Rosewood hotel's slow food market: review. Plus - meet Holborn Dining Room head chef Calum Franklin
Rosewood hotel's slow food market takes place every Sunday, offering fresh English and international produce and a buzzy brunch at Holbon Dining Rooms. We highlight the best stalls and speak to chef Calum Franklin.
Rosewood hotel in London’s ‘midtown’ (the area around Holborn, bordering Covent Garden) recently launched a slow food farmer’s market in its courtyard every Sunday. Stalls include Half Hitch Gin, made in neighbouring Camden Lock, O Shea’s butchers,The Tomato Stall, Gastronomica Italian deli and Oliver’s Bakery. Where other markets see queues for bacon butties and burgers, this is a much smarter affair - Hansen and Lydersen smoked salmon on sourdough is as snacky as it gets.
Brunch is served at the hotel’s buzzy flagship restaurant Holborn Dining Rooms, where the menu of seasonal, locally sourced British cuisine uses some of the ingredients provided by the products in the market. As well as weekly specials there are brunch classics such as eggs Royale and Benedict, corned beef hash with duck eggs, and we’d love to see Isle of Wight tomato juice in its bloody marys - no salt, no sugar, just juice made from organic, vine ripened fruit. The shrimp burger with jalepeno tartare is a highlight.
Meet the chef: Calum Franklin
Calum worked at Chapter One in Kent, The Ivy, One Aldwych and Roast in Borough Market before joining Holborn Dining Room at Rosewood London as head chef.
The best thing on my menu is the rare beef, broccoli and lambs lettuce salad with truffle dressing. It’s the essence of our menu in a dish, showcasing the amazing work of our butchers and vegetable growers on the plate, in a very British way.
In my fridge there’s always Abernethy smoked butter, Sobrasada Iberico (chorizo paste), Parmigiano Reggiano, treacle cured smoked bacon and old Jamaica ginger beer.
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My most-used cook book is currently Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour – the recipes are creative, fresh and great for cooking with and for the family.
My favourite 15-minute supper to make at home is egg noodles stir fried with broccoli, ginger, chilli and garlic.
A food/restaurant trend I see sticking around is Japanese/US crossover cuisine – popular in restaurants and street food at the moment
My guilty pleasure? Pickled onion Monster Munch!
A fellow chef I admire is Simon Rogan. I like the direct connection between his delicious food and his farming.
I love eating at Duck & Waffle – it’s open 24 hours, the cuisine is inventive and fun and the views are amazing! The foie gras crème brûlée is a must-try.
A place I love that not many people know about is Somsaa at Climpsons Arch in East London - a Thai restaurant serving authentic regional dishes with unique ingredients cooked by some of the UK’s most talented guys.
If you gave me a tenner I‘d spend it on Bread Ahead Doughnuts by Justin Gellaghty in Borough Market….everytime!
Never trust a chef who hasn’t got all his fingers and thumbs!
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