The Angel Hotel, Abergavenny
Elegant hotel and fine dining in South Wales
The Angel Hotel is a luxurious, family-run hotel located in the centre of Abergavenny. It’s just been included in The Sunday Times Top 100 Hotels. A former coaching inn, the hotel has offered hospitality to locals and travellers for nearly 200 years. The Griffiths family acquired the hotel in 2002 and have transformed it to the contemporary and stylish establishment it is today, offering warm hospitality and special touches to make guests’ experience extra special.
The 31 bedrooms and four self-contained cottages have sleek contemporary furnishings, Villeroy & Boch or Fired Earth bathrooms, and pocket-sprung mattress with silky Percale bed linens & extra fluffy towels. The public areas feature bespoke furniture and original art curated by Pauline Griffiths, who runs The Art Shop a few steps away.
Seasonal modern British food is served in the formal Oak Room dining room and Foxhunter Bar which offers a traditional ambience with a modern twist
The Horsehoes, Witney
A country pub, serving modern British pub food, part of a small group of independent pub restaurants.
The Horseshoes is a country pub, serving modern British pub food, set in the beautiful Oxfordshire market town of Witney. Part of the same independent group as The Hollybusy, The Horseshoes is a stylish contemporary pub serving an eclectic menu of pub classics using as much local produce as possible.
Owners, local lads, Luke Champion and Alex Vaughan aim to offer a proper pub atmosphere with warm hospitality, good beer, an interesting wine list.
The Hollybush, Witney
A modern dining pub set in the beautiful Oxfordshire market town of Witney.
The Hollybush is a modern dining pub in the Oxfordshire town of Witney on the edge of the Cotswolds. Part of a small group of independent pubs with includes The Horseshoes, the pub is owned and run by a young local team Luke Champion and Alex Vaughan who have cut their teeth in hospitality in London and come back to their home town.
Set in an 18th-century building with low ceilings and original beams; you'll get a good welcome, excellent local food and thoughtful wines and local ales. New head chef, Simon Bradley, has joined recently and creates inventive menus which are big on local seasonal produce. Bread and ice cream are all made at the pub. You’ll find reliable pub classics as well as more ambitious dishes.
The large outside space has plenty of tables as well as four luxurious dining houses for small groups - all fully heated and decorated with bespoke furniture and original art.
The Angel Bakery
Artisan bakery serving customers in Abergavenny and wholesale across South Wales.
The Angel Bakery is an artisan bakery serving customers in Abergavenny and wholesale across South Wales.
Jack & Beyond - cafe & cake shop, London
Creative online cake shop and cafe in Fulham
Jack & Beyond is a cake shop and café in Fulham, London which offers affordable bespoke and personalised cakes for delivery across London within 24 hours as well as nationwide delivery of gorgeous brownies and divine mince pies, macarons, cookies and more.
Jack &. Beyond launched in November 2019 not long before the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close their Fulham cafe and they drove them to develop a new online shop with products that could be delivered across the UK by courier. Through a successful PR campaign focussing on occasions such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day we have helped to build a successful online business with coverage in national newspapers and food & Lifestyle magazines. Back links to Jack & Beyond’s website from online coverage has been a huge bonus for SEO and helped improve their search rankings and driven traffic to the website. Fulop Gabor, founder of Jack & Beyond says:
“Polly is delivering exactly what we were looking for in terms of PR. We worked with two different PR agencies before we found Polly but neither hit the mark as Polly has.
She is always extremely responsive, understands the food & drink & hospitality businesses and has great contacts. Polly believes in our brand and potential as much as we do. Most importantly we couldn't have been happier with all the coverage with big newspapers such as The Telegraph, Daily Mail or Evening Standard. We are extremely happy with our partnership and couldn't be more excited about the future and our partnership with Polly.”
Celebration Cakes
Jack & Beyond launched in November 2019 with an online shop from which customers can fully personalise their cake for collection or London delivery. For customers looking for a totally bespoke cake, Jack & Beyond offer a personal consultation service to design something absolutely unique for your special occasion.
The talented team of bakers aim to bring creativity and playfulness to all the cakes which are less sweet than many others on the market and include classics like Coffee & Walnut and Lemon Cake to the more playful and unusual Chai Layer Cake or Vegan Coconut Chocolate Cake. Red Velvet Cake is the bestselling cake with its distinctive red hue, it’s irresistibly light in texture with a subtle chocolate flavour. There are also tarts and pies including Cheesecake Crumble topped with seasonal fruit; Mango & Passionfruit Tart; and Peanut & Chocolate Pie.
Jack & Beyond’s cakes are all made with top-quality ingredients including free-range eggs and British dairy and decorated with the freshest ingredients like creamy mascarpone or vanilla frosting and topped with appealing finishes like fresh raspberry jam or dairy-free ganache.
Brownies & Mince Pies for nationwide delivery
Gorgeous brownies made with Callebaut chocolate and finished with stunning cream cheese swirls can be delivered nationwide as can a range of seasonal mince pies made melt-in-the-mouth butter pastry and fragrant and fruity homemade vegetarian mincemeat.
Fulham Café and Cake Shop
All Jack & Beyond’s cakes are handmade in their kitchen on Fulham Road, SW6 just a few minutes walk from Parson’s Green station. The café is also open as a café seven days a week for breakfast, brunch and afternoon tea as well as cocktails and Prosecco until early evening at the weekend. Brunch dish such as Chorizo Beans, Pain Perdu or vegan Coconut Chia Pudding.
If you have a sweet tooth and in the mood to celebrate the Bottomless Cake & Fizz or Bottomless Brunch is your dream come true. Indulge in free-flowing bubbles, white wine or beer and as many slices of homemade cake and tart as you eat. So far the record is 8 slices of cake in one sitting!
Passionate Team
Jack & Beyond was founded by Fulop Gabor who was previously manager of Konditor in Borough Market and has worked in the bakery / café his whole career. He is joined by pastry chefs Corrine Jones (previously Pastry Chef at Le Pont de la Tour) and Sophia Zimmer (ex Konditor). Many of the recipes were developed by development chef Daniel Fletcher, who has worked in Michelin-star restaurant and for M&S.
The Cookaway
The Cookaway is an exciting new range of chef-led recipe boxes featuring authentic recipes from around the world to make cooking at home a real adventure.
The Cookaway is ideal for home-cooks who love to cook, discover and learn - a little different to other recipe boxes which are often focussed on time and convenience. Authenticity, flavour and quality of ingredients are at the heart of The Cookaway which features five chefs who each specialise in different regional recipes from Indian to Italian, Spanish to Japanese, with more cuisines to come. Menus are rooted in their heritage and come with authentic top-quality ingredients so that home cooks can discover unusual and adventurous dishes and learn new techniques.
With no subscription required you are free to order whatever you want, whenever you want, and to try the menus with no commitment giving customers greater flexibility and the option to send a box as a gift. Each box contains one menu rather than a series of individual meals all using healthy, top quality ingredients from trusted suppliers. The full range of menus is always available so you can return to your favourites again and again or try something new. Finally, each recipe is completely transparent with its ingredients meaning that cooks can recreate the recipes for yourself.
The Cookaway’s head nutritionist, May Simpkin, works with the chefs in the development of their recipe to ensure each menu includes plenty of fresh vegetables and a good balance of protein and slow release carbohydrates. She also has developed her own range of Healthy menus for The Cookaway.
The Cookaway launched in autumn 2019, and a new more user-friendly website launched recently alongside two new cuisines Japanese and Spanish. Founder Nidhi Verma says: “We were inspired to launch The Cookaway because we wanted to put the joy of cooking back into the recipe box experience. We’ve tried to evolve the traditional business model and to create a foodie adventure in a box which appeals to people who enjoy cooking and love to discover world cuisines and learn from chefs they can trust. Our customers love the excitement of taking a journey into different world cuisines, discovering unusual ingredients, and learning new skills guided by our specialist chefs, just as they would from reading a recipe book.”
Since the Covid-19 pandemic and lock-down in the UK, the business has seen a significant increase in sales as cooking and eating together has become a focus of people’s lives, as some people have more time to cook and are seeking something more exciting and fun than their usual repertoire of recipes.
Nidhi adds: “We launched The Cookaway last autumn to a great response from customers, but since lock-down began at the end of March we’ve seen a real spike in interest. Not only does The Cookaway offer all the convenience of a home-delivery and access to fresh, healthy and unusual ingredients without having to visit a supermarket, but our boxes bring families and friends together to enjoy the cooking process as much as eating the meal. We’ve even seen friends and family buying boxes for video cook-alongs and date nights.”
The Sun Inn, Dedham
Fabulous food and rooms on the Essex/Suffolk border
“Polly has worked with me on The Sun Inn and Church Street Tavern since 2017. Her remit was to undertake PR on the back of The Sun Inn’s January 2018 refurbishment and increase occupancy in its guest rooms. At Church Street Tavern it was to seek opportunities to extend its reach to a wider audience. She has done all extremely successfully with a measurable increase in our room occupancy particularly. Polly is fast, diligent, keeps me informed of what she is focusing on and never fails to follow up. Her advice is valued on where/when/how to pitch ideas/events/offers. As an added bonus, she is meticulous on copy, a pedant on detail and captures the right tone for us. I thoroughly enjoy working with her, find her easy going and highly recommend her.”
In the heart of Constable Country on the Essex Suffolk border, The Sun Inn has been a watering hole for villagers and resting post for travellers for centuries. These days, it offers a convivial welcome to locals and visitors to Dedham Vale. The Sun Inn is an ideal spot to revive yourself with a pint of craft beer, an Italian-inspired meal, a tasty bar snack, or a good night’s sleep. Independently owned and run since 2003 by Piers Baker, this year The Sun Inn celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2018.
The Sun Inn is a proper coaching inn with an elm bar, an open beamed dining room, oak floors, a snug oak-panelled lounge. You will find open fires to keep warm by in the winter, and a peaceful garden and terrace to enjoy in the summer. After a major refurbishment in January 2018, there are bold colours, rich fabrics and bespoke furniture. The mood is congenial, relaxed and family-friendly, with jazz and Latin American background music adding to the appeal. There are newspapers to read, board games to play, and the panelled lounge has deep sofas to sink into.
The Sun Inn is renowned for fabulous seasonal food, inspired by Italy. Head Chef Jack Levine creates robust dishes that are big on flavour. The menu changes monthly and features classic pasta and risotto dishes: crab ravioli; squid with chilli and garlic; as well as more hearty main courses including game in season, rare-breed meat and day-boat landed fish. The menu always offers three cuts of British rare-breed steaks to suit every wallet – skirt, sirloin and prime bone-in-rib and on Sunday’s there’s a generous roast with seasonal changing accompaniments.
Puddings also have an Italian twist such as Espresso Semifreddo, Burnt Meringue, Caramel, Hazelnuts and feature seasonal fruit like Blood Orange Chocolate Mousse.
A new bar menu launched in January for this seeking something more casual to snack on in the characterful bar or the comfortable and cosy lounge. Enjoy a Coronation Sutton Hoo Chicken Sandwich, steamed mussels with Aspall cider or a charcuterie platter to share with friends or indulge in Jack’s Snack based on chef Jack’s midnight fridge raid.
Head Chef, Jack Levine says ‘Cooking with the seasons is very important to us - everything tastes better in its natural season and gets to us quicker so it’s fresher. Our area has a long tradition and perfect climate for growing fruit like apples and raspberries which arrive in our kitchen on the day they are picked. It almost goes without saying that we source produce locally when we can, but first and foremost ingredients have to taste great, if it doesn’t we look further afield.”
Drinks are just as important as the food and are sourced from producers who are as passionate about what they do - ales from Crouch Vale Brewery or Adnams and an eclectic award winning wine list brimming with rare treats.
Seven beautiful en-suite bedrooms, all individually decorated with sumptuous beds and luxurious linen retain their centuries-old character and are a perfect place to unwind. Rooms at the front overlook the beautiful church while those at the back enjoy views over the garden. Breakfast (which is also available to non-residents) includes the classics smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and a fry-up with local sausages and bacon as well as more unusual spinach and mushroom omelette with smoked cheese.
The village of Dedham and the countryside around it has changed little since it was immortalised by John Constable in the 18th century, yet it’s under two hours drive from London. Opposite the striking St Mary’s Church, visitors can explore the pretty village with its patchwork of colourful houses, or borrow bikes, hire a boat to explore the Stour Valley or take a gentle stroll to Flatford Mill.
Fox & Hounds, Hunsdon
Independent gastro-pub and events venue, Hertfordshire
The Fox & Hounds, Hunsdon is a modern European restaurant and pub set in the Hertfordshire countryside. It is the only Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in the county.
Head chef and owner, James Rix, serves imaginative food with rustic Italian and French influences. James previously worked alongside chefs Gary Rhodes and Alastair Little, and was head chef at Tom Conran’s The Cow in Notting Hill. Driven by a desire to open their own restaurant outside London, In 2004 James and and his wife, Bianca who runs the front of house, fell in love with and opened the striking Fox & Hounds, lovingly restoring it to create the stylish restaurant and pub you see today.
The simple but sophisticated menu features creative seasonal food with seasonal ingredients including light dishes like Crab Taco with mango salsa and hand-made spaghetti with clams to Swaledale Lamb Rump and Old Spot Pork Loin. Ingredients are carefully sourced including rare-breed meat, native Cornish lobsters and local game.
The Fox & Hounds is stylishly decorated with eclectic furniture, quirky art and shelves full of James’ favourite recipe books. The light and spacious dining room is perfect for private parties from weddings to family gatherings or business events, while the terrace and garden are a peaceful spot to relax in the summer.
Gareth Ward at Ynyshir
Michelin-star restaurant and rooms in Wales
Ynyshir is a Michelin star, 5 AA* rosette restaurant and rooms in Wales. Chef Owner, Gareth Ward, is the Good Food Guide’s Chef of the Year 2019 and regularly cited as one of the most exciting chefs in the country.
Gareth Ward’s philosophy is ‘Ingredient Led, Flavour Driven, Fat Fuelled, Meat Obsessed’. Ynyshir is all about great food, great music and amazing drinks. Ward describes it as: ‘fun dine’ rather than ‘fine dine’.Ward is passionate about using the best British ingredients to create dining experiences rather than just a meal. He doesn’t adhere to traditional culinary rules with every small dish taking you on a journey of flavours, textures and ingredients.
Chef Gareth Ward is passionate about using the best ingredients including local meat, foraged herbs and berries - for example tapping all the birch in their grounds to make syrup or the whole team taking a day out to harvest and preserve wild garlic for the year ahead. He is also known for his use of Japanese techniques and ingredients like miso, dashi, mirin and soy which enable him to get as much flavour as possible out of the other ingredients while keeping the dishes light. Ward is renowned for his dedication to ageing meat to improve its flavour and texture and Ynyshir is the first restaurant in the UK to have a fully-wrap around Himalayan Salt Chamber.
Tucked away between the golden sands of Borth Beach and the rugged mountains of Snowdonia National Park in Wales, Ynyshir’s location makes it the perfect remote escape for food lovers looking for a completely unique culinary experience. The dining experience takes guests on a creative journey through Wales and the British Isles, surprising and delighting their taste buds with every dish.
Bia Rebel Ramen
Ramen shop and take-away in Belfast
Bia Rebel Ramen is a small casual restaurant and take-away in Belfast which fuses the best Irish produce with Japanese cuisine to create addictive bowls of “authentic Irish ramen”. With plans to open a second site in the city in 2020, founders Brian Donnelly and Jenny Holland have brought us in to help raise their profile in the UK media, to grow the Bia Rebel brand and tell Brian’s inspiring story.
‘Bia’ means food in Irish and founders chef Brian Donnelly and his partner Jenny Holland are true their name rebelling against formal fine dining and cheap fast food. They aim to create “food that touches your soul” at affordable prices in an informal setting. It’s their passion for delivery and ability to execute it that sets Bia Rebel apart. “We want to create an eating experience that is comforting, nourishing and at the same time exciting and totally unique.”
Winners of the Observer Food Monthly Cheap Eats Award in 2018, Bia Rebel opened only a few months earlier in March 2018. With just 12 seats and take-away, Bia Rebel locals, students and even Japanese families come in for fast nourishing bowl of ramen.
Brian started working in kitchens aged just 13 spending most of his career in Michelin-star restaurants led by the likes of Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsey and Kevin Thornton and the creator of Irish cuisine Myrtle Allen at Ballymaloe. By 2017 he needed to step away from the stress of working in fine dining restaurants and Jenny convinced him that the time was right to open their own place. After a year of trialling concepts at Belfast’s St George’s Market, they hit on ramen.
Brian says: “We decided to focus on just one product and hit upon the iconic Japanese noodle which is loved across the world. We’re not trying to be Japanese. We’re an Irish restaurant. It just so happens this wonderful, perfect dish we’re making is considered Japanese. Provided you adhere to basic building blocks you can make it what you want.”
Brian quickly found out that it was impossible to source fresh noodles here so set his mind to perfecting his own recipe. He says “Our noodles are made by hand from just a few ingredients - it’s a pure process that takes huge commitment and dedication.”
Jenny says: “We see Ireland and Japan as two island nations with so much wonderful produce to choose from. We chose our suppliers carefully, and use small farmers and independent producers as much as possible. You won’t find produce of this quality and this price anywhere else.”
Church Street Tavern, Essex
Restaurant and bar in Colchester
Church Street Tavern is a chic and contemporary bar and restaurant in the centre of Colchester that prides itself on being a local hub - a place to chat over an afterwork cocktail or a morning coffee to celebrate with friends over dinner or gather wit family for Sunday roast. Church Street Tavern is consistently rated one of the best places to eat in Colchester and is the only restaurant in town with a Michelin Plate, and two AA Rosettes.
“A handsome, big-boned townhouse just off the main shopping drag which combines the warmth and hospitality of the traditional tavern with serious cooking..” Tracey MacLeod, The Independent
Refreshingly when high streets are dominated by chains, Church Street Tavern is independently owned by Piers Baker, who also owns The Sun Inn, Dedham. Baker has lovingly restored in grand Victorian savings bank, bringing it up-to-date without losing any of its delightful character. Step inside and you'll discover an elegant interior, rustic oak wooden flooring and an assortment of comfortable upholstered seating as well as wonderful artwork from Essex artist, Philippa Dow.
Baker says: “Taverns are a rich part of our heritage - a place to meet and do business. We wanted to create a Tavern for the 21st century - a place to meet, have fun, enjoy good food and drink and be well looked after.”
The downstairs bar is a casual affair with sofas and stools, café tables and counters. The bar menu, served downstairs and upstairs on weekday lunchtimes, stars rare-breed burgers, a seasonal salad and a regular pasta dish.
Upstairs the light-filled dining room is a perfect place for a business lunch or gathering with family and friends. The lunch and dinner menu features an unusual selection of lighter including steamed mussels, Caeser salad and more substantial dishes like Highfield’s Farm Duck Breast and steak aged for a minimum of 45 days and from rare breed animals. Vegetarians will enjoy dishes like Roast Crown Squash, Mushroom Orzo, Kale andChestnut Pesto - a vegan menu is available. Jannsson’s Temptation, a classic Swedish potato dish, is a popular alternative to fries. Sunday roasts are flavourful and generous.
Menus change monthly with the seasons and where possible meat, fish and vegetables are all sourced locally, including Sutton Hoo Chicken, rare-breed beef and fish from Mersea day boats.
To wash it down, there is a cracking selection of beers and ciders (both bottled and draft) and premium spirits. There is an exceptional and extensive wine list chosen for their distinct flavour, and made with respect for the vine as well as the environment. The eclectic cocktails list features classics, created and mixed with care.
Waste Knot
Reducing food waste has been one of the hot topics of the year but it’s not a new issue. After 10 years’ experience in the fresh produce industry, Jess Latchford witnessed the colossal amount of produce being cast aside for the sake of aesthetics alone. She founded Waste Knot works with farmers and logistics providers, delivering their second class produce to those who care for the environment and are willing to pay for produce including restaurants and caterers.
Waste Knot helps make the connection between farms that have surplus produce that may not meet strict, cosmetic criteria and those who can put it to good use. The scale of this colossal problem has reached unthinkable levels.
Waste Knot is involved throughout the majority of the supply chain; working closely with the farmers when the produce is still in the fields, to those handling the produce throughout packaging and transport, to the wholesalers receiving the produce and distributing it, through to the end-users and chefs using the produce in their dishes.
Jess has exciting plans for Waste Knot in 2020 and has brought us in to help tell her story and raise awareness of what she’s doing in the media. We will be working on building collaborations with chefs to highlight the issues of food waste. We will also work on raising Jess’s profile as a thought leader on how businesses can make changes through writing opinion pieces and speaking at events and conferences.
Turnips Borough
Turnips Borough is a retailer and wholesaler of fruit and vegetables dedicated to sourcing and supplying the freshest, most flavourful produce. The range, quality and freshness of produce from heritage tomatoes to speciality mushrooms and exotic fruit they sell from their stall at Borough Market is amongst the best you will find.
Turnips is run by the two generations of the Foster family, founded by Fred and Caroline in the 1980s. Now Charles and Frederica Foster have joined the family business and are driving it forward for the future with a pioneering approach to reducing food waste. Turnips has supplied produce to top London restaurants and chefs since the 1980s. In the early 1990s the wholesale business moved to Borough Market and became the first trader to start selling to the public when the market first opened to shoppers in the mid 1990s. Today Turnips is open 6 days a week and offers a 24/7 service to restaurants including La Gavroche, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester and Bagatelle.
Turnips Kitchen is a vegetable-led street food business which takes fruit and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste and turns it into delicious juice and street food which is sold from Borough Market, Greenwich Market and other pop-up and temporary sites including Vinegar Yard, near London Bridge.
Turnips Kitchen came about from the family’s commitment to reducing waste of fruit and vegetables from the stall that while still perfectly good, could not be sold.
The Foster family have brought me in to refine and communicate the Turnips story and demonstrate their expertise; to introduce the ‘next generation’ and build their profile within the business and build brand awareness through social media communications including a new brand, new website, improved social media and a targeted media relations campaign.
Binary Botanical
“As a small start-up brand we could not have asked for a better partner in Polly. Well respected and connected in the food and drink industry Polly is able to get the impossible done with a limited budget.
In addition, because we were new to the world of PR, the guidance to develop our communication strategy and honest feedback when we were going on a tangent was invaluable.
I would highly recommend Polly to anyone looking for a ‘partner’ rather than ‘supplier’ which is a rare find.”
Binary Botanical, a sophisticated light beer for wine-lovers created by Good Living Brew Company. This superior refreshing beer with a tangy prosecco-like taste, was created by a team of women with years’ of experience of the brewing industry, shared frustration of wanting a moderate alcoholic beverage – yet not enjoying the traditional bitter taste of beer.
binary botanical launched in summer 2018 and was listed by Ocado in May 2019. It is also available in independent retailers including Harvey Nichols and a number of bars and restaurants including Tramshed Shoreditch and L’Ortolan.
While most beers are brewed using hop cones, binary botanical is infused for five days with organic leaves from Sovereign and First Gold hop bines, the name given to the stems of the hop plant. And while hops impart a bitterness that isn’t for everyone, hop bine leaves add a unique flavour.
Good Living Brew Company asked me to help them distill their complex messaging to engage with customers in both the retail and bar/restaurant environment. I am now supporting their Ocado launch with a targeted PR campaign to the trade and consumer press.
PX+ Festival
PX+ Festival
17-19 August, 2019
PX+ Festival is a unique event for the hospitality industry which gives people working in the sector the opportunity to create, share, discuss and celebrate. It is created for the industry, by the industry
PX+ Festival brings together top chefs, farmers, bakers, butchers, makers, suppliers and producers to create for a weekend-long event held at Duchess Farms in Hertfordshire.
PX+ Festival is the spark to launch real change – not only for the way we work, but also how we support and look out for each other. It’s a chance to join discussions in the “Let’s Talk About It” Barn, share thoughts and plan actions; to take part in workshops and rest and rejuvenate with yoga and massage as well as kick back to the sounds of live music and guest DJs.
In its first year PX+ hosted over 230 headline acts from restaurants, hotels, cafes, and suppliers to the industry alongside 30 of the UK’s top chefs. In 2019 the event will be even bigger.
pxplusfestival.com
Le Café du Marché, London
Renowned as an atmospheric and convivial French restaurant, Le Café du Marché has been open for three decades and is still family-run. Tucked away down a cobbled mews in historic Smithfield, it is one of the oldest restaurants in the area. Downstairs a characterful restaurant serves authentic French cuisine, while upstairs is a unique private dining room - perfect for parties, dinners, corporate events and wedding celebrations.
The regularly changing à la carte menu uses the best fresh and seasonal ingredients, features daily specials and ever popular dishes such as la cote de boeuf with sauce béarnaise; braised beef bourguignon and celeriac puree; mousse au chocolat and classic French cheese and wine.
The ground floor restaurant saw extensive renovation during 2017 to open up the previously separate café. The space retains the bare brick walls and beams of this former warehouse and coach house for neighbouring Charterhouse. The atmosphere is that of a traditional French brasserie, with live jazz in the evenings. In the summer tables spill out onto the pavement.
The high-ceilinged first-floor private dining room, Le Grenier “the attic”, has large windows and characterful oak panelling, creating a light and rustic French atmosphere in the centre of London. The room is self-contained with its own entrance, bar, toilets, and kitchen. The light and airy space seats up to 62 people for lunch or dinner and up to 120 for canapés but is also cosy enough to suit smaller groups too.
Downstairs, Le Rendezvous seats up to 35 and benefits from the background live jazz that plays in the main restaurant. The whole restaurant can be hired for parties of 150 to 300 people.
Chef: Andrew Sheridan
Andrew Sheridan is an up and coming chef who represented Wales on Great British Menu in 2018 and was branded ‘the maverick chef’ for his unconventional approach. He scored a couple of 10s from Paul Ainsworth and the other judges.
Sosban is housed in striking Victorian Pumphouse close to the sea at Llanelli. Since he arrived in autumn last year, he’s transformed the food leading on tasting menus which play with intriguing flavours, textures and temperatures.
Sosban is one of the most exciting restaurants in Wales. Andrew and his team create menus that connect diners with each dish either through memories, taste or seasons. Andrew cooks with flair and imagination, combining bold flavours with intriguing textures and temperatures to create a memorable experience all served in a relaxed environment.
Andrew believes that each dish should tell a story - torched mackerel for example, is reminiscent of barbecuing fresh fish on the beach. He says “My philosophy is simple: I use the best possible ingredients to create dishes that emphasise seasonal flavours and excite the palate. Whether that is the freshest seafood, seasonal fruit and vegetables or the best quality meat, every item on the menu is meticulously sourced and each plate is designed to intrigue and excite our diners.”
Sosban is becoming renowned for its four- and seven-course tasting menus (with vegetarian versions). The menu features some of Andrew’s signature dishes such as Cod Five Ways, cabbage puree, salt and vinegar chips; and Pembrokeshire Goat, torched cucumber, caramelised goats cheese and wild garlic and his elevated apple rice-pudding made famous when it scored 10 points from judges on the Great British Menu.
Hodmedod
Hodmedod was founded in 2012 by Nick Saltmarsh, Josiah Meldrum and William Hudson after they realised the absurdity of the British relationship with pulses: most of the UK’s beans are exported to the Middle East and Northern Africa, while most of the pulses consumed within the UK are imported from abroad. They decided to do something about this and started working with local producers of fava beans, a bean which has been grown in Britain since the Iron Age but little eaten here in recent centuries. After successfully bringing British-grown Fava beans to the market, with a highly favourable response from individuals, retailers and caterers, they started to explore other British varieties of beans and peas, as well as cereals like lentils, quinoa, chia and grains like naked barley.
Hodmedod works with a network of farmers to source and sell both organic and conventionally farmed peas, beans and British quinoa online and through independent retailers and farm shops.
In 2016 Hodmedod won multiple awards:
BBC Food & Farming Awards Best Producer 2017
Soil Association Boom Award 2016 - Best overall product in Pantry category
Delicious Magazine: Winner, From the Field 2016
Suffolk Greenest County - Food & Drink category 2016
Great Taste Awards - British Quinoa, Carlin Peas and Yellow Split Pea Flour, Organic Naked Barley and many other products.
Reliquum
“Polly has worked with us for a number of years, launching and supporting a number of products and supporting our senior and commercial teams. Polly has ensured we have reached above and beyond our aspired customer base and delivered great value for money. We look forward to continuing to work with Polly in the future. She brings with invaluable PR & Marketing savvy beyond the brief and is a pleasure to work with.”
Every year 10-16% of fruit and vegetables grown on UK farms is wasted - that’s 22,000-37,000 tones and enough to feed 200,000 people*. Third generation Essex-farmer and fruit-grower, Pete Thompson is determined to create a more sustainable way of farming, finding new uses for the apples, pears, apricots and plums grown on his Essex farm, but which haven’t made the grade required by retailers.
Thompson has launched RELIQUUM LONDON DRY GIN which uses an eau de vie made from apples grown in the farm’s orchards which would otherwise go to waste. Botanicals include Calamondin an unusual citrus fruit which is also grown on the farm The result is an exceptionally smooth citrusy gin and mellowed with the floral sweetness of apple which is made in partnership with Master Distiller, Dr John Walters from the English Spirit Distillery. The name Reliquum comes from Latin and means “All that remains”.
Two other spirits join the Reliquum range: RELIQUUM PLUM a sophisticated spirit of London Dry Gin blended with Lizzie plums to produce a bright sharp spirit with an almond after-taste; and RELIQUUM APRICOT which blends London Dry with tree-ripened apricots for a smooth taste with the distinct aroma of ripe apricots. The fruit is grown in traditional orchards and left to naturally ripen to develop the fullest flavour. Nothing else is added and nothing taken away.
Reliquum founder, Pete Thompson says: “We are very proud of this London Dry Gin, but it is only the first step in our journey towards creating a genuine single estate gin, using ingredients entirely sourced from the fields and orchards of our farm, here in Great Oakley on the north eastern tip of coastal Essex.”
Master Distiller, Dr John Walters of the English Spirit Distillery says: “We pride ourselves on producing the best spirits anywhere in the country and this means partnering with the best growers. We are delighted to work alongside Thompson's and develop their world class product.”
Cotchel
“A FANTASTIC PRODUCER - BEAUTIFUL JUICE, EACH VARIETY DISTINCT, DELICIOUS, UNIQUE.” Michel Roux Jr
Every year tonnes of fruit are wasted around the country because it’s too big, too small or too ugly to be sold.
Cotchel was founded by third generation farmer Pete Thompson, who is on a mission to reduce food waste. The family have been growing fruit and vegetables for markets, greengrocers and restaurants on their farm in Essex since 1948. They select and grow apples, pears, apricots, plums and figs for the best flavour.
Cotchel is a new range of four distinct juices made with apples and pears grown, pressed and bottled in Essex. Cotchel is all about creating a great tasting fruit juice using fruit that can’t be sold and taking small steps towards reducing food waste.
Cotchel is market-traders’ slang for the bits 'n' bobs left over at the end of the week. Needless to say, Cotchel always tastes good!
The orchards are abundant with wildlife. As farmers, they believe it is their duty to care for the land for the benefit of future generations.