Held within an apartment at East London's Town Hall Hotel, APT has been devised by brand consultant Richard Lee Massey as “a new way of getting together with friends in a safe yet stylish environment, whilst also supporting the hospitality industry and allowing chefs to get back to what they love to do.”
“I came up with APT about a month into lockdown,” he says. “The pandemic brought the industry to its knees, so I guess the idea was born from a love for my chef friends and all their restaurants. I was eyeing up restaurant projects pre-lockdown, but even as government guidelines change, the future of restaurants is yet to be determined.”
Guests select a date they would like to get together with their friends and choose a chef or restaurant to cook for them from the list.
I’m excited to take part in the APT because it reminds me of how I started out in this business - cooking for intimate groups of friends and family,” says Ikoyi’s Jeremy Chan. “It’s amazing to be established and have your own restaurant, but in a way I miss the close connection to guests."
“I’m looking forward to the small details, cooking and plating every single dish, seeing the reactions on the guests and developing a rapport. I think this is a wonderful way to revive our industry and regain people’s confidence in dining as well.”
The current list of chefs and restaurants includes:
roster of chefs features some of London’s most exciting talent including:
• Ana & Meng (Tata Eatery/TOU)
• Chris Leach (Manteca)
• Claude Bosi (Bibendum Oyster Bar)
• Claire Ptak (Violet)
• David Carter (Smokestak)
• Helen Graham (Bubala)
• Jackson Boxer (Orasay)
• Jacob Kennedy (Bocca Di Lupo)
• James Cochran (Restaurant 1251)
• Jeremy Chan (Ikoyi)
• John Li (Dumpling Shack)
• Leandro Carreira (The Sea, The Sea)
• Lee Westcott (formerly of Pensons and Typing Room)
• Pophams
• Rafael Cagali (Da Terra)
• Ravinder Bhogal (Jikoni)
• Selin Kiazim (Oklava)
• Shuko Oda (Koya)
• Simon Shand (Corner Room)
• Skye Gyngell (Spring)
• Zaw Mahesh (Lahpet)
• Zoe Adjonyoh (Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen)
