Dear friends,
This dispatch of Gemma Bell and Company happenings comes to you from our newly launched Substack. By migrating here, we hope to build a more interactive channel of conversation and to communicate more frequently and intimately with you, our fellow hospitality workers and food-aligned readers.
Every first Wednesday of the month we’ll be sharing an overview of client news and highlights from the past few weeks. Then, later on in the month, we’ll be delivering shorter musings on trends and topics of interest, with different team members sharing their point of view.
In today’s newsletter we’re looking back to some of our favourite moments from a non-stop June - a month that never fails to be intense - and celebrating excellent events, once-in-a-lifetime trips and seriously hot openings.
May July bring more sunshine and, regardless of the unreliable weather, plenty of £3.50 vermouths enjoyed al fresco.
TEAM TRIPS
Gallivanting to Gallifet
Gregor and Pani spent two days in Aix-en-Provence soaking up the beauty of the Gallifet experience. The effortlessly chic 18th-century Provençal mansion-cum-contemporary art centre and garden restaurant in the heart of Aix is the perfect place to while away long, warm afternoons, a true sanctuary of dappled sunlight with a masterful menu by Josh Dallaway and wines chosen by Sinead Murdoch. Don’t miss the selection of works currently on show from the prestigious Collection Yvon Lambert, featuring iconic artists Nan Goldin, Anselm Kiefer, Jenny Holzer, Sol LeWitt and more. A must-visit if you find yourself in Marseille soon – and don’t forget to order a Mauresque, the drink you need to try this summer.
The annual Fête du Vin
Gemma, Jess and Chanelle enjoyed an idyllic four days in La Livinière for St. JOHN’s annual Fête Du Vin. The trip began with a tour of Boulevard Napoleon, sampling brooding and complex Carignan and ‘serious Cinsault’, and learning about the widely adored Grenache Gris. There was the annual trip to Narbonne market to pick up local delicacies and, as a former butcher, Jess helped prepare the quails for the big day. A feast of St. JOHN classics - Lamb’s brains & Green Sauce, Grilled Quails with Green Beans & Mustard, and Cherries on ice - was washed down with chilled Beausoleil rosé and Boulevard Napoleon favourites. Dreamy as ever.
Exploring Fonda’s foundations
Harriet travelled to Mexico with Chef Santiago Lastra and his team to discover the culinary and cultural inspiration behind his upcoming restaurant, Fonda. Exploring Mexico City through food, the trip featured pastries and traditional coffee from Panaderia Rosetta, masterclasses in tamale making and corn nixtamalisation, a quick pit stop to the only Michelin-starred taqueria, and a visit to the city’s most famous culinary institution, Contramar. Culture played a large part in the trip too, with visits to M.A Studio and the workshop of Fernando Laposse whose bespoke artwork will be on display in Fonda. Outside the city, a visit to Santiago’s home town of Cuernavaca saw him reunited with his mum at his favourite fonda and a morning spent at a local food market for a breakfast of quesadillas, tacos and micheladas.
DINNERS AND EVENTS
National Restaurant Awards
One of the industry’s most well-attended nights of the year, this year’s NRAs were no different. A huge congratulations to our clients Brooklands by Claude Bosi, St. JOHN, Sabor, Grace & Savour, and Wilsons who made it onto this year’s top 100 restaurants in the UK.
Westholme’s Standing Feast
We worked with the superstar event producers Care of Chan to curate the chef line up and guest list for a blow out party to introduce Westholme to London’s hospitality community. Guests were treated to divine cooking from three of our city’s most creative chefs with dishes like Cynthia Shanmugalingam’s Jaffna-style ribeye and anchovy, Lee Tiernan’s Smoked brisket and green chilli relish and Seb Myer’s Rump cap and hazelnuts and Caesar’s mushrooms to name but a few. A party to remember, hosted at the inimitable Carousel in Fitzrovia.
DISH turns two
Jen and Gemma celebrated two years of the DISH podcast with Angela, Nick, S:E Creative Studio and the Waitrose team. Every week, the pair engage an esteemed dinner party guest, from Stanley Tucci to Miriam Margolyes, in hilarious conversation. Stanley’s invite to the party must have got lost in the post, but nonetheless, everyone had an excellent evening with the ever-gracious Cafe Murano hospitality and Angela Hartnett wines on pour.
The Peninsula London Grand Opening
Lily and Gemma attended The Peninsula London’s Grand Opening Party to officially celebrate the launch of the hotel last week. A party that featured an endless supply of Dom Pérignon and caviar, served to the tune of the London Philharmonic Orchestra – an evening of ultimate luxury.
akub’s Cook for Palestine
After a sell-out supper club on 17th June in collaboration with Zaytoun, akub and Chef Fadi Kattan will be co-hosting additional dinners in the coming months to raise vital funds for the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
On 15th July they will collaborate with premium Palestinian spirit Arak from Muaddi Distillery. Tickets are £150 per person and can be purchased at akub or on their website with 30% of tickets going to Medical Aid Palestine, Anera, and Amos Trust.
NEW OPENINGS
Permit Room, Cambridge
Permit Room Cambridge opened its doors on 20th June, paying homage to Bombay's permit rooms, beer bars, and drinking spots from the 1960s and 1970s.
The Permit Room is an all-day bar-café that offers delicious breakfasts, seriously good bar snacks, moreish curries, larger plates to share, and sweet things to end your meal. There’s a knock-out line-up of cocktails to wash it down, all taking cues from the colourful history of drinking in Bombay.
Tollington’s, Stroud Green
Tollington's - the new Iberian-style fish bar from Ed McIlroy of the Four Legs team - is now open in Finsbury Park. Reservations can now be made online here.
Taking over an old fish and chip restaurant, Tollington's takes its inspiration from Spanish coastline dining, offering a regularly changing menu of cured, fresh and fried fish and seafood, alongside cuts of meat and a selection of drinks.
OUR MARKETING + CREATIVE SHOOTS
Sabor’s La Mesa
Toby and Kate recently shot La Mesa at Sabor, capturing its vibrant atmosphere. Meaning ‘the table’ in Spanish, La Mesa offers up to 10 guests the unique opportunity to enjoy some of the restaurant’s most iconic dishes. La Mesa is all about having fun with shared plates and great company, where sangria and conversation flow freely. So much so, that Toby chose to celebrate his birthday there last month too.
The Peninsula London’s Canton Blue
Chanelle and Ola Smit shot at Canton Blue a few weeks ago, capturing the carving of the iconic Peking Duck which is, in Gemma’s words, the best thing on the menu, served deep-fried with barbecue sauce and black sesame.
More from us here soon and updates over on our Instagram in the meantime.
Love,
Gemma Bell and Company
Welcome to Substack GBC!!