Walking through history - Food tours which tell the story of how food trends have evolved.

In 2022, we are delighted to announce a series of food tours, in partnership with John Harris (o-founder, Lets Confab), which not just explore the latest food trends emerging but also tell the story of how restaurants and food have evolved over the years.

London is a melting pot of excellence which combines the best of the old and the new. It is littered with food styles and restaurants which date back in history as well as new exciting concepts emerging all the time.

We are therefore delighted to announce a series of food tours to take place which include:

• A walk through history – the story of food from post-war London to the new concepts emerging through the pandemic.
• The rise of the healthy option – London today boasts a range of exceptional new concepts which illustrate healthy eating at its best.
• How have chefs evolved? There are a number of exciting new concepts emerging which illustrate how today talented chefs are engaging and connecting with their audiences in new ways. How are consumers responding? How are they seeking out new trends?

So much has changed and yet so little. Come and join the food tours and learn about the old and the future.

As for the future…
The Vegan Tour of London.

The vegan way of eating is the largest food movement in the world.

125,000 signed up for the Vegan diet in January 2021.

Some interesting illustrations:

The most vegan orders in 2020 were placed in Brighton, Bristol, London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

In January this year searches for Vegan food on Deliveroo went up by 153%

Veganism is said to be most popular among the younger generation.

One of the most interesting and fast-moving elements is Vegan Street food.

The best Mac N cheese, as voted for by Londoners 4 years running is made by House of Satin, a purely vegan small chain of Street food emporiums.

Our tour will take place featuring some of the best in the business.

The old the new and the influential.

Pellicci’s- East End institution Italian family-run café on Bethnal Green High Road since 1900. Renowned in the 1950’-60 as the unofficial base of the East London Boxing fraternity. The famous gyms where the training took place were just around the corner from the restaurant. The walls of this tiny café are adorned with many photographs of the best of the fighters of that time.

The Café serves a highbred of Traditional British, including their famous bubble and squeak mixed in with homely Italian, it’s not the River Café but they make great ravioli and their own take on Lasagne. It’s a family business, mama runs the kitchen while the kids serve the tables and make coffee.

The Old Fountain- pub Old Street. Has been In the same family since 1964. Traditional pub grub, well-made, but not modern gastropub food.

St John Bread and wine- Fergus Henderson is the brain behind the distinct food style of the small group of restaurants and bakeries trading under the St John banner. With a low profile, other than within the new wave of the London Restaurant scene. He has over a period of 30 years become one of the biggest influencers within the food world in London, New York, LA, Sydney Aukland and beyond.

Rochelle Canteen- Run by Margo Henderson Fergus Henderson wife. When Margo and Fergus first met he was a practising architect. Without Margo’s influence and subsequent training, Fergus may not have changed careers. They both worked together in the tiny kitchen of the French House in Soho.

Silo-The UK’s first and only zero Waste restaurant. The brainchild of Doughy McMaster. In his words, he created a restaurant with no bin. Focused on local produce, supplied in reusable packaging with nothing wasted. They make everything themselves, including their own butter, which means they have to find new and innovative ways of using the residue buttermilk from the process.

From The Ashes- By Frank, Curtis and Martin. Their resurrection after being made redundant from a Michelin starred restaurant at the beginning of the Pandemic. Starting from a hole in the wall restaurant in a car park in Hackney wick. They reinvented themselves, maintaining their great passion for food turning from Michelin to barbeque. Now famous for dishes like their slow roast pork shoulder in a doughnut. The menu features all things cooked long and slow over wood.