12 London Venues for 2012

Our choices to reflect the essence of what makes London great – individuality, achievement and diversity.  

Leighton House: a magical house in Kensington with an Arab Hall and a walled garden

www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums

45 Millbank: Right on the river Thames

www.45millbank.com

The Magic Circle: mysterious Euston based steeped in history 

www.magiccirclevenue.co.uk

St Catherine’s Gardens: A beautiful space within tranquil Westminster Abby, calm and tranquil.

www.westminster-abbey.org

LSO St Lukes - High-tech versatility inside the home of the world famous symphony orchestra.

www.lso.co.uk

Kew Steam Museum - power, strength and industry - great for team building.

www.kbsm.org

Fulham Palace - historic setting with courtyard, marquee and a maze of rooms to hire

www.fulhampalace.org

Trinity House - Stunning and right opposite the Tower of London

www.thetrinityhouse.org

Flamsteed House, Royal Observatory Greenwich - Octagon Room perfect for small, dinners

www.rmg.co.uk

The Cloisters at Westminster Abbey - for soirées up to 250

www.westminster-abbey.org

The Orangery Holland Park - party amongst the peacocks in this versatile garden space

www.rbkc.co.uk

The Queens House - part of the National Maritime Museum, grand and elegant. 

www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house

June Big Picture

The judges of the 2011 Art Fund Prize visit Leighton House to assess the museum.

Quite a nerve racking event to cater for as you can imagine. The Art Fund Prize is the most prestigious prize in the museum world and Leighton House are vying against 9 other museums for the £100,000 award. Photo by Lloyd Dobbie.

Menu Inspiration: Eastern Flavours

A menu that seems perfect for the winter nights and ideal for a venue like Leighton House.

Start

Iman Bayaldi toped with mascarpone and smoked paprika

Parcel of spinach and ricotta with caraway

Marinated aubergine with walnuts, parsley and olive oil

Hummus bi tahini with pine nuts

Char grilled halloumi

Home made flat breads

Main

Rump of lamb, Megaderra lentils and fine green beans

Sweet

Yoghurt and cardamom cheesecake with caramelised fresh fig

Finish

Fresh coffee, fine teas and tisanes served with pistacio Turkish delight

June Big Picture

His Royal Highness Prince of Wales on his special visit to the recently refurbished Leighton House. It is always a privilege to cater for Royalty. Read and see more here on photographer Lloyd Dobbie's blog... www.lloyddobbie.com/blog

The Sweet Smell (and Taste) of Success

As you can probably tell, the chefs and I adore any opportunity to work with a client with exacting standards, impeccable taste and high expectations. A challenging (or even impossible sounding) brief fires my imagination, as does the chance to transform a brand into a dish or distil its message into a bite.

Last week we served the result of a really great brief for the private launch of a new scent collection at Leighton House. We had been asked to create a menu to satisfy the tastes of eminent fashion, beauty and lifestyle editors as well as present food that would be a perfect representation of the well-known fragrance brand. Every item served needed to reflect the values of the company and entice the busy journalists to linger on and learn about their fabulous new product.

This bespoke breakfast and brunch menu was served during two separate morning and afternoon sessions. Each item was designed to be especially petite, smaller than a typical bite sized canape. Perfectly cooked, carefully prepared morsels to suit our client's perfectly tailored guest.

(If you are curious about the launch, click here to read a full report)

Breakfast

Tiny crisp new potato filled with sausage, bacon, tomato and mushrooms

Mini waffle cones with creamed eggs and smoked salmon with chives

Fresh blinis with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers

Quails egg Royale

Brioche French toast with orange infused rhubarb

Ricotta cakes with fresh blueberry compote

Prism skewers of morsels of fresh fruit

Shot glass of light granola and yoghurt

Brunch

Seared fillet of beef on watermelon cubes with pickled ginger

Sultana bread croute with Dolcelatté, caramelised fresh fig and pomegranate

Julienne vegetables wrapped in Bovingdons cured salmon

Asparagus bundles tied with chives with a vanilla pomegranate mayonnaise

Cucumber cups of lemon, tarragon chicken

Herb blini with Crayfish tails and mirin spaghetti of cucumber

Ricotta cakes with oven roasted plum tomatoes and basil

Herb ficelle of lime cured cerviche of sea bream

Chilled Juices

Blood orange and grapefruit

Cranberry and watermelon

Fresh pear and vanilla

Refreshing Pressè

Watermelon, cranberry and rose water

Apple juice, elderflower, lime and mint

Pomegranate pressè with sparkling mineral water

Hot Beverages

Espresso shots

Fresh sweet mint tea

Hidden Treasure: Leighton House

Last week I was offered a first glimpse at the completed refurbishments at one of my all time favourite venues, Leighton House. It took my breath away, or (to quote The Independent's Charlotte Philby) "It has never looked better."

Bovingdons have been a listed caterer at this Holland Park gem for fifteen years and I must admit we have missed it dearly over the last 17 months. Leighton House has always been of those rare venues that feels both extravagant and intimate, opulent and elegant. I imagine this is why it has always been a favourite venue amoungst media and publishing fraternities.

If you would like a shortcut to their rapidly filling diary, call me quickly.

* Hidden Treasure: London's Leighton House is about to re-open after a £1.6m facelift, The Independent, Saturday 6 March 2010
* Leighton House Museum will open after revamp, The Metro, Monday 9th March
* Front Row (listen again), BBC Radio 4