We use a lot of dramatic chandeliers – but you need to check the scale is right for your space. You want a feature light to have impact but not to overwhelm. Whatever the size of your room, there are some basic lighting principles you can apply that will make all the difference – and a wealth of gorgeous old pieces that will add real interest. vintage glass CHANDELIER, BABINGTON HOUSE —

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FLORAL WALL SCONCE, THE ORANGERY, BABINGTON HOUSE

CLUB BAR, SHOREDITCH HOUSE

WHERE In all our Houses we spend a lot of time working out the position of the sockets, switches and lights. This means making basic decisions about the structure of the room, where things are going and at what height, but it’s worth getting these right from the start if you have the chance; a socket in the wrong place might annoy you forever, and easy, convenient lighting makes all the difference to the finish of a room.

WHAT A mixture of wall lighting and interesting lamps works best to create a soft, warm glow. We use a lot of reclaimed lights from scrapyards or old buildings, as they add a bit of history and character to the room. Anything unusual or with some nice detailing works well. Put wall lights on one circuit with any other lamps and picture lights, and then have ceiling lights with a dimmer on a separate circuit, so you can adjust the mood. If you don’t have the luxury of starting from scratch, add dimmer switches to help create atmosphere.

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DRAWING ROOM, SOHO HOUSE NEW YORK —

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TWO

COOKHOUSE

L E F T: c H E q u E R B O A R D F L O O R T I L E S , D E L I B A R , S O H O H O U S E N E W Y O R K ; T H I S PA G E : M A C A R O N I C H E E S E , B A B I N G T O N H O U S E Pantone : 1 4 4 C A S U S E D I N H I G H R O A D H O U S E —

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COOKHOUSE Lots of people have lots of opinions about cooking. Creating a dish in a restaurant kitchen with battalions of highly trained professionals is one thing, but feeding family and friends from your own store cupboard is quite another. At Soho House we love our food and like to take a less-is-more approach to cooking, doing our best to stick to three main ingredients on a plate. Over the next few pages are a selection of some of our chefs’ House favourites that are surprisingly easy to make at home (apart from the butterscotch delight...)

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N ick ’ s R oasts If you want an idea of the Soho House approach to cooking and entertaining, look no further than Nick Jones’ roasts: a chicken with friends on Friday night or a rib of beef with family on a Sunday – straightforward and tasty. They’re his favourite things to cook and eat.

Friday Shopping List chickens tarragon olive oil

potatoes

unsalted butter double cream onions

carrots celery

Maille Dijon mustard

NICK's Friday Roast Chicken 'So many people get nervous about having people over. They get their cookbooks out, thinking they need to up the ante and end up making things they’ve never cooked before, panicking and d ­oing it badly. It doesn’t need to be that complicated. Stick with something you love to eat and learn to ­ cook it really well. And be generous.

If I have eight people c ­ oming round, I put two c ­ hickens in the oven – it's good to House Tip have more than you need in People always want case extra ­ friends turn a chicken leg, so up... and cold chicken in cut the thigh off the the fridge for enjoying over leg to double it – that way everybody the next day or two will gets some never go to waste.'

chicken stock

Birds Eye peas

mint or swiss chard runny cheese

white wine red wine

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To kick off…

‘I don’t really bother with a proper starter, I normally just have something in the kitchen that everyone can enjoy with a drink, like a big bowl of prawn cocktail that people can scoop up on a chunk of bread or a Baby Gem lettuce leaf.’

Nick’s Prawn Cocktail Serves 6 For the Marie Rose sauce:

House Tip Try adding lots of fresh mint or some wilted Swiss Chard to the peas

300ml / 10 oz cups good-quality mayonnaise 2 dashes of brandy 1½ tablespoons tomato ketchup a couple of drops of Lea & Perrins Ingredients: 360g / 12 oz cups cooked, peeled Atlantic prawns, drained of excess liquid a pinch of paprika To serve: 1 Iceberg lettuce, shredded 1 lemon, cut into wedges whole Baby Gem leaves and heavily buttered crusty bread for scooping Mix all the Marie Rose ingredients together in a bowl.

Add the prawns and combine until each one is well coated.

House Tip Add more Lea & Perrins to the Marie Rose sauce for spice, or more brandy if you like a less creamy sauce

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Put the shredded Iceberg lettuce into a serving bowl and spoon over the prawns. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with big lemon wedges and torn pieces of bread or Baby Gem leaves for scooping.

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Nick’s WIFE'S Bread Sauce Makes 1 pint

House Tip

Ingredients:

Maille Dijon mustard in the gravy gives a much smoother flavour than ordinary Dijon, which can be a bit sharp

an onion 6 cloves 568 ml / 1 pint whole milk 2 bay leaves 5 tablespoons white breadcrumbs a large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg salt and pepper a large knob of unsalted butter 1 tablespoon double cream

‘Either way, the chicken is the same – I salt my chickens really well, 24 hours before I cook them, and fill them up with tarragon to rest in the fridge overnight.

Peel and halve the onion, and stud each half with the cloves.

Put the halves, cut side up, in a saucepan and cover them with milk.

‘If I do the mashed potato I make it in advance – with loads of butter and cream – so I don’t have to worry about that later. I just heat it up on the hob, maybe adding a bit more butter or cream, and I serve that with a big bowl of peas.

No-one has enough Birds Eye peas in their lives, after all.

Put the pan on the hob and bring the milk to the boil.

As soon as it reaches boiling point, take it off the heat, and add the bay leaves to the pan. Leave the milk to infuse for as long as you can – around 3-4 hours gives a good result.

Half an hour before you want to eat, lift the onion and bay leaves out of the milk with a slotted spoon and stir in the breadcrumbs.

‘If I do the other version I start on the bread sauce in the morning so that the bay leaves and cloves have a few hours to infuse with the milk – quick bread sauce tastes terrible. I’d get some long, thin chipolatas to wrap the bacon around too.

Heat the mixture up over a low to medium heat, adding the nutmeg, salt and pepper to ­ taste – the sauce will thicken as it warms through.

Once hot, add the unsalted butter and stir in a swirl of cream and add ­seasoning. Taste and season again if necessary, before serving in ­ a warm bowl.

The Roast 'Roast chicken is a great meal, either during the week or on a Sunday. I do mine in two ways: either ­ simply with a creamy mashed potato and peas, or with all the trimmings – bread sauce, s ­ ausages wrapped in bacon and crunchy roast p ­ otatoes cooked in duck fat (see p73).

‘On the day, I let the chickens come to room temperature and stick a couple of lemon halves in the cavity, squeezing them at the same time so that the juice runs out and mixes with the tarragon.

I cover them with olive oil and place them in roasting tins surrounded with old vegetables, using whatever I have that’s a bit on the turn – onion, carrots and celery are good – all chopped up small.

Then I put them into a very hot oven, and turn the heat down straight away to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6, cooking them for about 45 minutes.

House Tip We always make stale bread into breadcrumbs and keep a bag of them in the freezer – they work perfectly for bread sauce and other things too

‘After that, I take them out and add a load of Maille Dijon mustard into the tin, as well as a bottle of white wine.

Or, if I’ve just got half a bottle of white left over in the fridge, I use that instead. They go back into the oven until they are cooked – normally about another 45 minutes – until they have a golden, crispy skin and the juices run clear.

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The gravy ‘The only thing I make while people are actually at the house is the gravy. Is it jus or is it gravy? I think it’s gravy. When the chickens are done I lift them out of the tray with a carving fork, ­ giving them a good shake so that all the lovely juices drip off them and into the tin. Then I put them to one side, tented in foil, to rest for about half an hour.

‘Meanwhile I put the tin on to the hob and let everything simmer away for about 15-20 minutes, adding chicken stock if there isn’t enough liquid. I’ll heat it until the volume has reduced by half, and I never add any flour to thicken it – you can always taste it and bad gravy can ruin your whole meal. When it’s done I strain everything through a sieve, pushing the vegetables through with a ­ pestle quite roughly – the pulp thickens ­ and flavours the gravy. I keep the gravy over a low heat until I’m ready to serve ­everything up.

To serve ‘When it’s ready I put the gravy in a big warmed jug and take it straight to the table. I chop up the chickens, lay out the meat on a big board, and put it in the middle of the table with the mashed potato and peas, ready for everyone to pass around. the pudding ‘Afterwards we might have some kind of fruit crumble, and we always have cheese.

I don’t have lots of cheeses. A good brie or a Godminster cheddar work well. the wine ‘As for the wine, don’t spend much on the white – save it for the red. Don’t be embarrassed to serve your own either – after all, no-one really wants to drink the four different bottles that people brought with them in one sitting. Save them for Tuesday night supper instead or, if it’s deemed undrinkable, next Sunday’s beef gravy…'

and for the S u n d a y R o a st B e e f …

‘2.30 is when we like to have lunch on a Sunday, so I start things off at around 11. First I peel my potatoes and parboil them, then I put my beef in and make my cauliflower cheese and Yorkshire pudding batter so that everything’s prepared by 12.30. After that, we all go to the pub or have drinks at home and come back to the kitchen later on to eat.’

Beef 'You want your beef to be rib-eye, a bit fatty and cooked nice and rare near the bone – and better done on the ends for those who like it. Buy it from the butcher rather than the supermarket and get the best you can afford.

Cauliflower Cheese 'When you serve your cauliflower cheese you want it to be really crispy on top with lots of cheese strands when you go into it. Make the cheese sauce as you would for macaroni cheese (see p76), with a good dollop of mustard, and make sure you cook out the flour when you make the roux otherwise you'll taste it. Make it a little runny as it will thicken up when it cooks.

Roast potatoes 'Parboil Maris Piper potatoes first and then bash them up a bit in the colander before cooking them in lots of hot duck or goose fat to make them crunchy.

Yorkshire Pudding 'Be generous with your Yorkshire pudding – people always want seconds. Cook it in the roast potato tin once they are done, and while your beef is resting.

Gravy 'For beef I’d use red wine and beef or other meat stock, and follow the method for the chicken gravy (see p71).'

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House Tip Cauliflower absorbs lots of water, so drain it in a colander and LET IT SIT on kitchen roll too

Some of our most ordered and best-known dishes are our House Regulars.

No-fuss favourites that members go back to time and again.

Here’s how to make them at home.

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Macaroni Cheese Burger & Chips Fish & Chips

Flat Iron Chicken Chicken BLT ———

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1 M acaroni C heese Serves 4 I ngredients:

350g / 12oz macaroni

35g / 1oz butter

35g / 1oz plain flour

500ml / 17fl oz whole milk

325g / 11oz grated Cheddar cheese

100g / 3oz Parmesan cheese

½ tablespoon of English mustard

salt and pepper

In a large pan of salted, boiling water, cook the macaroni for 8-10 minutes, until it is cooked ‘al dente’ – try not to overcook the pasta as it will continue to cook in the oven. Drain well and set aside.

In a separate large, grill-proof pan melt the butter. We use traditional copper pots, but if you don’t have one you can use any kind of cast-iron or ovenproof dish. Choose one that’s good-looking enough to take to the table. Mix in the flour and keep cooking for a few minutes, stirring all the time until the mixture forms a ‘roux’, a shiny golden paste.

Gradually whisk the milk in, a little at a time, and cook over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Keep stirring all the time and cook until you have a smooth and glossy sauce which gradually thickens. (Don’t worry if your sauce still seems a bit thin at this stage, it will thicken up later in the oven.)

Off the heat, add around half of the Cheddar and half the Parmesan into the sauce, along with the mustard, salt and pepper, and keep stirring until it is all melted.

Preheat the grill as high as it will go. Pour the macaroni into the sauce and mix everything together, then sprinkle over the remaining Cheddar and Parmesan. Grill (or place into a hot oven for 15 minutes if you don’t have a grill), until the mixture is golden and bubbling with a crispy top, and serve immediately.

T T T T T

House Tip USE English mustard. IT really brings out the flavour of the cheese

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2 B urger and chips Serves 4 I ngredients:

500g / 1lb beef mince

½ red onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon English mustard

1 handful flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped

salt and pepper, to season

T o serve :

4 slices mild Cheddar or Cashel blue cheese

4 brioche buns

4 slices of beef tomato

4 slices of red onion

1 gherkin, cut lengthways into quarters

4 Baby Gem lettuce leaves

Combine all the ingredients together in a big mixing bowl with your hands, and then shape into patties by dividing the mix into four balls and flattening them. Season with salt and pepper.

We like to char-grill ours in the kitchen, so in the summer have a go at cooking yours on the barbeque. The rest of the time you can cook them under a grill that has been preheated to very hot, for about 15 minutes, depending on the size, until they are cooked through.

Alternatively you can fry them over a high heat on a griddle pan on the hob for about 2-4 minutes each side.

Once cooked, top with a slice of cheese and grill until the cheese melts. Lightly toast the bun, and spread mayonnaise onto the ­bottom half. Place the burger patty on top and then stack on the rest of the toppings before completing with the other half of the bun. Skewer and serve.

For chips, see overleaf.

T T T T T

House Tip For a burger that holds together well, don’t overwork the meat

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3 FISH & CHIPS Serves 4 I ngredients:

200ml / 7fl oz Butcombe Ale or Heineken beer

70g / 2½oz self-raising flour

4 fillets haddock or cod

sunflower oil for fr ying – a big pan holds 3 litres (5 pints)

T o serve :

mushy peas

1 lemon, quartered

tartare sauce

For the chips:

6 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled

In a large mixing bowl, gently mix the beer into the flour with your fingers, to form a loose batter. Set aside.

Next, prepare the chips; chop potatoes into fingers about 12mm (half an inch) thick and place into a saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil for one minute, then strain the potatoes and pat dry with kitchen paper, before setting to one side.

Heat the oil in the fryer to 125oC/250oF. Blanche the chips in small batches for 5 minutes, then, using a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper.

Next, turn the fryer up to 180oC/350oF. Put the chips back in and cook them in batches once more, for another 5 minutes, until they are golden. Drain well on kitchen paper and put them on a tray in an oven, on a low heat, to keep warm.

Tartare Sauce (Serves 4)

Dip your fish into the batter, coating it on both sides and knocking it lightly against the side of the bowl to remove any excess. Place the fillets into the hot fryer, one at a time to stop them sticking together, and cook for 5-6 minutes in two separate batches, until the batter is golden and crispy and the fish has floated to the top of the oil. Drain on kitchen paper.

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons capers 3 gherkins a handful of fresh parsley a shallot 4 tablespoons good mayonnaise salt and pepper

Plate up the fish and chips. Add a spoonful of mushy peas and tartare sauce, before serving with a wedge of lemon.

Chop the capers, gherkins, parsley and shallot finely, then mix into the mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

House Tip T T T T T

Make sure you let the oil come back to 180°C/350°F before you fry the fish

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4 F L AT I R O N C H I C K E N Serves 2 I ngredients:

1 whole chicken completely deboned by the butcher

5 cloves of garlic

olive oil

salt

a knob of butter

Preheat your flat iron (otherwise known as a griddle pan) to as high a heat as possible.

Lay the chicken out flat and score it on both sides – once it has been deboned you should be left with just the breast and the thigh, joined together by the skin. Use a fork to make prick holes in it, paying particular attention to the thigh.

Place the chicken between 2 sheets of cling film and flatten it with a rolling pin to just under 1 cm thick. Don't hit it too hard or the chicken will break up. When you’re finished you can cut it into two halves.

Lightly oil each piece of chicken on both sides, and season with salt. Place it onto the hot flat iron, and put a heavy tray on top to make sure the chicken stays flat. If you are using a slotted griddle pan, try to get an even crust on the chicken by moving it slightly every 10 to 15 seconds.

Cook the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side, brushing it with butter while it is cooking to enhance the flavour and colour – once the juices run clear you should be good to go.

Pour any cooking juices onto the plate, followed by the garlic cloves and then the chicken.

Serve with chips and a green salad.

For the G arlic :

House Tip

Pre-heat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4

Remove the skin from the garlic cloves

Place the cloves on a small baking tray and cover

them in olive oil

Place in the oven and take out when soft and golden brown.

T T T T T

If you don’t have a griddle pan, a heavy based frying pan will also work

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5 C hicken B LT Serves 1 I ngredients:

1 large, skinless chicken breast, sliced almost

completely in half horizontally, and folded out to

form a larger, flatter breast

1 lemon

olive oil

3 slices of streaky bacon

2 slices of sourdough bread

mayonnaise

Baby Gem lettuce leaves

1 beef tomato, sliced

salt and pepper

Preheat your griddle pan until it is hot.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil, and griddle it for 3-4 minutes on each side before setting aside. Keeping the griddle hot, then cook the bacon until it is very crispy, draining off any excess fat.

Griddle the bread on both sides and spread each slice with mayonnaise instead of butter.

To build the sandwich, start by slicing the chicken into strips and place on the first slice of toast. Top with bacon and a layer of tomato. Season with salt and pepper before finishing with a layer of Baby Gem lettuce leaves and the top piece of toast. Cut your sandwich in half and serve with chips.

T T T T T

House Tip Delouis France fresh mayonnaise is as good as home-made – you can FIND it in THE CHILLER CABINETS OF delis and supermarkets

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Shopping for Veg

at the market

1. Go with a rough meal plan in mind.

When you see something you like, think about how you could use it – don’t just buy blindly.

Soho House West Hollywood has some of the world’s best fruit and veg on its doorstep. Matt Armistead, who has been cooking in West Hollywood since we opened, shops at Santa Monica farmers’ market – for produce and ideas.

‘I love the Santa Monica farmers’ market, and get lots of ideas for recipes there. Our kitchen has a big emphasis on fresh vegetables, salad and fruit, so there’s nowhere better. I’d say my favourite thing to eat at the market would be the peaches in summer time – there is nothing better than having the juice running all down your chin. I love the orange growers who squeeze any combination of oranges to order too, blood orange, tangelo, navel, Valencia. That’s the great thing – you can taste, smell and feel everything. I go regularly just to see what’s different and what’s changing and to get ideas.’

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2. Try before you buy. The farmers at the market can only grow seasonally, so the produce they have will only be there if they think it’s ready to eat now.

Usually they’ll be happy for you to taste things so try a couple of varieties before you choose what you want.

3. Take your kids! I often go with mine and they go from stall to stall eating apples, oranges, almonds, melon, peas, whatever they can get their hands on. I think it’s important for them to ­appreciate the connection between the farm and the food on their plate.

4. Take advantage of the fruit too. One of the market’s main benefits is that you can get really amazing, ­perfectly ripe fruit, which just isn’t possible in ­supermarkets because it’s harder for them to transport and store it.

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West Hollywood Quinoa Salad Serves 8 This is a tabouleh-style salad and it works well with whatever vegetables are in season.

Ingre die nts :

20 che rry tomatoe s

e xtra- virgin olive oil

salt and pe ppe r

500g / 1lb quinoa

2½ litre s / 5½ pints wate r

2 b unche s b as il

2 tab le s poons toas te d pine nu ts

1 te as poon crus he d garlic

4 tab le s poons grate d parme san

6 large he irloom tomatoe s

juice of 1 le mon

8 courge tte flowe rs

2 b unche s b as il

1 b all b uffalo mozzare lla

Preheat your oven to 150°C/280°F/gas mark 2. Season the whole cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast them for 1½ hours until they have slightly dried out.

Next, salt the water and bring it to the boil, then add the quinoa and cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes, until it’s tender and you can see the little quinoa curls.

Blend one bunch of basil, the pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan, and add olive oil until a rough, pesto-like consistency is achieved. Cut the heirloom tomatoes into bite-size pieces and add them to the cooked cherry tomatoes, along with the remaining basil. Dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Remove the pollen stems from the courgette flowers with fingers, and tear them into four, before adding them to the mixture.

Fold everything into the warm quinoa and pile on to a large serving dish. Tear the buffalo mozzarella over the top and dress with the basil pesto.

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Miami Ceviche Serves 6 Ceviche is a big favourite out at our Miami house because it’s a great snack to have in the heat. Essentially a raw fish dish that is cooked by the acid in the lime and orange juice, it’s a spicy, zingy, refreshing dish that isn’t too heavy, and is great with a really cold cocktail or a chilled glass of rosé.

Ingre die nts : 600g / 1 lb 4oz any fre s h whi te fi sh – se ab ass an d so l e

work particularly we ll

1 fre s h jalape no pe ppe r, fi n e ly d i ce d

100g / 3 ½oz fre s h pine appl e , d i ce d

3 s hallots, fine ly choppe d

a handful coriande r, roug h ly ch o p p e d

100ml / 3 ½fl oz fre s hly s q u e e z e d o ran g e j u i ce

300ml / 10 fl oz fre s hly s q u e e z e d l i m e j u i ce

salt and olive oil to tas te

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and let everything marinate until the fish is ‘cooked’, which normally takes about 2 hours. Add salt for seasoning and a touch of olive oil to the fish before serving.

House Tip If you like your ceviche with even more of a kick, add a couple of dashes of Tabasco

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Crab Spaghetti Serves 4 Crab spaghetti is another firm favourite that does the rounds of all of our Houses.

You can use tubs of cooked crabmeat or, if you prefer, buy whole cooked crabs from your fishmonger – in which case you’ll need to crack open the legs and shell and scrape out all of the brown and white meat. Make sure you keep the empty shells for making great fish stock.

Ingre die nts :

350g / 12oz s paghe tti

olive oil

2 handfuls che rry tomatoes, h alv e d

1 clove of garlic, pe e le d an d fi n e ly ch o p p e d

1 long re d chilli, roughly ch o p p e d

250g / 8 oz fre s h, cooke d crab m e at – 2 parts w h i te m e at

to 1 part b rown, if pos s ib l e

a handful of pars le y, roug h ly ch o p p e d

½ le mon, juice d

salt and pe ppe r

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Throw in the pasta and cook until ‘al dente’ – normally around 7-8 minutes.

While that is cooking, heat some oil in a large frying pan and add the tomatoes. Stir, add the garlic and the chilli, and then stir in the crabmeat. Add some more oil to keep the mixture moist. Turn the heat to very low so as not to cook the meat, just heat it through.

By now the spaghetti should be cooked, so remove from the heat and drain, keeping back about a cup’s worth of pasta water. Toss the pasta with the crab and tomato mixture, mix in the parsley, and add olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. If the pasta is still a little too dry, add some of the pasta water or more olive oil until it coats the spaghetti with a shiny finish. Serve.

House Tip DON'T serve Parmesan with fish or seafood pasta, its strong flavour IS overpowering

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PIZZA OVEN, SHOREDITCH HOUSE

Pizza There are two ways to enjoy pizza – one is eating it, the other is making it.

A little effort goes a long way, and nothing’s more rewarding than sitting down with a slice of your own pizza fresh from the oven.

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Pizza Dough Makes 4 pizzas

Ingredients:

1.75kg / 2lb 8oz plain flour

2 tablespoons salt

1 pack dried yeast

600ml /1 pint tepid water

You don’t need a pizza oven to make great pizza – it works well at home too. Make sure you’ve got your oven as high as it will possibly go, and use a pizza stone for a really crispy crust.

For the dough, use an electric mixer with a dough hook, and mix 315g / 11oz of the flour, the salt and the yeast together. Pour in water to combine. If you don’t have a mixer, doing this by hand is fine.

Slowly add the remaining flour and the salt until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.

Knead for about 7 minutes, checking the dough periodically, and adding splashes of warm water as required to ensure that the dough is elastic but not too firm.

Form into a ball and place in a bowl covered with lightly oiled clingfilm, then leave to rise in a warm, draught-free place.

After the dough has doubled in size – which should take about 90 minutes – knock it back and then divide it into four balls. Let them rise again for another hour, then rest in the fridge for at least several hours, and up to two days if possible, before making your pizza.

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The basE Make the dough at least 24 hours beforehand,

House Tip

then you can use half as much yeast as you

You know you’ve got a great pizza when the slice droops down at the end

normally would and you will get a much lighter, crispier result.

Try to incorporate as much water as possible into your dough. It makes it a bit harder to work with and it will take slightly longer to cook, but it gives a better crust in the end.

Be careful where you leave your dough to rise.

Anywhere too hot will kill the yeast, and the

The toppings

dough won’t rise as much – if you’re making it the day before, it’s fine to put it in the fridge.

Don’t put buffalo mozzarella on pizza at the beginning of cooking; it has a high milk content,

Get your oven as hot as possible, and try to get a

which can start leaking out and make the pizza

couple of burnt bubbles on the crust for a bit of

soggy – add it halfway through instead.

extra taste.

Don’t use grated mozzarella, it blends into the Pay attention to the tomato sauce – it’s the

other flavours too much. Use big chunks instead.

second most important thing in a pizza after the dough. Use a mouli to blend the tomatoes, which

Add dry, delicate meats like Parma ham and

is a kind of French hand-cranked blender, or push

bresaola once the pizza is cooked. If you’re using

it through a sieve – you’ll get a better taste from

any kind of salami or sausage, try and pick one

the tomato this way. Add lots of extra-virgin olive

with a low fat content because the fat can melt

oil and a little bit of fresh oregano.

into the pizza and make it greasy.

Try this alternative pizza (and great hangover cure). Spread double cream on the base rather than tomato sauce, and then top with sliced pre-boiled new potatoes, plenty of Maldon sea salt and lots of olive oil.

When you’re choosing toppings think about how to balance them. If you’re having something creamy, like gorgonzola, then something bitter like radicchio would work well. If you’re having something sweet like Parma ham, then more earthy ingredients like Parmesan and rocket would be a good match.

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Dining rooms Try to avoid dining rooms becoming underused empty spaces – they’re all about creating intimacy. You want to be able to hear the people you’re talking to, so we try to use as narrow tables as we can, on as central a pedestal if possible, so there’s more room for everyone’s legs. A selection of vintage, mismatched chairs works well, or an old bench in a niche in the room is great – that way you can fit as many people as possible into the space you have.

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Dress-Down Table For everyday eating, you want simplicity and enough space to be comfortable. Add things to the table as you need them. We don’t have extra glasses and knives and forks for the sake of it. The look is plain, elegant and unfussy. We set up with water glasses only because we know you’ll want water, but we don’t know if you’ll want wine. We don’t do side plates – they clutter up the table. Plain white tableware on a good wooden table top always looks good. Apart from that, we just do salt and pepper pots (a lot of ours are vintage in style).

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Dr e ss-U p Ta b l e For special occasions, it’s nice to dress things up a bit. You don’t need to rush out and buy new crockery, just think about balancing what you already have. If you have a ‘warm’ textured table like wood, for example, then lots of ‘cold’ accessories made of ceramic and glass can look good. If you have a ‘cold’ table, then create warmth with colours, candles and fabrics instead.

Create height by using flowers or candelabras, and use some low-level lighting to help set the mood.

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BREAKFAST

The morning after the night before, it’s breakfast time. A big fry-up, some fluffy American waffles with syrup, or crunchy, nutty granola with a dollop of Greek yoghurt. Here’s how we do ours…

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Full English Start by grilling the sausages, so that you get a nice colour on them, and lovely crispy skin, and then finish them off in the oven so they’re completely cooked through. Do the same with the bacon, remembering to drain the fat off when it’s done so that it stays crispy and delicious. Butter and season the tomatoes and ­mushrooms, grill them too, and finish the tomatoes off in the oven so they’re completely hot throughout.

If you’re a fan of black pudding it needs hardly any time at all – just put it on a greased a tray and lightly grill it for about a minute and a half on each side. Then just fry or poach your eggs, heat the baked beans, and make some hot, buttered toast. Tuck in.

I n g r e d ie n ts

Sausages

Our butcher puts a blend of Old English herbs

and spices in the sausagemeat, including nutmeg, parsley and dried herbs, which gives a more traditional, old-fashioned taste.

Bacon

Ours is smoked and treacle-cured, and has a very low water content so it doesn’t shrink and lose its shape when it’s cooked .

Mushrooms and Tomatoes

Black Pudding Eggs

Bread

Baked Beans

Portobello mushrooms and plum tomatoes, always as fresh as possible.

We source ours from Stornoway in Scotland.

Our eggs are always from free-range chickens, and from as local a farm as possible.

Fresh every morning, we use granary, sourdough and white for toast.

Heinz

House Tip Keep cooked ingredients warm in an oven until serving - a great full English has to be hot

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Babington Granola This makes quite a large quantity of granola – just over 3 kilos – but there are so many ingredients that it’s not really worth making less. We always bake as much as possible, and then keep it in the larder to use for the rest of the year.

I n g r e d ie n ts

125g / 4½oz

but ter

250ml / 12oz

honey juice and zest of an oran ge a va n i l l a p o d

o

250g / 9oz

pec an nuts

250g / 9oz

whole bl anched almonds

250g / 9oz

jumbo oats

250g / 9oz

porridge oats

250g / 9oz

d r i e d a p r i c ot s , c h o p p e d

250g / 9oz

dried cranberries

250g / 9oz

raisins

250g / 9oz

pumpkin seeds

125g / 4oz

sesame seeds

125g / 4oz

s u n f low er s eed s

125g / 4oz

linseeds

250g / 9oz

coconut chips

o

Preheat oven to 150 C/300 F/gas mark 2. Melt the butter

Lay the mixture out on a large thin baking tray and bake

and honey together over a low heat, then add the orange

for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. With these

juice and zest. Cut the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape

quantities, you may find you need to bake it in batches.

the seeds into the mixture, then drop in the pod. Add the

Break up the mixture from the oven when it has cooled,

pecans, almonds and both kinds of oats, and mix together.

and then combine with the fruit, seeds and coconut chips.

House Tip You’ll need something big to mix this in. We use a plastic crate in the kitchen, but you can use a large, clean tub or bucket

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New York Waffles American waffles are a real treat, and the ricotta in this recipe helps to keep them nice and moist while the outside stays golden and crispy. Resist the temptation to keep opening the waffle iron if they aren’t quite ready – as long as you've brushed the iron with oil, the waffles will separate when they are cooked. This recipe will make about 4 waffles, depending on the size.

I n g r e d ie n ts

285g / 10oz

r i c ot ta c h e e s e f u l l - fa t m i l k

180ml / 6 f luid oz 453 g / ½l b

e g g s , s e pa r a t e d i n t o w h i t e s a n d y o l k s

225g / 8 oz

pl a i n f lou r

1 t easp o on

baking powder a p i n c h o f s a lt

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Preheat your waffle iron. In a medium-size bowl, mix

waffle iron with a little oil to stop them from sticking.

together the ricotta, milk and egg yolks. In a separate

Then, spoon the batter into the iron, leaving a little space

bowl, combine the dry ingredients, mixing well. Whisk

at the top. Cook for around 3 minutes on each side until

the wet and dry ingredients together. Beat the egg whites

the waffle looks golden and crispy rather than cake-like,

either by hand or with a mixer until they form soft peaks,

and it begins to separate from the iron. Serve with maple

and then lightly fold into the waffle mixture. Brush your

syrup or fresh strawberries or blueberries.

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BREAKFAST BOX, BABINGTON HOUSE

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puddings

Fancy something sweet? Here are three of our Soho House favourites.

Strawberry Sorbet Makes 1 litre Ingredients: 250ml / 8 ½ fl oz water 200g / 7oz sugar 500g / 1lb frozen, hulled strawberries, blitzed to a pulp juice of ½ a lemon Over a medium heat, dissolve the water and sugar in a saucepan until they form a clear syrup. Set aside and allow to cool.

Add the strawberry purée and lemon juice. Stir to combine evenly.

Place into containers and into the freezer, and stir every half hour until set.

Serve with fresh strawberries.

House Tip Any other ripe fruit will work in this recipe, as long as you use half as much sugar

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Sticky Toffee Pudding Serves 10-12 Ingredients: 200g / 7oz dried dates, chopped 180ml / 7fl oz water 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (or baking powder) 70g / 3oz butter 200g / 7oz dark brown sugar 3 small eggs 200g / 7oz self-raising flour Preheat your oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas mark 4.

Boil the chopped dates, water and bicarbonate of soda together in a pan, until the dates have softened, then set aside and leave to cool. Cream together the butter and sugar, using a mixer with the beater attachment, then add the eggs slowly one at a time.

Next, add the flour and the cold date mix. Stir to combine and then pour into a lined loaf tin.

Sticky Toffee Sauce Ingredients:

Bake for up to an hour, until a knife comes out of it clean. Check the pudding after 45 minutes.

625ml / 20fl oz double cream 1 tablespoon black treacle 25g / 1oz dark brown sugar 15g / ½ oz demerara sugar 10g / ½ oz caster sugar

Turn out onto a wire rack when cooked and allow to cool.

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil, whisking occasionally to prevent the sugars burning on the bottom of the pan.

House Tip

Allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and coloured slightly.

you don’t have to put the sponge and sauce in the oven at the end if you don’t have time, but it does make the pudding moist and gooey

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When ready to serve, cut the sponge into thick slices, depending on how large you like them, and lay on a deep baking tray.

Cover with the toffee sauce and place a lid on top, or cover with foil.

Return to the oven to heat through and absorb some of the sauce, then serve with ice cream, custard or cream.

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Butterscotch Delight Makes 6-8 Ingredients: 120g / 4½ oz unsalted butter 360g / 12½ oz muscovado sugar 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ vanilla pod, with the seeds scraped out 50ml / 1½fl oz double cream 250ml / 8fl oz whole milk 2 tablespoons cornflour 10 egg yolks 250ml / 8fl oz whipping cream

Butterscotch Sauce Ingredients: 170g / 6oz caster sugar 50ml / 1½ fl oz water 3 tablespoons powdered glucose 10g / ½ oz unsalted butter 300ml / 11fl oz double cream

First make a dark toffee sauce. Put the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla pod and seeds, double cream and almost all of the milk into a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.

In a straight-sided saucepan over a low heat, dissolve the sugar and glucose in the water. Wash any sugar crystals from around the sides of the saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, to stop them from crystallising.

Bring to the boil, and take the pan from the heat, allowing it to cool until still warm. Remove the vanilla pod.

Keep stirring until everything has dissolved, then turn up the heat and bring the mixture to the boil.

In a separate bowl, mix the cornflour with the remaining milk, and then pour into a large mixing bowl with the egg yolks. Whisk in half of the dark toffee sauce, then return this and the rest of the sauce to the pan and cook over a medium heat, whisking all the time, until it boils and becomes thick and silky. Pour into a bowl and chill over ice.

Whip the whipping cream and fold through the mixture. Pour into glasses on top of the butterscotch sauce (see right), and allow it to firm up in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Boil until the mixture has turned to a dark, golden caramel.

Stir in the butter and half the cream carefully, as the mixture may splatter, and then bring it back to the boil briefly, before taking off the heat and adding the remaining cream.

Allow to cool to room temperature, then place a small amount in little serving glasses and leave to chill in the fridge.

To serve: 150ml / 5fl oz double cream, whipped 100g / 3½ oz honeycomb (cinder toffee) To serve, garnish the sauce and butterscotch delight with a dollop of whipped cream on top, and crush honeycomb shards over it. Accompany with shortbread biscuits.

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C O U N T RY H O U S E

ABOVE: THE DRIVE, BABINGTON HOUSE —

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COUNTRY HOUSE When we opened Babington House, we knew it should feel very different from our urban clubs. And so it does.

A honey-coloured Georgian house deep in the Somerset countryside, Babington is a place where our members can completely switch off.

A good walk, a late night, a sound sleep, a proper Sunday lunch with no washing up and a doze in front of the fire: it’s everything that’s good about the English countryside.

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B abington Babington House was built in 1705 for Henry Mompesson, ­Sheriff of ­Somerset and it sits in 18 acres of countryside. The design is relaxed ­country comfort and we hope guests will feel at ease wearing anything from welly boots to high heels. Our version of rural style honours the ­tradition of low-key elegance that the architecture demands, while also ­updating the notion of what an English country house can be.

House Tip COWSHED ACTIVE

THE LIBRARY —

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Sisal rugs are great by country house doorways and entrances – they don’t really show the mud

1. Muted colours. In the country, and especially in old buildings, a muted palette for paints, fabrics and furnishings works better than anything too shouty. At Babington we used the garden and surrounding countryside as our inspiration, so there are lots of greys, greens, buttermilk creams and sages.

2. Natural surfaces. Use painted wood and natural surfaces like stone, brick, sisal and tiles. Painted wood is especially useful because it’s smart, but soft on the eye. It’s also low-cost and easy to do yourself. Sisal rugs are good by doorways and entrance halls too, bringing an added element of texture to a space.

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3. Smaller prints. You can get away with prettier design in large country spaces than in the city, and the delicate prints we use at Babington add softness to the stone, brick and wooden beams. William Morris prints are classically English and can help bring a timeless feel to a newly decorated space. Use smaller, busier floral prints mixed in with plainer ones, and choose more intricately detailed furniture, mirrors and lamps. Don’t be afraid of pretty details.

4. Traditional fabrics. Natural fabrics like linen, cotton, hemp, velvet and wool work best, rather than anything with a high sheen. Texture and warmth is important as well, so layer soft blankets, big squishy cushions and rugs on sofas.

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5. Big bathrooms. Being away from the city is all about relaxing, so treat the bathroom as a proper room and add lots of extra details. If you’re able to sacrifice a spare bedroom and turn it into a bathroom, so much the better. Have as big a tub as possible, as well as a little table next to it for your glass of wine or cup of tea, and a bath rack to hold your book. We like to put an armchair in our bathrooms too. It’s a way of adding an interesting print – and encouraging a chat while you soak.

BATHROOm, the stable block —

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BATHROOm, MAIN HOUSE —

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I n the G arden We think the Walled Garden is one of the loveliest things about Babington and over time we’ve learnt a lot about growing our own produce and working the menus around what’s in season.

Of course, you don’t need a walled garden to experiment with growing your own, and if you’re interested in cooking, it’s really worth having a go. We’ve found our most failsafe and rewarding things to grow are potatoes, rhubarb, spinach, salad leaves and herbs. You can’t go too wrong. Not everything we plant works but trial and error is part of the process. The satisfaction of growing your own, cooking and sharing it with friends takes some beating.

Our walled garden was also the birthplace of Cowshed, the inspiration and testing ground for our beauty and spa products. Today the Babington Cowshed spa looks out over the tranquil space, where it all began.

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CREATING your own herb garden You don’t need a big garden to grow your own herbs – a little bit of outside space is enough. It’s oddly satisfying to sprinkle home-grown mint over your buttery new potatoes.

As long as you have somewhere that provides some shelter from the elements – especially cold winds – then you can grow many of the herbs you use in your kitchen.

Rosemary, marjoram, parsley, chives, coriander and basil can all prosper in an old apple box outside the back door, or in small pots on a windowsill. It’s easy to create a microclimate too, using the mini gardens available at garden centres. So here is the Babington gardeners’ guide to creating your own herb garden.

Buy pots of herbs from a garden centre, and replant them in a multi-purpose compost.

Choose herbs that don’t grow too wide or tall to begin with – chives, basil, parsley, rosemary and thyme are good choices. Mint grows exceptionally quickly, so keep it in a separate pot or it tends to take over.

Use a container that’s at least 15-30cm (6-12 inches) deep to give the roots space to grow. You can cultivate multiple plants in a wide, or long container, or plant them in individual 15cm (6 inch) pots.

If you’re putting the herbs on a windowsill, make sure they get lots of sun – a south- or southeastfacing window is perfect.

Remember that most herbs fail because they aren’t watered and fed enough. Keep the soil moist and feed your plants regularly – once a week, say, at the same time and on the same day.

Winter can be a problem because of the cold and the lack of light, so if there’s a frost, bring your herb garden inside.

Be relaxed, not uptight. Don’t over-garden. Too much fussing and prodding can be counterproductive.

If you make a mistake, remember that nature is cyclical as well as forgiving. You can always replant and try again next season.

All that stuff about having green fingers is nonsense – anyone can do it.

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Garden Collins This summer cocktail is a Babington speciality, made using whatever herbs and fresh fruit we have in the Walled Garden that day. The recipe below uses fresh mint and apple and is particularly refreshing.

You can use this base to experiment with whatever you have to hand.

House Tip A DASH OF GINGER BEER ADDS A BIT OF ZING

ingredients 1 apple, quartered

juice of two lemons

plenty of fresh mint

30ml /1fl oz Bombay Sapphire gin ice

soda water

Place the quartered apple, lemon juice and mint in a tall glass and crush to a pulp using a pestle. Add the ice and pour in the gin, then transfer to a cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a glass and add more ice, before adding the soda water to taste. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

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T he C hapel Babington has its own chapel in the grounds, dating back to 1750. We’ve had hundreds of couples marrying here over the years and we also hold civil ceremonies in the Orangery.

Babington weddings are relaxed affairs. We’ve done traditional country dos in the summer sunshine with champagne and canapés on the lawn and we’ve held cosy, candlelit dinners in the house, with the grounds under heavy snow.

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BERTIE THE DOG ENJOYS THE OUTDOOR POOL —

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F ood D I Y At Babington we like to embrace tradition: we pickle, cure, preserve and brew. Making sausages, curing fish and bottling preserves are some of our kitchen’s favourites that can also be done at home – they are all well worth the effort.

mak I N G your own sausages Ask your butcher for a shoulder of pig. You specifically want shoulder because that’s where all the fat is. You can also ask for some back fat too, to increase the ratio of pork to fat. Pure pork is very dry and crumbly, so you need that balance of fat to get the creaminess in the sausage − if you don’t they’ll be far too dry and they’ll split when cooking.

Get a ratio of about half pork to fat, and then mince everything together. A ­ fterwards it’s up to you to experiment with different spices, herbs and ­flavourings, or to keep things simple for a classic banger. Leave the mixture to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours, and then ask your local butcher to stuff it into sausage skins for you. If you haven’t got a butcher who’ll do this for you, stuff the sausage skins using a piping bag, with someone to hold the nozzle steady, and twist the end of each sausage to remove any air. Or try making meatballs instead.

Just roll the mixture into balls and chill in the fridge before frying over a high heat until brown all over. the traditional babington sausage Makes 18 ¼

shoulder of pork, coarsely minced

200g / 7oz

back fat, coarsely minced

2 tablespoons

Maldon sea salt

1tsp

ground black pepper

1tsp

herbes de Provence

250g / 8oz

sausage skins

Mix all the ingredients together, and rest for up to 24 hours before making into sausages.

Garden apple and cider sausages Pork and apple are a classic combination, so it’s an easy one to start off with. Just add 240ml good-quality cider and 1 grated Bramley apple to your basic sausage mix, and add about 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme.

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Italian-style sausage This is quite a rustic, coarse sausage, so cut the fat by hand rather than mincing it. Marinate the meat in 240ml red wine, along with a handful of fresh sage and two cloves of garlic overnight to get a really great flavour.

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Chorizo Add to your basic mix 20g cayenne pepper, 30g sweet paprika, 20g hot smoked paprika, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 240ml red wine to retain the moisture that will have been absorbed by the spices. Leave to marinate overnight for a strong flavour.

S M O K I N G your own fish Tea-smoked trout is really delicious and it’s very simple to make. To start, take a couple of fresh trout fillets, roughly 120g / 4oz in weight, and make your own tea-smoking mixture out of 20g / ¾oz Lapsang Souchong tea, 70g / 3oz jasmine rice and 60g / 2½oz light brown sugar.

Then you need to make your own smoke box. Put your dry mixture on a piece of tin foil in a big metal tray and put on a high heat on the hob until it is smoking.

Next, put a cooling rack inside the tin so it rests above the mixture like a shelf, and put the trout on top of it. Put on any kind of lid that will cover the whole box, and cook the fish over the heat for around 5-8 minutes, depending on the size of the fillets. Remove from the hob but leave to keep cooking for a further 5 minutes in the smoking box.

Season with salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice and serve with a garnish of some finely chopped spring onion.

For a great paté, cool the fish before breaking it up and flaking it from the bones.

Mix it with 3 tablespoons of sour cream, and add some chopped capers, chives and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Serve with toasted ciabatta.

Smoked mussels or oysters done on the barbeque are also really good. You can put the same smoking mixture onto the coals, and again, wait until it’s properly ­smoking before adding the shellfish on the barbeque. Cover with a lid and cook until the shells pop open, and serve with thinly sliced rye bread and butter.

In either of the recipes you can use a different smoking mix for a more traditional smoked flavour − just use hickory and wood chips instead. This works really well with haddock in particular.

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House Tip

Strawberry Jam Mak es 6 x 300m l / ½ pint jar s 2kg / 4lb 4oz whole strawberries, washed 1 kg / 2lb 4oz jam sugar Jam is traditionally half fruit and half sugar, but for the Soho House jams we always use twice as much fruit to sugar. It makes a much fruitier, more flavoursome preserve.

Remove the stalks from the strawberries and put the fruit and sugar into a preserving pan, which will help to avoid crystallisation. Place over a low heat and stir occasionally to prevent the fruit from catching or burning.

After an hour the fruit will have broken down and it will be time to start testing if the jam is ready to set. The easiest way to do this is to use a sugar thermometer; once the jam reaches 105ºC/220ºF, it should be ready. If it's not quite there yet, keep cooking the jam for another hour or even two, testing from time to time.

When it's done, skim any froth from the surface of the jam, pour it into jars while still hot and put the lids on straight away. Let the jam cool in the jars to room temperature, and then refrigerate until it is ready to use.

House Tip TO double-CHECK if THE JAM is SET, PUT A dollop ONTO A COLD PLATE. let it cool a little, then DRAW A LINE THROUGH WITH YOUr FINGER it should STAY separateD.

add chilli flakes to the liquid at the same time as the lemon juice to make a spicier jelly, which is delicious served with cold meats

Crab Apple Jelly M ake s 3 x 300m l / ½ p i n t j a r s 2kg / 4lb 4oz crab apples, or Bramley apples if you can’t get them 500g / 1lb caster sugar ½ lemon Wash the picked fruit and remove any bruised apples. Place in a large pot, cover with water and bring to the boil. Turn down to a slow simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, until the fruit is soft and has broken down.

Strain the fruit through a fine muslin cloth overnight (or you can use a square of an old bed sheet), making sure to collect the strained liquid. Don’t be tempted to squeeze the bag or the liquid will go cloudy.

Add the sugar to the liquid in a pan and heat to a simmer. Using a metal spoon, keep skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. After about 90 minutes, the mixture will have thickened. Add the juice of the lemon which will help to set the jelly, then remove from the heat. Pour into jars which have been sterilised – the easiest way to do this is to put them through a dishwasher cycle. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours to allow it to set before use.

T omato chutney M ake s 6 x 300ml / ½ p i n t j a r s 750g / 1lb 10oz onions, diced 9 cloves of garlic, finely chopped olive oil 3 medium cooking apples, peeled and diced 1. 5kg / 3lb tomatoes, stalks removed and roughly chopped 3 long red chillies, finely chopped 30g / 1oz fresh ginger, grated 45g / 1 ½ oz Maldon sea salt 300ml / 10 ½ fl oz white wine vinegar 360g / 12½oz caster sugar 240g / 8 ½oz raisins Using a high-sided saucepan, soften the onion and garlic in a little olive oil, over a low heat on the hob. Cook until the onions have turned translucent.

Then add all the other ingredients apart from the raisins, and cook over a low heat for two hours. Add the raisins and keep cooking the chutney, stirring regularly, until it is dark in colour and all the liquid has reduced.

House Tip Good chutneys take patience, so don’t rush the cooking process

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THE GAMES ROOM —

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T e AT ime Afternoon tea is a British tradition worth celebrating, and at Babington House every day at 3.30pm precisely we do just that, with wafer-thin cucumber sandwiches, scones, home-made jam, little choux buns and towering gateaux. Here is our recipe for the perfect teatime treat.

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B abington S cones Mak es 12

House Tip Don’t LEAVE OUT the double cream in the scone mixture – this is what makes the Babington scones so special

Ingredients:

230g / 8oz self-raising flour a handful of raisins

1 tablespoon caster sugar

240ml / 8½fl oz double cream 20ml / 1½ tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F/gas mark 3.

Put the flour into a mixer, then add the raisins and sugar, combining slowly, and gradually pour in the cream until you have a soft dough. If you don’t have a mixer, it’s fine to do this by hand.

Then, roll out your dough to at least 2cm / 1 inch thick, and cut into rounds with a 6cm / 2½ inch scone cutter. Place the scones on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and brush each with a little milk.

Bake for around 20 minutes, or until slightly golden on top. Serve slightly warm with whipped cream and strawberry jam.

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HOUSE DELI —

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FOUR

on the house

A B O V E : C U T- G L A S S C O C K TA I L S H A K E R ; T H I S PA G E : PA N T O N E 1 6 7 C A S U S E D I N S O H O H O U S E berlin —

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ON THE HOUSE A bar. What a simple notion.

A place to unwind with a drink and good company, inviting in daylight or after hours. Yet it’s not just the alchemy of what goes into your drink that matters but the welcome, the lighting, the seats and the glassware. And if you can’t get to one of ours, then here’s how to bring a little bit of Soho House home.

SQUARE BAR, SHOREDITCH HOUSE —

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TH E BAR From the late 19th century beauty bought at salvage and carefully restored for Soho House New York to a bespoke design in pewter in Babington House, the bar is the beating heart of each and every club.

Designed in order that the barmen rarely turn their back to you, we like to think of them as similar to an open kitchen – spotlessly clean and with a touch of theatre. We’d like you to linger so that’s why the barstools are deep and cushioned, the backs pitched just so and each one has a well-oiled swivel.

CLUB BAR, SOHO HOUSE WEST HOLLYWOOD —

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little house MAYFAIR

SOHO HOUSE BERLIN LIBRARY BAR, ELECTRIC HOUSE —

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H ouse Tonics Nostalgia can be overrated – but a proper cut glass tumbler, good ice and a perfectly mixed drink is a tradition that’s worth honouring. Our House Tonics are classic cocktails given a judicious twist. A nod to the best bits of the past but with their spirit firmly in the present.

Here are some of our favourites...

library bar, bar eclectric electric caption HOUSE —

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Eastern Standard The cucumber and lime in the Eastern Standard make it particularly refreshing – the perfect pre-dinner cocktail to have as you’re getting changed.

50ml / 1½fl oz Bombay Sapphire gin juice of one large lime 20ml / ¾fl oz home-made sugar syrup (made by combining roomtemperature water and caster sugar in equal measures) 3 thin slices cucumber 3 leaves mint Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and doublestrain into a cocktail glass.

Garnish with a floating cucumber slice.

Soho Mule Based on the original Moscow Mule cocktail, the home-made ginger syrup in our version gives the Soho Mule a bit more of a kick.

50ml / 1½fl oz Grey Goose vodka 20ml / ¾fl oz home-made ginger syrup (made by boiling and reducing fresh ginger juice and caster sugar in equal measures) juice of half a lime, freshly squeezed

House Tip

Shake everything together with a single ice cube, and then pour into a Collins glass.

Top with ice and soda water and garnish with a chunk of crystallised ginger on a stick.

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Keep ice in a plastic box with a hole in the bottom as it melts, the water drains away, so you don't end up with a slush pile

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Picante de la Casa The Picante de la Casa is a spin on a Tommy’s Margarita, invented in the famous San Francisco restaurant, Tommy’s.

The chilli and coriander add some serious heat and spice to the drink – a big favourite on a hot day in Miami.

50ml / 1½fl oz Cazadores Reposado tequila juice of one large lime, freshly squeezed 20ml /¾fl oz agave syrup 1 small piece of chilli 1 stem of coriander Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake hard. Double-strain into an Old Fashioned glass and add ice. Garnish with chilli.

House Daiquiri Originally invented by engineer Jennings Stockton Cox while working in Daiquiri, Cuba, at the end of the 19th century, this famous cocktail is known as the ultimate bartender’s drink – one a bartender would order at a bar to check his or her colleague’s skill in the balance between sweet and sour.

50ml / 1½fl oz Bacardi Superior rum juice of one large lime, freshly squeezed 2 teaspoons caster sugar Half-shell of a used lime Put the lime juice and shell into the shaker. Stir everything together with the sugar, then shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

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old fashioned A classic Old Fashioned is made with Bourbon but you can try it with any dark spirit instead for an Old Fashioned with a twist. Try a Scotch Old Fashioned, Rum Old Fashioned or Rye Old Fashioned, for example.

1 white sugar lump 3-4 large dashes Angostura bitters 1 teaspoon of soda water 50ml / 1½fl oz Bourbon Place the sugar lump on a napkin and douse it with Angostura bitters. Drop it into a rocks glass (throwing away the napkin), then pour the water over it and crush to a paste with a spoon or muddler.

Add the Bourbon, with a few ice cubes, and stir several times to dissolve most of the sugar.

Garnish with orange peel.

ESPRESSO MARTINI This was created by barman Dick Bradshaw in the 1980s. Rumour has it he was asked by one of the customers to ‘make a drink to wake me up’, and the result was this creamy, rich cocktail.

25ml / 1fl oz Kahlua or Café Lolita 25ml / 1fl oz espresso 50ml / 1½fl oz vodka Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake very vigorously to combine. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with three coffee beans placed next to each other on top.

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ON E WH I LE C H AN G I N G Who’s to say when a habit becomes tradition? At Soho House we enjoy One While Changing: an early-evening, in-room aperitif to say goodbye to the day and to welcome whatever the evening has in store. Mix it for yourself or wait for a knock at the door and one of our bar staff will fix you a cocktail from the fully stocked cart.

MIRRORED COCKTAIL CABINET, SOHO BEACH HOUSE MIAMI —

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bar essentia ls In the kitchen it’s the knives and pans that make the difference – in the bar the right tools for the job are just as important. Keep it simple; there are just a few essentials that you need.

A Boston shaker The Boston is a basic tin-on-glass shaker, which is perfect if you’re new to making cocktails as you can see every ingredient you put in. You can also use the glass on its own to make stirred cocktails, such as Manhattans and Martinis.

A Hawthorne strainer and a fine strainer Once you’ve mixed your drink you’ll need to strain out any small bits of crushed ice, mint or juice pulp. Hold a Hawthorne strainer over the top of the cocktail shaker to hold back any big cubes of ice, and then pour it into your serving glass with a fine strainer on top, to catch anything else.

Measuring Jiggers Making cocktails is a precise exercise, and guessing spirits by eye rarely works – you need to measure them out using a set of jiggers. If you’ve got measuring cups in your house they’ll do just as well – anything that measures in mls or fluid ounces is fine.

A Mexican Elbow juicer The best tool for juicing lemons and limes quickly: no bar is complete without one of these.

Metal ones are easiest to clean.

A waiter’s friend This basic corkscrew/bottle opener/foil knife can open anything, and is small enough to pop in your pocket.

SPOONS You can stir a cocktail with everything from a wooden spoon handle to a normal dessert spoon. Long-handled bar spoons, though, look particularly elegant, and are weighted to help you stir quickly and easily.

TOP LEFT: MEASURING JIGGERS, BOTTOM LEFT: JULEP STRAINERS, TOP RIGHT: BAR SPOONS, BOTTOM RIGHT: HAWTHORNE STRAINERS —

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Garnishes Garnishes aren’t just there to look pretty, they should match the drink too. Choose flavours and colours that complement your cocktail, or bring out other aromas and dimensions in the drink.

Here are some of our favourites:

Ginger candies Slice fresh ginger very thinly into lengths and then simmer in sugar syrup for about 2 minutes.

Take out and place on a baking tray covered with granulated sugar, then put in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Drop directly into a drink, or cut almost in half and slot on the edge of the glass.

Mint tips Take a few fresh mint tips (the small leaves at the top), and tap the sprig above the cocktail to release the mint aromas. Then balance on the top or side of the drink. ****************** Citrus twists Peel a sliver off lengthways from any citrus fruit like orange, lemon or lime, then peel the white pith off the underside of the skin as this can taste quite bitter. Pinch hard over the top of the cocktail to release the aromas, then drop into the drink, or twist and place on the edge of the glass.

Rims Cocktail glasses can be rimmed with sugar or salt.

Wipe a juicy wedge of lemon or lime around the edge of a glass, then place on a plate covered with the sugar or salt topping and twist. You can make your own flavoured sugar by putting any citrus peel in with it to infuse, such as grapefruit, orange or lemon.

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Cucumber Cucumber is great for adding instant, summery freshness to a drink. Slice as thinly as possible and float a few slices on the surface of a cocktail.

Flaming You can flame a drink by using citrus twists. Heat a sliver of peel with a lighter, and pinch it until the oils start dripping off. Try to make the flame catch on the oils, and once the peel is aflame drop it straight in the drink – the flames will run all the way across the top.

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House Tip TO REMOVE STAINS INSIDE DECANTERS, SWIRL SPECIAL CLEANING BALLS OR UNCOOKED RICE around THE inside of the glass WITH HOT, SOAPY WATER

G lassware We think how a drink tastes is 50 per cent to do with how it looks – and well-designed glasses are the key. All of our glassware is designed by us, in crisp cut glass, which gives a look of sharp elegance – the kind of thing you might find at home, rather than something too mass-produced and commercial.

All the glasses we use are made to accommodate our cocktails exactly.

Collins or highball These suit all long drinks.

Gin and tonics, sodas, mojitos, swizzle drinks, Moscow mules.

Cocktail or martini Lots of classic cocktails demand an elegant cocktail glass. Margaritas, Martinis, Cosmopolitans, Eastern Standards, Daiquiris, and Manhattans look out of place elsewhere.

COGNAC SNIFTER We use this glass for Cognac, Almagnac and Calvados.

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WINE GLASS A classic white wine glass, but we also use it for our traditional sours.

Rocks, short, lowball, or Old Fashioned These are for most short drinks, including fruit juices and, of course, the Old Fashioned. Use for Sazeracs, Caipiroskas, and Caipirinhas too.

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Wine Some people want to be wine experts; others are happier just finding a vintage that suits their palate and their pocket. We take pride in our wines but we don’t want to make a fuss.

Here are our sommelier’s suggestions on what to try and how to treat it.

Embrace the screwcap. There’s still a bit of a stigma attached to them, but just because a wine isn’t meant to be aged, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t top quality. Many of the best wineries are moving over to screwtops now.

BUYING IT Try something different. The usual suspects are Malbecs, Merlots, Sauvignon Blancs, Chardonnays, Pinot Grigios or Cabernet Sauvignons, but some of the best-value wines come from unusual regions in Europe. Here are a few of our favourites:

STORING IT

Toro or Bierzo (Spain) for some interesting reds.

Douro and Alentejo (Portugal) for port-type flavours and an alternative to Chianti.

Alberino (Spain) as a fresh change from Chablis.

Grüner Veltliner (Austria) for something a bit more complex than Sauvignon Blanc.

Manzanilla sherry (Spain) – served chilled it makes a refreshing aperitif.

Keep wine in a room with a moderate temperature.

Around 15-20°C is perfect.

Don’t keep opened wine over a day old, unless you have some sort of stopper or preservation method.

Stack bottles horizontally. This stops the cork, if there is one, from drying out.

You get what you pay for. As a general rule, £8-£10 will buy you something perfectly good, but expect to pay about £15 a bottle for a decent Burgundy or Bordeaux.

House Tip ADD SALT TO YOUR ICE BUCKET TO MAKE WINE COOL DOWN FASTER

DRINKING IT Serving. Most wines don’t need decanting and are fine poured straight from the bottle.

Instead of saving a nice bottle for a special occasion, why not drink it on a Monday and make that the big event itself? If it’s a really special bottle – over five years old or worth more than £100 – pour it into a decanter two hours before drinking.

Fill a glass under half full. You don’t need a huge glass to get the best out of your wine – normal-size wine glasses or even little tumblers are OK. Just make sure you fill them to under halfway in order to let the wine breathe.

Matching food. The days of putting red wine with meat and white wine with fish are long gone – instead, match wine to the flavours of accompanying dishes. For example, try fish and chips with a wedge of lemon with a fresh, lemony wine like a Muscadet, or a pork-belly dish with apple sauce with a full-bodied, appley Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc.

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SO H O H O U SE FAVO U R ITE S Gavi di Gavi, ‘La Mierana’, Broglia, Piemonte 11 A really light, elegant wine, perfect with salads and fresh, summery food.

Grüner Veltliner ‘Lois’, Loimer, Kamptal, Austria 11 The sommelier’s fallback wine, often a good match with unusual dishes and great if everyone’s eating different things.

Nyetimber ‘Classic Cuvee’, Brut NV The best English sparkling wine there is. A well-balanced, champagne-like flavour that works well with lots of classic English menus.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Gran Sasso 11 A staple wine in most clubs, this spicy red is complex enough to work well with all tomato dishes – pizza and tomato-based pastas especially.

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BEER There are lots of wonderful new British beers around at the moment, so we try to buy from local breweries if we can. Check the big supermarkets near you, too, as they’re stocking more and more varieties. At Shoreditch House, for example, we use London’s Redchurch brewery, and you can’t beat a pint of Belhaven stout from Scotland, or Butcombe Bitter from the West Country. You can win round non-beer drinkers with a pale ale or fresh beer – these tend to be lighter and crisper than lager, which can be too fizzy and filling, or bitter which can be too malty. You can match any beer to food – just drink light beer with light meals, or heavier beers with heavier meals. Pizza is always a great match and any dish with pastry is good too, as the flakiness of the pastry goes well with the maltiness of the beer. Lastly, don’t leave beer out of cocktails – light wheat beers can work brilliantly with gin and a squeeze of lime.

juice the bar, electric house

Happiest when it’s freshly squeezed, the result is well worth the effort. We serve ours with a teaspoon for mixing up any juicy bits that fall to the bottom of the glass.

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BEACH HOUSE The setting of our clubs is always important but when it comes to Soho Beach House Miami, where it is defines what it is. Lush palms, brilliant light, and the deepest blue sea. This is a place where life is lived outside, on the beach, by the pool, under the shade of the trees.

There’s a relaxed mood about Beach House that’s hard to resist – and all in a city famed for its commitment to having a good time.

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miami Look Miami Beach is famous for its Art Deco buildings and we were very lucky to find the last major undeveloped hotel for our Beach House – in an area now known as Mid Beach.

Originally built in 1941 as the Sovereign Hotel, it was the last stop before Havana for the partygoers of the 1940s and 1950s. We drew on the Cuban and South A ­ merican influences that would have ­enticed the S ­ overeign’s original guests, using a palette of bright ­ colours counterbalanced with lots of aged wood and dark leather furniture. Finished off with a mix of carefully ­mismatched accessories, mirrors and wall decorations. Every room is a one off.

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B each Style Keeping cool on the beach can be a trial.

Loungers the size of double beds help, so you can really get comfortable, with some huge 1940s-style umbrellas to provide proper shade from the midday sun. A watering can rinses sand off sticky toes and cools you down at the same time. At the bottom of each lounger there is a vintage red cooler stocked with chilled water, fruit and some iced towels. Anything else you might need is in the beach huts dotted along the sand.

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Beach LI FE

JUICE BAR

At sunrise, Miami comes to life. The beach has a unique mood at this time of day, before the temperature rises: runners on the boardwalk, the odd early-morning swimmer or guest doing a bit of yoga on the sand. As things hot up, a lazy rhythm takes over, as people dip in and out

H ow to beach it

of the sea, snooze on the beds and order snacks

big towels

and freshly squeezed Florida orange juice.

comfy mattress

Later, a stroll to the shady Tiki bar for lunch or

good shade

a trip up to the roof for sundowners is about as

a watering can

energetic as it gets.

suncream coolbox filled with water, fruit and spare towels

HOUSE TIP BOLD colours look great in strong sunshine - citrus oranges and yellows, sea blue and CRISP white

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Miami Beach Spiked Lemonade Makes 1

Guacamole and Chips Serves 6

5 raspberries, crushed 25ml / ¾fl oz fresh lemon juice 25ml / ¾fl oz simple syrup (made by boiling water and dissolving twice as much sugar in it) 50ml / 1½fl oz vodka

1 long red chilli 1 small handful coriander, chopped 1 tomato, de-seeded 1 shallot 2 ripe avocados salt extra-virgin olive oil ¼ - ½ lime

Shake all the ingredients together with ice. Then strain, and pour into a long glass.

De-seed and finely chop the chilli, coriander, tomatoes and shallot. Mash them all together with the avocados, keeping the mixture quite chunky. Season to taste with salt, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lime juice, adding more chilli if you like it spicy. Top with a few torn coriander leaves, and serve with corn tortilla chips.

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TAKING the indoors outdoors Miami blurs the line between indoor and outdoor rooms. It’s a nice way to live when the weather allows and there has been an explosion of furniture, lighting, burners and grills on the market in recent years to make it possible – even in less tropical spots than the Florida Panhandle. The best way to approach outdoor living is to treat it as if it’s indoors – the same design principles apply.

House Tip Take your sofa outside on a sunny day – JUST LIKE THE CUBANS do

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Soho House Design Director Vicky Charles gives her guide to doing the great outdoors in style Furniture Gone are the days when outdoor finishes and fabrics were limited to a very few dull options. Technological progress has meant that there are now almost as many choices in texture, colour and pattern for outdoor weatherproof fabrics and furniture as there are for indoors. These days you can get pretty much anything you want to create an outside room – sofas, chairs, lamps, giant ­lounging cushions, tables.

Lights Outdoor lighting should be just like indoors, so you’ll want a mixture of high and low lighting that you can dim. Light

bulbs in jam jars rigged up on some rope is a common thing we do – but ­basically, if a light shines through something, it will work as a holder. Old, brightly coloured ship lanterns from eBay, paper lanterns, vases, pots or even paper bags with a nightlight in them and weighed down with sand look pretty – just use ­whatever you can find.

Shade Creating shade shouldn’t be complicated but if you’re ­ somewhere hot, it’s crucial. Be creative and use things like roller blinds fixed to the wall that can be pulled out and tied horizontally to create a shady

roof, or old shutters that pull out from your main b ­ uilding.

Fabrics like canvas, hessian or sailcloth look great suspended on ropes or stretched across poles or trees.

Home comforts Try to think of all the things that you’d have inside a house.

For example, we put console tables at the back of our outdoor sofas so that people can rest a drink on them. We always take out board games ­ and lots of outdoor cushions.

Throws are important too – always have a big pile of cosy knitted wool or mohair blankets to hand for when the cool of the evening sets in.

TIKI BAR

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pools The very word ‘poolside’ is enough to make you smile. S ­ itting beside one, sipping a drink, can make you wonder why you ever do anything else. Our pools are as individual as their ­locations, each one reflecting not just the sky but how they are used by our members and guests. In Miami it’s a place to cool off during the day; in the evening it becomes a candlelit oasis where you can lie back in the warmth and watch the stars twinkle among the palms.

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art H O U S E

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ART H OUSE Our houses, like yours, aren’t empty, white gallery spaces – but we do like our art. The pieces have to work alongside furniture, objects, people... and day-to-day life. ‘We’re used to seeing contemporary art in vast modern galleries, so it’s a very different experience looking at it sitting on a sofa, eating a sandwich,’ says one of our curators Francesca Gavin. ‘It’s much more of an accidental pleasure. You’re right up close to something. You have a more personal relationship with it.’

Our expanding art collection mixes work from some of the world’s most famous artists – such as Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and Ed Ruscha – with emerging talent. Francesca, with co-curator, artist Jonathan Yeo, commissions and collects works that reflect the personality of each House.

Anyone, even with a small budget, can import the Soho House art aesthetic into their own home.

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HANGING You don’t have to have big, splashy pieces to make an impact. The style of hanging we use in the Houses is to group together a mix of works in an 18th-century-style ‘salon’ hang. That way the art blends organically into its ­surroundings. Each ­individual piece might be great in itself, but put together the work takes on different ­meanings.

You can have a bit of fun with which pieces you put next to each other and play with visual jokes and meanings. Experiment with your own ‘wall hang’ first, by choosing eight to 10 works of ­different sizes and shapes. Arrange and rearrange them on the floor until you get the mix you want. It’s a great way of using less ­expensive, quirky pieces mixed in with more significant works.

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H ow T o F i n d A r t b y J o n atha n Y e o 1.

Start by finding out what kind of art excites you most. Step into the unknown and go into a gallery that you haven’t bothered or dared to visit before. You can always walk straight out again if the work doesn’t do it for you, but it’s the best way of learning what you like and sooner or later you’ll make an exciting discovery.

2.

Don’t be put off from asking basic questions. The uptight, well groomed receptionist pretending to be busy is actually there to help. They may know less about art than you do but at least they will have been briefed about the current show.

3.

If you’re nervous about taking the plunge on major works then editions are a good way to get started. You might be surprised at how easily you can pick up small pieces by the biggest names around. Check out The Paragon Press, White Cube editions and print fairs such as Multiplied in London to see work by many of the artists from the House collections.

4.

When you’re ready to begin dabbling in original work, then you’ll find further artists familiar from the Soho Houses by checking out Maureen Paley, Lazarides and Ibid Projects in London, Team Gallery and Petzel in NYC, Honor Fraser and Michael Kohn in LA, and Peres Projects and Klosterfelde in Berlin.

5.

If the plan is to put together a major collection then it wouldn’t hurt to start with some professional advice. Galleries often have a bias towards their own stable but there are independent specialists whose job is to know what’s out there and tailor a portfolio according to your own tastes. A kind of personal shopping for your walls.

6.

Art does not have to complement its surroundings, in fact it’s often most dramatic when there’s contrast. Much edgy contemporary art is more effective when juxtaposed with traditional settings and the other way around can work too.

7.

Health warning. Art collecting can be highly addictive.

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Francesca Gavin on…

The Collection At this moment, we collect a lot of monochrome pieces, lots of ­humour, lots of hedonism, references to drink and sex. It’s a very broad collection, capturing contemporary art at this moment. We only started in 2009 but I think it could rival a lot of big, private c ­ ollections.

It’s very intimate and human.

The Match The art works with the aesthetic of each club and warms it – it’s the human-hand element. We want the club to feel as though it has a hinterland, as there’s a real sense of history connected to the clubs in general. For each House we look for the cream of artists in that city, at that time, which means you get a completely different flavour in each of the Houses.

The Artists I get to meet all the artists and it’s a real honour. You get to put a ­ rtists together, introduce them to each other, and watch them form new collaborations. There’s an immediate ice-breaker if you’re part of a club. I mean it’s not quite Simone de Beauvoir at Café de Flore yet, but I’m working on it…

The New We always include young artists when we’re looking around a city. It’s great supporting the community of artists – everyone’s having a hell of a lot of fun. Art can be accessible; it doesn’t have to be elitist. We’re picking up on people who show real talent, and anyone can do it.

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1 0 of F R A NC E SC A ' S favourite pieces 1. Shepard Fairey at Soho Beach House Miami This was a real departure for the American graphic designer and artist best known for his 2008 Obama Hope poster. A silver-and-black etched graphic seascape that made a perfect reflection with Miami’s waves.

2. Jenny Holzer at Soho House New York One of America’s best known conceptual artists whose work features the streets of New York.

This photographic document is a perfect example of how she transforms the city into a canvas for her poetic text pieces.

3. Thomas Demand at Soho House Berlin A very rare and atypical monochrome work, made specifically for the House by one of Germany’s greatest artists.

4. Jonathan Yeo’s art wallpaper in Soho House Berlin, Dean Street Townhouse and Soho House West Hollywood Soho House co-curator Jonathan Yeo’s wallpaper at first appears like classical leaf motifs, until you look closely and realise the shapes are made from fragments of pornography.

One of the signature surprises in the Soho Houses.

5. Ed Ruscha at Soho House West Hollywood Arguably the most iconic artist of the Los Angeles landscape. One of the big scoops of the club.

6. Scott Campbell at Soho Beach House Miami His ‘Tropical Paradise’ piece embodies the real spirit of Miami – all hedonism and humour.

7. Richard Prince at Soho House New York Major American artist Prince at his most ironic and tongue-in-cheek. A laugh-out-loud oedipal joke printed on a stretched T-shirt.

8. Graham Little at Soho House London The drawing room is brimming with an incredible variety of drawings, but it’s hard to beat the awesome skill and nuance of Graham Little’s delicate pencil work (pictured left).

9. Gillian Wearing at Soho House London The artist places blonde supermodel Claudia Schiffer on a pedestal next to the artist, playing with ideas around status, sex and femininity.

10. Damien Hirst at Soho House Berlin The spray-can shark created on the hoardings around the building by Damien at the opening party of Soho House could only have happened in the freedom of Berlin.

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H O U S E party

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HOUSE PARTY Throwing a party should be simple, yet most of us end up red-faced and stressed. Over the years we’ve discovered it’s best to keep things straightforward – from the food and drink, to the decorations, budget and playlist. In this chapter we’ll share a few basic party tricks to help things go as smoothly as possible.

Make people feel welcome as soon as they arrive but most importantly, be generous. Unfussy and plentiful is better than fancy and rationed. A good party will take on a life of its own – so relax and go with the flow.

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P arty D rinks NEGRONI

SOHO MULE

PUNCHY PIMM'S

SPIKED LEMONADE

RUM PUNCH

GIN KICK

MIX Gin, Campari AND Sweet Vermouth IN equal parts

MIX 4 parts Vodka WITH 3 parts Ginger Syrup AND 2 parts lime JUICE. top with soda water OR GINGER BEER

MIX 3 parts Pimm's WITH 3 partS gin. top with EQUAL AMOUNTS OF TONIC WATER and Lemonade

mix 4 parts Gin with 3 parts lemon juice and 2 parts sugar syrup. top with soda water and champagne in equal amounts

mix 4 parts Gin with 2 parts lemon juice aNd 1 part sugar syrup. top with TONIC water

Garnish: lime wedges

Garnish: SLICED ORANGE, CUCUMBER SKINS AND LOTS OF MINT

mix 4 parts Rum (a combination of dark, white & gold rum is good), with 2 parts lime juice, 3 parts pineapple juice and a few dashes of angostura bitters

Garnish: Orange Wedge

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Garnish: SQUEEZED lemon wedges Garnish: Pineapple Chunks

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Garnish: Cucumber slices

F easting at home When feeding a party crowd we like to stick to simple, easy dishes. Steer clear of complicated, fussy recipes and serve big feasting platters – it’s fun, relaxed and people can dig in and serve themselves. Don’t spend a fortune and stress yourself creating a fancy dish for the first time; just be plentiful with what you serve. When planning your menu, stick to a fish dish, a meat option and a generous plate of seasonal veg or salad. At Babington we love to roast whole legs and shoulders of lamb on a spit over the fire – at home you can simply roast as large a piece as you can fit in the oven, and then carve and serve it on a wooden platter for everyone to help themselves.

House Tip IF YOUR OVEN IS NOT THAT BIG, ROAST YOUR MEATS DURING THE DAY AND POP BACK IN THE OVEN FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE EATING

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feasting outside If the weather holds, take your feast outside and get grilling. Visit your local reclamation yard and transform an old oil drum into your barbecue. It looks authentic, works brilliantly and is often cheaper than buying a new grill.

Again, the key to a good barbecue is plenty of food – meats, corn, prawns and crayfish work well. If you’re feeling generous throw on a couple of lobsters. Make big, simple salads to serve on the side with fresh bread.

It’s a good idea to have an alternative non-barbecue dish on offer – make a paella or a big batch of meatballs the day before.

Gas-heated paella pans are easy to hire or buy online.

Serve your food on a decorator’s trestle table or a big tartan rug – your friends will enjoy the relaxed, rustic feel.

House Tip Don’t spend a fortune on chopping or serving boards – visit your local timber yard and have one cut to size

House Tip WHEN GUESTS ASK IF THEY CAN BRING ANYTHING, SAY YES – IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY DIFFERENT SALADS OR PUDDINGS YOU HAVE ON THE TABLE

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tent party House Tip

If we’re planning a big event then a tent party is one of our favourite things to do – it works really well at home, too. The informal decor is a great way to put people at ease, and sharing around some big pies and puddings on the table is far more sociable than a buffet or plated meal.

Finish off with some well-thought-out touches for extra comfort, and some snacks for later.

try to track down some festoon lights – more unusual than fairy lights, they have an old-fashioned fairground charm

THE LOOK: Simple wooden trestle tables are lined with mismatched chairs and dressed with assorted vintage crockery, cutlery, glassware and vases to give it all an ‘accidental’ feel.

Bunting adds a hint of country charm, and little details finish it off: wooden crates for florals, baskets of scarves in case it gets chilly and old milk churns as umbrella stands.

feeding the masses: When you’re cooking for a lot of people, nothing beats a home-made pie. Everybody loves them, they’re easy to make on a large scale, and they’re very affordable too. We just place them all the way down the tables so that people can dig in and help themselves, and serve with big bowls of peas.

PUDDINGS: Don’t waste time and effort on making fancy desserts and plating up individual portions. By this point in the meal, guests usually just want a taste of something sweet and are starting to move around. We like big sharing puddings – usually one fruity, like Eton Mess, and one chocolate, like a chocolate and caramel tart – for people to tuck into.

MIDNIGHT SNACKS: Always gratefully received, especially when they’re not expected! We hand out platters of them in the early hours of the morning, when guests are starting to get tired. Comforting sausage rolls, mini Welsh rarebit, bacon butties and pizza always seem to hit the mark.

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House Tip

Flowers look pretty at any party – but you don’t need to spend a fortune or take a course in floristry to make your arrangements look good. Visit a local flower market or cutting garden and buy a few varieties in bulk. Use whatever vessels you have to hand – they don’t need to match and they don’t have to be traditional vases.

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the prettiest – jam jars filled with sweetpeas or old cleaned-up cans with a single peony stem.

If you’re having table decorations for a more formal party, be mindful of your guests’ eye-line – they don’t want their view over the table completely obscured by flowers.

Trim any greenery from the base of your flower stems to avoid the water turning yellow

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The diy wedding

THE BUDGET VENUE - £150

JAZZ BAND - £300 DJ - £200

SHELLEY'S DRESS - £350 MATT'S SUIT - £120 FOOD - £550

DRINK - £700

VINTAGE CROCKERY AND FABRIC - £400

HIRE OF EXTRA VINTAGE CROCKERY AND HELP SETTING UP - £500 WAITRESSES - £250 FLOWERS - £200

The Flowers – Simple stems of peonies, hydrangeas, tea roses and sweetpeas from Bristol flower market were put in pretty, mismatched containers all down the tables. Bay trees were decorated with different coloured ribbons and put all around the outside of the barn.

A big wedding doesn’t have to mean a big bill. Shelley and Matt Armistead, general manager and chef at Soho House West Hollywood, organised their own lowbudget country wedding near Babington. It cost them less than £4,000 and was as stylish as it was relaxed. Here’s how they did it.

Waitresses – A friend’s teenage daughters. Their older sister did the flowers.

The Mood – A home-made country wedding for 135 family and friends.

INVITATIONS - £50

A CHRISTENING CAKE FOR SHELLEY AND MATT'S SON JOSEPH - £60

INGREDIENTS FOR CHILDREN'S CUPCAKE MAKING - £150 TOTAL - £3980.00

The Entertainment – A jazz band played under a gazebo to welcome guests as they walked across the street from the church. At night a local DJ kept the party going in the barn. Children were kept happy with their own little tent, where they could make and decorate their own fairy cakes.

The Venue – A barn and field in the Somerset countryside. Everything was set up outside for the day and people moved into a barn at night. Normal gazebos were covered with pretty vintage fabric and filled with quilts, cushions and deckchairs, so that people could relax out of the sun.

The tables – Long trestles covered in plain white fabric. Tall poles were dotted alongside the tables, with vintage fabric tied between them to provide pretty shade (the day was the hottest of the year). The offcuts were made into bunting with ribbon.

The Food and Drink – Matt and his friend Jomondo did all the food themselves. The menu was rare roast beef and horseradish sauce, saltbaked salmon with peas, asparagus and aioli, new potato salad served with grilled vegetables and basil and delicious pavlova and a selection of local cheeses to follow. Mostly people helped themselves, drinking Pimm’s, cider and Butcombe beer.

The crockery – Mismatched vintage plates, bowls, glassware collected from flea markets over the years and borrowed from friends. Children’s enamel bowls and cups came from the camping shop in Frome.

Invitations and Photographs – Invitations were made out of cardboard and scraps of vintage fabric. The bride’s brother took the photographs – although there are fewer towards the end of the evening!

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A babington wedding

House Tip Instead of paying hundreds for a wedding cake, ask each of your guests to bring a cupcake and create a cupcake tower. The variety of cakes will create an eclectic overall look

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There are many different styles of wedding. At Babington, wedding parties have ranged from intimate, beautifully designed affairs to three-day boisterous extravaganzas. If there’s one thing we’ve found, though, it’s that the more relaxed the day, the happier. You need to be organised enough to be able to kick back a little and trust everything is in hand, but not so organised that your wedding feels like a military operation. The most beautiful flowers in the world won’t disguise a stressed bride and groom. It doesn’t matter if you’re spending £4,000, like Shelley and Matt on their DIY wedding, or £30,000 and getting Babington to yourself and your guests for 24 hours, with us arranging the whole thing. What’s most important is to make sure that your personality is reflected in the celebration.

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MUSI C Party music needs to put people in a good mood. You don’t want to drown out guests who are chatting to each other, or force your personal music collection on an unwilling crowd.

Live music is a great start – it’s fun, breaks up an evening nicely and can help to set the mood. If you see a brilliant local band somewhere, always get their contact details – you never know when you might want to call them up.

DJs are good for later in the evening, but don’t try to be too cool with the playlist – it never quite works. You need tracks that everyone wants to dance to – and the odd surprise.

You can’t make people dance – if it happens, it happens. When you think the time’s right, turn the lights down a bit more, up the volume – and if all else fails, hit the floor yourself.

TH E PLAYLIST Soho House DJ Emma Sutton picks her party top 10

1

You Got To Be A Man Frank Williams & The Rocketeers

2

Don’t Break My Heart The New Sins

3

Got To Be Real Cheryl Lynn

4

I Want More Can

5

This Must Be The Place (Psychemagik Naive Edit) Talking Heads

6

Hey Harmonica Man Stevie Wonder

7

Murder She Wrote Chaka Demus & Pliers

8

You Dropped A Bomb On Me Gap Band

9

Love Is The Drug Roxy Music

10

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NAP HOUSE This book isn’t called Eat Drink Nap for nothing. A good night’s sleep is one of life’s great pleasures, and a well-designed bedroom will help you along the way. Plenty of big pillows, a good-quality mattress, and some crisp, fresh linen are the three essentials, and they’re well worth investing in.

To create a really relaxing room, we’ve found it’s best to keep things as straightforward as possible – no complicated electronics, just clean lines and minimal clutter rather than frills or fuss. If you’ve got the three essentials right, then all you really need are a couple of bedside lamps (that you don’t need an engineering degree to operate), and a good digital radio for morning.

And a cup of tea of course.

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M AKIN G a p e r f e c t b e d Bed To state the obvious, the bed is the most important thing in the room – get it right and everything will follow. Go for as large a bed as the room can comfortably take, and allow enough space on either side for the bedside cabinets. You want to avoid that cramped feeling, edging past furniture in bedrooms. A beautiful bedhead can be a real feature in a plain room, too. mattress Spend as much money as you can on a good-quality mattress and it will last you for years. All ours are hand-made and designed to our own specifications: they’re made up of three layers of natural, pure rubber, with cashmere and angora wool duvets either side to give a deep, luxurious feel.

They have two duvets on the ‘plush’ side and one on the ‘medium firm’ side, so guests can choose what level of firmness they want. Then, they’re finished by hand-tufting, an old Victorian process that keeps the fillings in place. Don’t forget to turn your mattress over and around every season, to ensure equal wear, and put it on a proper slatted bed base to let air circulate through it.

LINEN Invest in good-quality cotton sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers too, and look at the thread count when you buy. This shows the number of threads woven together per square inch in a fabric, so if you have a low thread count it means that the threads are quite thick. The higher the thread count, the finer the threads. Almost all hotels buy linen with a thread count of 200, and it’s what most department stores sell, but try to buy linen with a thread count of 300 if you can – it’s what we use because it feels much more luxurious on your skin. We buy 100% cotton percale which has a cool, relaxing feel, and white is our failsafe favourite – you can always add colour and extra texture with a throw folded at the end. pillows Get as big and fluffy pillows as possible – we usually make our beds with big king-size ones at the back, followed by slightly smaller square white pillows, and sometimes finished with a couple of even smaller, 50cm

House Tip most of our duvets have a tog of 4.5, and are 80% DOWN, 20% FEATHER - IT'S A GOOD MIX THAT FEELS LUXURIOUS BUT ISN'T TOO HOT OR HEAVY

(19 inch) cushions in a different fabrics or in plain white again. Ours are made out of goosedown and we use up to seven – even if you only sleep with one pillow, a big mound of them adds height and looks inviting.

DUVETS Go for a goosedown duvet – they're soft and light. And again, don't skimp.

Nothing's better than a nice big duvet on your bed.

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House Tip SIMPLE PAINTED WOODEN PEGS AROUND THE WALLS ARE AN EASY, ELEGANT WAY OF CREATING EXTRA HANGING SPACE HIGH ROAD HOUSE

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T h e d e ta i l s Bedrooms are about comfort, which means that as well as looking good, they should be easy and functional to use. Once you’ve got the bed sorted, there are a few other things that are worth getting right. They may seem obvious, but they can all make a huge difference to how well your bedroom works for you.

Sockets Sockets sound boring but you don’t want to be scrabbling under your bed to unplug your hairdryer or knocking things over in the dark to turn on your bedside lights. Think about where all your furniture will go and what items you’ll need to plug in. If you have the luxury of starting your room from scratch, put sockets for all your electronics at the same height as the desk or table they’ll rest on, and have a couple by each bedside table for your lights and alarm clock. Otherwise, a few extension cables will do just fine.

Storage Having minimal clutter is often what makes a bedroom feel restful and inviting. If you have the space, then don’t store anything in the actual room itself. If not, use as much built-in storage as you can – you’ll always need more than you think. We add some carefully placed hooks in our rooms too, perfect for hanging up your coat, dressing gown, towel and bag.

Lights There’s nothing worse than a million different light switches – all you need are two different dimmers, one for ceiling lights and one for any bedside lamps and side lights, or anything else you have. Simple.

Add a dash of colour For the most part you want bedrooms to be in soothing shades, which means a lot of white linen, pillows and painted beds. That doesn’t mean the room has to be bland, though – a burst of colour or pattern can add warmth and interest. Headboards are a good place to start. Try getting them covered in a fabric you love (the fabric won’t get spoilt; our heads actually rarely rest on headboards – that’s what the pillows and cushions are for). Similarly, you can add vivid colours with throws, blankets and cushions. We’ve recently bought some lovely vintage Welsh blankets in incredible oranges, yellows and reds. Checks, stripes or tartan patterns work well too.

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House Tip HAVE ONLY TWO SETS OF LIGHT SWITCHES, ONE SET BY THE DOOR AND ONE SET BY THE BED. BOTH SETS SHOULD CONTROL EVERY LIGHT IN THE ROOM

The Story of The Bath in a Bedroom Having a bath in the bedroom works and we’ve used the idea time and again. So, how did it start? ‘We just didn’t have enough space in the bathroom,’ says Nick Jones. ‘But I think that bathtime is a social time, especially when you’re away and have a bit longer to get ready. I don’t mean social insofar as you actually have to get in the bath together, I mean social in that one of you might be having a drink in the bath while the other one is lying on the bed and you’re both just having a chat and a relax. So many hotels try to squeeze a shower in the bath, and I really hate that. We sort of split it out and the baths ended up in the bedrooms. As it happens, people really like it! And if they don’t feel they know each other well enough, then there’s always a private shower.’

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House Tip bedside tables should be at roughly the same height as the bed, so everything is at your level

DIY Turndown One of the lovely things about staying in a hotel is turndown – that magicking of your room into an inviting, clutter-free place to sleep. It’s a nice touch to make your own houseguests feel well looked after. And if you can be bothered to do it, it’s not a bad idea to treat yourself to your own DIY turndown – it’s amazing how much more restful it feels, going to bed in a nicely prepared room.

Adjust the lights – switch your side lamps on and turn off or dim any main lights.

Clear your space – tidy any clothes, dressing gowns or towels away.

Add some water – put a glass and a little bottle on each bedside table.

Turn back the bed – fold back any blankets or throws, and turn up the corner of the duvet.

And lastly – plump up the pillows.

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The dressing Table There used to be an art to getting ready to go out. Now, it seems, things are always more of a rush. We like the idea of bringing back some ritual into everyday life, which is why we like to fit in a dressing table where we can: just a little table in your bedroom, or your bathroom, where you can put on make-up and jewellery and do your hair. Choose a pretty table and chair and set it up next to a couple of plugs for your hairdryer or any other electrical items, and get a good, big mirror hung on the wall as well. Good lighting helps, whether a few well-placed wall lights, a table lamp or the full dressing-room treatment with lights all around the mirror itself.

House Tip EVEN if space is tight, don't abandon the idea of a dedicated area for getting ready SOHO HOUSE BERLIN

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Movies to Watch in B ed From cult classics to popcorn blockbusters, Soho House’s Head of Cinema Mandy Keans chooses her favourites 1. Belleville Rendez-Vous (Sylvain Chomet, 2003) Charming French animation in which an elderly lady, a fat dog and three singing sisters go after a kidnapped cyclist.

2. Sideways (Alexander Payne, 2004) Second-chance romance blossoms in California wine country, with a vintage performance by Paul Giamatti.

3. Performance (Nicolas Roeg and Donald Cammell, 1970) The quintessential Notting Hill film (apart from Notting Hill, of course). James Fox is a gangster, Mick Jagger’s a rock star and Anita Pallenberg is, well, Anita Pallenberg. Keith Richards was… not best pleased.

4. Control (Anton Corbijn, 2007) Stylish black-and-white biopic of the doomed Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, skilfully played by Sam Riley.

5. Up In The Air (Jason Reitman, 2009) George Clooney as the spiritually empty frequent flyer in a perfectly pitched corporate satire cum thwarted romance.

6. The Science Of Sleep (Michel Gondry, 2006) Innovative, unexpected love story from the director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, with pint-size Gael García Bernal and willowy Charlotte Gainsbourg.

7. Spellbound (Jeffrey Blitz, 2002) Tremendous documentary following eight teenagers trying to win a national American spelling contest. That’s s-p-e-l-l-b-ou-n-d, kids.

8. Le Cercle Rouge (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1970) Supremely stylish French crime flick with Alain Delon at his mesmerising best. From the same team that brought you Le Samourai.

9. Adaptation (Spike Jonze, 2002) Director Jonze and writer Charlie Kaufman’s mind-bending follow-up to Being John Malkovich was a hilarious deconstruction of the job of screenwriting. With Nicolas Cage (as Kaufman, and his fictional twin), Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper.

10. Talk To Her (Pedro Almodóvar, 2002) The premise might sound soporific, but Spain’s foremost director delivers a tender portrait of the friendship between two men with comatose girlfriends.

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nine

. . . and cowshed

L E F T: reclaimed barn boards at soho beach house miami ; A B O V e : cowshed at babington house ; T H I S PA G E : PA N T O N E 4 4 4 C A S U S E D I N S O H O H O U S E N E W Y O R k —

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...AND COWSHED Cowshed began in a cowshed.

Literally. It was a derelict stone building in the grounds of Babington House. These days it seems obvious to turn it into a spa; way back then it seemed innovative and maybe a little foolhardy. We didn’t want an offthe-peg experience, a clinical temple of grey slate; we wanted a relaxing, comforting space in tune with its country setting.

We decided that the products on the market weren’t really what we wanted, so we had a go at making our own with ingredients sourced from our walled garden and kitchen.

Our therapists concocted masks and balms and a local herbalist advised on the properties of our herbs and oils.

And as for the names, well... we hope they make you smile.

Now you’ll find Cowshed products far and wide. But all our products stay true to their original organic Babington roots – so there’s nothing bad in them, and lots of good.

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C owshed E thos At Cowshed, we’re not puritanical – we want a visit to one of our spas to be a pleasure not a chore. But behind the playful names, we take what we produce very seriously: everything is made by hand, we use high-quality organic botanicals and everything does what it says on the bottle.

When it comes to treatments, we’re much less prescriptive. If you want a thorough detox, complete with herbal tea and a garden salad, then good on you. But it’s not compulsory. If what you’d really like is a foot massage and pedicure, a glass of cold champagne and a big chocolate brownie, then sit yourself down, relax and enjoy it.

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C owshed moods All Cowshed products are designed to match your mood – however you’re feeling, there’s always something to help pep you up. Each essential oil is good for different things, so whether you’re using an indulgent massage oil or shower gel or simply adding a few drops of oil into a bath, here’s our guide to what works when.

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Knackered Cow, burnt out

Moody Cow, low and demotivated?

Grumpy Cow, stressed and feeling

and struggling to concentrate? Try

Use mood-enhancing rose geranium,

irritable and down? Rejuvenate

de-stressing lavender and soothing

linden blossom and frankincense to

yourself with mandarin, petitgrain

eucalyptus.

cheer you up.

and grapefruit.

Wild Cow, in the mood for a night

Lazy Cow, lethargic and need some

Horny Cow, in the mood for

on the tiles or big day ahead? Go for

time to yourself? Choose calming

seduction? Sensual rose absolute,

refreshing lemongrass, ginger and

jasmine, chamomile and sandalwood for

patchouli and cinnamon will help

rosemary to feel invigorated.

some soothing TLC.

you on your way.

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Cowshed Brownies Makes 15-20

ingredients: 450g / 1lb caster sugar 4 eggs 250g / 9oz butter, melted 75g / 3oz cocoa powder 75g / 3oz self-raising flour 400g / 14oz dark chocolate buttons (70%) 1 tsp vanilla essence 175g / 6oz roasted hazelnuts

Cream the sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy, then stir in the butter. Fold in the cocoa powder and flour, then add the vanilla essence, nuts and chocolate buttons.

Mix until well combined and pour into a lined baking tray approximately 30 x 25cm (12 x 10 inches) Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 30 minutes. Test the brownies by poking a wooden skewer into them – it should be gooey in the centre, not wet, and crusty on top. If necessary, bake for a further 10 minutes.

Take out of the oven and cool down before cutting into squares.

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C owshed S moothies Blend all the ingredients together to make any of the following healthy smoothies:

Berry Blitz Berries are full of vitamin C, which helps the body to absorb iron, and to produce collagen. Purple grapes are a great source of antioxidants as well, so this is a good smoothie for when you’re trying to detox, which will give you glowing, healthy skin.

100ml / 4fl oz purple grape juice 3 strawberries 5 raspberries 6 blueberries ½ banana 20ml / 1½ tablespoons runny honey a handful of ice

Passionfruit Smoothie A really zingy, refreshing and different smoothie, there’s lots of vitamin C in this one too, from the passionfruit and the orange. It’s perfect for smoothiesceptics, and the pectin in the orange also helps lower cholesterol.

100ml / 4fl oz passionfruit purée 100ml / 4fl oz orange juice 20ml / 1fl oz sugar syrup

House Tip You can use frozen fruit and leave out the ice

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Green Machine There’s lots of potassium in this smoothie thanks to the kiwi and banana, which is vital for muscle and nerve function. Apple and spirulina are also great for the immune system, so it’s a great one if you’re feeling a bit run down. This smoothie needs to be enjoyed as soon as it’s made or it starts to separate.

100ml / 4fl oz apple juice 50ml / 2fl oz kiwi puree 50ml / 2fl oz banana puree 4 slices of cucumber 6 mint leaves 1 teaspoon of honey 1 teaspoon of spirulina (this can be hard to buy in small quantities, so if you don’t already have some you can leave it out) a handful of ice

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D I Y B eauty Some of our very first Cowshed recipes can be made easily at home. Here are a few of our best all-rounders – don’t be afraid to play around with quantities to get your preferred texture, and remember to keep them all in the fridge.

Avocado, sea-salt and mint body scrub Use for: cleansing, moisturising, invigorating and exfoliating Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado, peeled and with the stone removed

2 tablespoons ground almonds

1 tablespoon ground sesame seeds

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

a large handful of fresh mint – a mixture of peppermint and spearmint is

best if you have it

150ml / 5fl oz extra-virgin olive oil

100g / 4oz fine sea salt

Combine the avocado, almonds, sesame seeds, rosemary and mint together in a blender, then add in the olive oil. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and then stir in the sea salt, or use a little less if you prefer a more gentle scrub.

This scrub can be used anywhere on the body and will keep for up to 5 days in a refrigerator. The avocado contains vitamin A, C, D and E, and is rich in potassium, riboflavin and thiamin, while the mint is stimulating, cleansing and aromatic.

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Honey and M ango Body M ask Use for: balancing, toning, and cleansing, normal to sensitive skin Ingredients:

100g / 4oz rolled oats

100g / 4oz couscous

200ml / 7fl oz hot water

10g / ½ tablespoon runny honey

1 mango, peeled and mashed

1 papaya, peeled, seeded and mashed

2 egg whites

a squeeze of lemon

Essential oil blend, of 20 drops each of: Sandalwood Jasmine Lavender Neroli Blend the oats and couscous together in the hot water, then allow to cool and add in all the other ingredients.

Apply to any areas of the body that need moisturising or toning, especially areas that have been exposed to the sun.

Leave on for 15 minutes then rinse off in the shower.

For the ultimate body treat, follow with Lazy body oil massaged into the skin.

Mango and honey are a rich source of vitamins A and C and are great for soothing and moisturising. Papaya and lemon are a source of papain enzymes, which help cleansing and conditioning, and the essential oils are good for giving you fresher, brighter looking skin.

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natural e x tracts Extracts are infusions made from fruit or vegetables, and you’ll need them for the next couple of recipes. They are very simple to make and they’ll keep for five days in a sterilised container in the fridge. You can use them in facial cleansers and masks, as in the following recipes, or just dab them on the face as a cooling, calming astringent.

To make, cut the fruit or vegetables into pieces, including the skin and seeds, and then pulp them by whizzing in a blender. Strain through a muslin into a sterilised jar and discard the leftover pulp.

Extracts: Strawberry, Pineapple, Cucumber, Orange and Celery.

H oney, Oat and M arigold Face M ask Use for: brightening, calming, moisturising and healing delicate skin Ingredients:

50g / 2oz oat mixture, made by mixing equal amounts of oats and hot water

2 tablespoons live yoghurt

1 tablespoon of strawberry extract

1 tablespoon of pineapple extract

1 tablespoon of runny honey

1 egg white

Marigold petals

Mix all the ingredients together, using more or less oats for a thicker or thinner mask. Spread evenly onto the face and leave for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. For extra potassium, vitamin C and iron, dab the skin with more strawberry extract to finish. The mask will keep for two days in the fridge.

C elery and cucumber facial cleanser Use for: cleansing, calming, brightening and refreshing skin Ingredients:

50ml / 2fl oz cucumber extract

50ml / 2fl oz celery extract

50ml / 2fl oz live yoghurt

100g / 3oz soaked or tinned chickpeas

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon of baking soda

Blend all the ingredients together, adding more or less chickpeas, depending on how creamy you like the mixture. Massage the cleanser onto the skin in circular motions, with cotton wool and a little warm water. Rinse off with cool water and complete by dabbing the face with more cucumber extract. This cleanser will last for three days in the fridge.

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C OW SH E D eye massage C OW SH E D eye massage

T he C owshed M orning- After Facial

Gru mp y C o w B ath a nd B ody Oil

1. Using your middle fingers and a medium pressure, circle around the eyes

L av e n d e r C le a n s er

three times.

R as p b e rry Fa c ia l Oil P a lma ro s a Ma s k

2. Press on the pressure points across the top of brow line and gently underneath

C h amo m ile To n er

the eye area as well. Do it three times.

J a s min e E y e B alm F ac ia l Mo is tu riser

3. Pinch and lift each eyebrow three times.

A s o ft c o tto n to w el A fla n n e l

4. Circle around the eyes inwards three times.

1. Fill your bathroom sink with warm water, adding a couple of drops of your

5. Gently apply pressure to temples for 20 seconds.

favourite Cowshed oil – we recommend Grumpy Cow to reinvigorate the senses.

Dampen your skin with the water, taking three deep breaths to inhale the

6. Leave the remaining facial oil on the skin and apply a generous amount

scented vapour.

of Palmarosa Face Mask to the entire face, avoiding the lip and eye areas.

2. Place 3 pumps of Lavender Cleanser in the palm of your hand and massage into

7. Place cotton pads dampened with cold Chamomile Toner over the eye area

the face and neck using circular motions.

and leave on skin for 10 minutes – keep your toner in the fridge for an added cooling benefit.

3. Use a warm, damp flannel to remove all traces of cleanser and repeat step 2. Use a soft cotton towel to pat your skin dry gently.

8. Remove all products with a warm, damp flannel. Apply Chamomile Toner with cotton pads to face and neck, patting it in with your fingers.

4. Apply a generous amount of Raspberry Facial Oil to the face and neck. Massage the oil into face and neck working in circular movements for 90 seconds.

9. Gently apply a pea-size amount of Jasmine Eye Balm under eye area and just below the brow line. Avoid eyelids as this can create puffiness.

10. Finally, apply your choice of moisturiser sparingly and focus on drier areas.

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creat I N G a fragrance There’s much more to creating a fragrance than just choosing things that smell nice and putting them all together.

Each new scent for our products is developed by our Cowshed ‘nose’, Richard Howard, and follows the same careful process every time. This is how he does it...

1. Character

to make people feel relaxed,

the scent. Each fragrance is

The first thing that I always think

invigorated or sensual? The other

made up of 3 ‘chords’, which is

about is the ‘character’ of the

is physical: do I want it to work

a group of about 2 to 10 essential

fragrance – so whether I want it to

best for dry or oily skin, or to

oils. The top ‘chord’ contains

smell citrussy, herbaceous, floral

correct any particular problem

the most volatile oils, the ‘heart

or musky.

with the skin? The answers help

chord’ should be more subtle, and

me to decide which essential oils

the ‘base chord’ acts as a fixative,

to choose next.

and will be the last of the aromas

2. Efficacy Then, I need to decide what

to come through. Once I’ve done

I want the scent to do, a process

3. Fragrance construction

this, and chosen all the oils for

that is divided into two parts.

At this stage, I start choosing the

each chord, then the fragrance

One is emotional: do I want it

essential oils that will make up

is complete.

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soho house properties Soho House (opened 1995) 40 Greek Street London W1D 4EB United Kingdom T: +44 (0)20 7734 5188 www.sohohouselondon.com

High Road House (opened 2006) 162-170 Chiswick High Road London W4 1PR United Kingdom T: +44 (0)20 8742 1717 house.highroadhouse.co.uk

Babington House (opened 1998) Babington near Frome Somerset BA11 3RW United Kingdom T: +44 (0) 1373 812266 www.babingtonhouse.co.uk

Shoreditch House (opened 2007) Ebor Street London E1 6AW United Kingdom T: +44 (0)20 7739 5040 www.shoreditchhouse.com

Electric House (opened 2001) 191 Portobello Road London W11 2ED United Kingdom T: +44 (0)20 7908 9696 www.electrichouse.com

Soho House Berlin (opened 2010) Torstraße 1 Berlin 10119 Germany T: +49 30 40 50 44 - 0 www.sohohouseberlin.com

Soho House New York (opened 2003) 29-35 Ninth Avenue New York NY 10014 United States T: +1 (212) 627 9800 www.sohohouseny.com

Soho Beach House Miami (opened 2010) 4385 Collins Avenue Miami Beach FL 33140 United States T: +1 (786) 507 7900 www.sohobeachhouse.com

Soho House West Hollywood (opened 2010) 9200 Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood CA 90069 United States T: +1 (310) 432 9200 www.sohohousewh.com Little House (opened 2012) 2 Queen Street London W1J 5PA United Kingdom T: +44 (0)20 7961 1200 www.littlehousemayfair.com Soho House Toronto (opened 2012) Bishop’s Building 192 Adelaide Street West Toronto ON M5H 0A4 Canada T: +1 (416) 599 7646 www.sohohousetoronto.com

Opening soon BARCELONA Istanbul Chicago

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