Bocca Lounge
South Kensington
- Role
- Interim chef for the opening
- When
- January to May 2022
New
A brand new restaurant, set up from its first menus.
- Set up the set and seasonal menus
- Trained the new chefs
- Created the launch canapés
What I do
Opening a restaurant
From an empty room to a full first service. I set up the menu, the recipes and the team, then stand on the pass when the doors open.
You are invited to
Opening night
at your restaurant
- For
- First-time founders and new sites
- Length
- Agreed at the start
- Ends
- When your team runs it
How it runs
The road to opening night.
Five stages, each with something you keep.
-
Before the fit-out
Menu and kitchen
We talk about your room, your guests and the covers you expect. I write the first menu and check the kitchen layout and kit against it, before the money is spent.
You get
A first menu, and notes on the kitchen plan
I need from you
Your idea, the floor plan, your budget
-
Weeks before opening
Recipes, costs and suppliers
Every dish is tested, written down and priced. I set up suppliers, ordering and stock so the kitchen can buy for the menu you will actually cook.
You get
Recipe cards, a costed and priced menu, suppliers in place
I need from you
Tastings, and a yes on prices
-
The final weeks
Hiring and training
I help you hire chefs and juniors, then train them on every dish until it looks the same from every cook.
You get
A team that can cook the menu
I need from you
Time for training before the doors open
-
Opening week
On the pass
For the first services I am on the pass with your team, calling the orders and fixing problems as they come.
You get
Launch dishes and canapés, a calm first service
I need from you
Your floor team ready alongside
-
After opening
Handing back the keys
I stay until ordering, stock and waste have a routine your head chef owns. Then I step back.
You get
Routines and notes for your head chef
I need from you
A head chef to hand over to
Openings
A kitchen I opened.
Your questions
Before you reply.
How long does an opening take?
It depends on the room and how ready the kitchen is. We agree the stages and the dates at the start, so you always know what comes next.
Do I need a head chef already?
Not at the start. I can help you hire one, and the opening is built so that person takes over from me.
Can you work on a site outside London?
Yes. Tell me where the site is and we plan the visits around the opening.