Gridiron will open at a 62-cover site in the COMO Metropolitan hotel on Old Park Lane at the end of the month, fronted by a team of industry pros.
Bad Sports owner Liam Davy will manage the front of house operations; the cocktail offering will be created by Max and Noel Venning of Dalston cocktail bar Three Sheets; and the wine list will be taken care of by Guardian wine critic Fiona Beckett. An ‘Under the Counter’ section of the wine list will be curated by sommelier Lucy Ward, formerly of Noble Rot.
Gridiron will serve a selection of fire-cooked dishes including wood roast scallops with bone marrow XO; smoked eel with braised shin of Highland beef; ash-baked turnip mimosa; burned leeks with hazelnut aillard and brown butter; roast turbot with chicken salt and butter; roast red mullet with gentleman’s relish; and salt-baked celeriac with wild mushroom and brown butter crumb.
The Vennings’ cocktail offering will include twists on classic drinks such as an Old Fashioned with pandan, Woodford Reserve and clear milk; a Bloody Mary with vodka, mustard, butter, stock and tomato; and a White Russian with vodka, coffee, miso and milk.
An open kitchen with counter seating will allow guests a view of the open-fire cooking that Turner has built his reputation on, while interiors by Macaulay Sinclair will use dark woods and red leather finishes.
Turner is a key player on the meat scene, being one half of renowned butcher and supplier Turner & George, as well as the creator of the Meatopia meat festival.
“With charcoal and live-fire cooking, every ingredient becomes a unique encounter. The way the meat, fish or vegetable responds to the flame,” says Turner.
“We are thrilled to be able to partner with COMO Hotels and Resorts to showcase the techniques inherent in this simple yet flavourful way of cooking at Gridiron.”
The other half of the kitchen operation, Colin McSherry, has an equally impressive culinary pedigree, taking his experience from roles at Nuala; The Ledbury; The Fat Duck; and The Clove Club.