An ambitious new restaurant headed by a former River Cafe chef opens in a Grade II listed townhouse opposite the Natural History Museum in South Kensington next week.
The Lavery – named after a former resident, Irish-born artist Sir John Lavery – has taken over the premises of the former Cromwell Place café, and will offer a Mediterranean-inspired menu with a focus on Scottish produce from the Balcaskie estate in Fife.
Chef Yohei Furuhashi has been head chef at Toklas for the past three years, after nine years at the River Cafe. The front of house will be run by his Toklas colleague Alcides Gauto, formerly of Llewelyn’s and Rochelle Canteen. The stylish interior has been designed by creative director Martin Cohen, who has worked at L’Escargot, Rochelle Canteen and L’Odeon in New York.
The venue also has an events space, while an all-day café will open later this spring no doubt aiming to attract visitors to the nearby museums.
