All-day British restaurant launched in Mayfair by beauty entrepreneur and East Dulwich Deli founder
The 49-cover eatery on North Audley Street is the brainchild of East Dulwich Deli owner Tony Zoccola and George Hammer, the chief executive of Hammer Holdings and the man behind Urban Retreat, L’Occitane and The Sanctuary in the UK.
Speaking to BigHospitality, Zoccola said he dreamt up the idea after meeting Hammer whilst running the Urban Retreat café in Harrods for the beauty entrepreneur.
"He entertains a lot of international business associates from the USA, France and Japan and they would always ask him where they could go to eat something typically English and he would always get stuck because there wasn't anywhere," the restaurateur explained.
However the venue's clientèle are not just tourists; Zoccola said businessmen working nearby and a large number of local residents were also using the restaurant.
"People are doing this on a much larger scale now - Chris Corbin and Jeremy King have got Colbert, Brasserie Zédel and The Delaunay - all-day eateries. We are very much along those lines but on a much smaller scale."
Best of British
The GrEAT British, which is located next to Hammer's One Mayfair events venue, launched in late October and is open from early morning for breakfast including bacon sandwiches and grilled kippers.
The traditional theme is also evident in the design which boasts a black and white tiled floor and wood panelling.
Head chef Pete Taylor specialises in UK produce from small-scale suppliers and together the trio developed dishes which showcase the best of British.
The lunch and dinner (or supper) menu includes Sussex cheese sausages with bubble and squeak and parsley-crusted cod with Devon clams and mussels at an average price point of £15 for a main dish.
150-160 covers
Zoccola, who also founded the Born and Bread bakery, revealed he had aspirations of operating a second, larger site under the concept.
"A lot of people get a real flavour for a country by sampling the food. Apart from St John and Sweetings and perhaps one or two 'old school' restaurants that have been around for yonks, there wasn't really a typical English restaurant.
"The waiters here have all got white jackets on like they would have done in the 40s and 50s so it is a very typical English atmosphere and ambience.
"We are open to doing a bigger one in the not too distant future - I am certainly keen to do 150-160 covers subject to being able to find a decent-sized space for it. Unfortunately nowadays those size restaurants are at a real premium because a lot of big eateries are opening now," he concluded.
