London pub opens up kitchen for aspiring chefs to make their names

Food Spectrum launched today (6 August) at the Endurance pub in Soho to help driven chefs and restaurateurs without the means of setting up their own site.

Each chef, starting with experimental duo Blanch & Shock, will move into the kitchen for one month for a free rein over the menu.

There will be a lunch service from Monday to Friday with dishes on offer chosen by the resident chef. Saturdays will see a full-day service with taster menus while a sommelier will tailor a drinks menu to the food each day to complete the offer.

Food Spectrum chefs will use locally sourced produce with dishes labelled as “experimental, high quality and affordable”. Customer feedback and interaction will be a main focus with a blog and Twitter feed running alongside the operation.

Blanch & Shock have cooked in tents, warehouses, offices, fields and trucks for four years and are now in residence at the Endurance until 1 September. They will cook small plates for lunch with a sandwich of the day from Tuesdays to Thursdays and in the evenings. Ticketed events for longer tasting menus, new dishes and chef and producer collaborations will be held on Saturday nights with bar snacks available throughout.

“The three characteristics for a good chef are determination, passion and talent — and they have to be deeply ingrained in that individual,” said Endurance owner Billy Drew. “The rest can be learnt.”