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How to complain…

November 10, 2009 22 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

I was recently treated to a meal at a very posh restaurant with my favourite restaurant reviewer… One of the dishes wasn’t very nice. Actually, the combination of flavours meant that it was inedible.

“Did Madam like her food?” asked the waiter, clearing away my uneaten dish.
“No Madam didn’t” I said.
They still billed for it though.
The reviewer in question doesn’t complain, she can’t really, it would ruin her anonymity, a precious thing if you are doing a fair review. If you are instantly recognisable as a restaurant critic, you are evidently going to be treated better than the general public; your review therefore has less authority.
I see things from both sides of the fence; I sometimes review restaurants and I also run a restaurant of sorts. So I always give feedback. How are they going to improve if they don’t know you don’t like it? I once reviewed a restaurant whose entire ‘special’ menu was misconceived…I found myself explaining how they could improve it rather than going home, sharpening my mouse and ripping them apart. As I said, I’m split between two worlds.
But how do you complain in a home restaurant? There you are, in somebody’s home, surrounded by their personal possessions, meeting their family/partners/kids and although you are paying for the food, it seems impolite to complain. Do you raise objections about the food when you go to a dinner party at your friend’s house? Unlikely.
The food critic A.A. Gill once did just that; he describes in ‘Table Talk’ how he sent back a dish at a dinner party:
“I said that I didn’t think I could eat the stew. There was a silence you could have spread on toast….
Then the hostess said: “It is a bit disgusting isn’t it? I’ve got some eggs…”
He said he hasn’t been invited to a dinner party since.
But a home restaurant is different: to begin with people wouldn’t start a supperclub if they thought they couldn’t cook. Yet people who can’t cook frequently host dinner parties. But, at a supperclub, you are paying…
I’d prefer it if people told me to my face, politely if possible, or sent me an email giving feedback. If it’s really bad, they can ask for a refund (not all at once please!)
But as a guest you must be fair and take everything into account: the fact that it’s a fixed menu, that you are generally getting a good deal for your money and that, whereas one dish may be disappointing or not to your taste, the rest of it may well be delicious or at least adequate. You are also not only paying for the food, you are paying for the event, the theme (if there is one), the entertainment (if provided), the opportunity to socialise and to share intimately, if only for an evening, someone’s home and life.
It dismays me is when dissatisfied guests, rather than giving you feedback, just post anonymously on the Internet about how much they disliked you, your home and your food.
Is it British to be afraid to confront and complain constructively? Or is the thrill of putting you in your place in public more exciting than any fair attempt at improving what you do?
Chatting to another home restaurant hostess recently, a very good one in my opinion, she told me about a guest, who blogged that their enjoyment was spoiled because of the stress exhibited by the hosts and the ‘skanky’ bathroom.
This judgement was based on one evening when there was a problem with their grill and hence delays in the food. Of course, having come across this review, the supper club hostess was very upset …
In the middle of hosting the first Harry Notter night, I got the news via Google alert that a ‘friend’ (not anymore mate) had posted a vicious piece on me. I felt like I’d been punched in the solar plexus and found it a struggle to continue with the evening. I’m now very careful about reading reviews.
Another guest wrote months later on a site how much he hated my restaurant and my cooking, describing the 12 tapas courses and cocktail for £25 as a rip-off. On the actual evening, he said nothing. Nada. Not a peep. Not even an email afterwards. Dismayed, I wrote to him, apologising for any shortcomings and offering his money back. He used this as another opportunity to have a pop at me.
You can’t please all of the people all of the time…
I guess we will all have to develop a thicker skin.
But, just like me, many supper club hosts are new to this, the relentless pressure that any of your guests could be a blogger and that you are being judged.
There are times, due to fatigue or stress, when I snap at guests, for instance, last week … I normally make an announcement ‘feel free to come into the kitchen after the main course’ (1) but I didn’t have time.
Invited in by my parents (who were unaware of this rule) a girl came into the kitchen and tried to chat to me. I’d had two hours sleep and my brain, still having to coordinate several dishes, just couldn’t cope with any more activity. (Cooking, never considered intellectual, uses an enormous amount of brain power as well as physical energy). In the end I just said

‘I’m sorry, I’m just too busy’.

She probably felt rudely rebuffed and for that I apologise. But while I love the idea of blurring the  boundary between kitchen and dining room, would you expect to chat to the head chef in the middle of service in a normal restaurant? You’d get short shrift if you attempted that…

It also seems unfair to judge a home restaurant or any restaurant on just one visit. My esteemed colleague, food blogger Bellaphon, only reviews after two visits, especially if the first was not so good.
I’m all for openness and democracy; in the kitchen and on the Internet. It’s in equal measures wonderful that everybody is writing about their lives and what they are eating and also terrible. People now have carte blanche to exorcise every bit of stifled anger and resentment, exhibit their prejudices and grievances in public. It is so much easier to be nasty when you are anonymous. People write things on the internet they would never have the courage to say to someone.
So, harking back to what that blogger said about stress…as a diner, do you prefer to feel like everything is coming out smoothly? Or do you want to know about how it is behind the scenes? Is the feeling of knife edge riskiness part of the appeal of an underground restaurant? Or a hindrance to your enjoyment?
And supperclub hosts, how will you feel when one of your guests, on a forum or on a blog post, complains about your voice, your taste in decor, your standards of hygiene or your food?
(1) One of the lessons I have learnt from doing this for almost a year now. Once the main course is out, you can relax, the pace slows down, you can act human again.

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Comments

  1. Hugh

    November 11, 2009 at 12:00 am

    I agree with every word. It's sly and cowardly of bloggers to criticise after the event without first giving the restaurateur the chance to put things right!

    Reply
  2. So Lovely

    November 11, 2009 at 12:34 am

    It's really shocking how cowardly someone would be to post an anonymous comment rather than come to you about it. And I'm all for constructive criticism, but there's a way to discuss such things – politely and with compassion.
    I love that you have a supper club and I would love to come next time I'm in London – its sounds like a blast.

    Reply
  3. shayma

    November 11, 2009 at 12:38 am

    you are right, it is unfair of people to say horrible things about you on the internet. when i go to a restaurant, if i dont like it, i make sure the maitre'd or the manager knows. if they give you that look that they dont care, then perhaps one can go back home and write a negative review. but unfair to write mean things on the internet. even if i had a supperclub in my own home i would want feedback. i do think telling a host/ess at a dinner party that their food is awful is a tad insensitive.

    Reply
  4. Melanie

    November 11, 2009 at 12:40 am

    Ugh. The whole blogging in place of confrontation thing is so over the top passive aggressive. I'm a feedback junkie and tend to think the rest of the world is too, so I'm constantly delivering. People who blog instead of delivering feedback to the source are the people who don't know how to interact with other people. They don't get that there are nice, effective ways of delivering constructive feedback and are generally completely lacking imagination.

    Reply
  5. Justin Roberts

    November 11, 2009 at 8:40 am

    Sounds a bit premature to me. Personally I work on a three strikes and you're out policy for reviewing/recommending restaurants…

    Reply
  6. Anonymous

    November 11, 2009 at 8:43 am

    What a well written piece this is. I agree with everything you say. Some people are noted for saying one thing and meaning another – Nice things to your face and something else when your back is turned.
    I'm all prepared for this at my Tea Events, but I know all my guests are very nice people and would tell me nicely if they didn't like what I was doing and we'd have a laugh about it. But having worked (not any more)in an environment where feedback is given every 2 seconds,constructive and positive, I like to think I know how to give it and receive it. I'm all for constructive feedback, if done correctly. If I don't like a meal it's often due to my 'taste' and not necessarily because of the way it's been cooked. We are all human, or at least some people are, and feel the pain when criticised about our food, our home, our friends all the things that mean a lot to us. And, how can someone become a critic if either you cannot/don't cook or eat out a great deal. I'm ranting, so I'll stop.

    Reply
  7. Anonymous

    November 11, 2009 at 8:43 am

    Who in their right mind would invite AA Gill to dinner in the first place??

    Your cooking's great, I'm sure you have many more good review than bad 😉

    Reply
  8. dasilvajums

    November 11, 2009 at 9:15 am

    Complaining fascinates me. I'm not british so I lack the shyness involved in it. If i'm not happy with something at a restaurant I let them know and give them a chance to put it right. So many times it can be a result of oversight on a busy night. I also judge my dissatisfaction basis the price I am paying. Like you say a 3course meal for £25 is generally always going to be good value and I would never expect the same level of service/attention or even the same quality of food (unless very lucky!) as at Petrus for example, accordingly I would never judge it through the same lens. Furthermore booking for a fixed menu will always carry a risk, and more fool them if they aren't open minded enough to appreciate not everything will be to their liking. Thats the whole point! Trying things you might normally never order!

    Anonymous complainers need to grow a backbone. How can anyone put the situation right for you if you never give them the chance?!

    Reply
  9. ScottCanCook

    November 11, 2009 at 12:40 pm

    Bravo Great post! Did madame enjoy…Pure genius!

    If you don't have the balls to complain at the time -or- even direct a complaint after the fact to the resposible party to let them correct then you are just a pratt.

    Personally, unless something is a terrible abomination to food, I would not want to waste time writing about it.

    Reply
  10. The Curious Cat

    November 11, 2009 at 12:40 pm

    You have to have such a thick skin in this business it would seem – you can never please everyone- no matter how you try – and people should think first before they criticise. If they are complaining to offload/for the sake of it/to statisfy their own ego in some weird way then they should stop right there. It isn't helpful. They should think about how their words are going to effect someone else. Do they want to complain in the hope that their comments will help you improve or are they just being downright nasty?

    Constructive cristicism politely put is a much better way to go about it. People forget the old saying 'do as you would be done by!' I'm sure if they had slaved away, worked their butt off, they would not appreciate rude, unhelpful comments…

    With home restaurants you need to practise even more sensitivity I think…it is someone's home that they have kindly let you into… xxx

    Reply
  11. SaltShaker

    November 11, 2009 at 4:33 pm

    While it's true that it's a pain that people post anonymously (or not) on internet sites when they dislike something, it really is the way of the world. Whether you like it or not, those of us in the underground dining scene are perceived as just another type of restaurant – we may think of it as our home, blood, sweat, tears and all that, but the average customer does not – for them, it's a paid-for dinner, therefore, a restaurant.

    Few people, whether in a traditional style restaurant or one of ours, want to have a face to face conversation when they don't like something, or the place, or us. It's uncomfortable, and if they've already had some part of the experience be negative, it just highlights that and makes the entire evening a bad memory.

    Awhile back we started sending out a followup e-mail within a day of the dinner asking for feedback – once it's no longer face to face, we've found that people are much more likely to give us an honest response, and, it also nearly elminated the negative postings on various internet sites – not completely, but it had a clear impact. Oft-times it was something as simple as they didn't like the spicing on one dish out of five, or didn't like the shirt that I wore that evening, and it just sat in the back of their mind – without followup, they vented somewhere else, usually after something small had grown into something big in their mind. Defusing it by asking, not on the spot, but in a simply worded e-mail, gives them an outlet, let's them know you care, and gives you the opportunity to apologize if need be (never be defensive), and, often brings them back for another chance.

    And always keep in mind that no matter how hard you try, and no matter how much the majority may like what you do, there will always be someone who isn't pleased for one reason or another, and sometimes, it isn't you or your food, they're just having a bad night. If you don't have a thick skin, this isn't the business for you.

    Oh, and btw, not everyone who opens a supperclub can cook. Really.

    Reply
  12. James

    November 13, 2009 at 12:38 am

    I found an extremely nasty comment on Monday by accident left on a travel website about one venue I know entitiled 'a public disgrace' and ending 'avoid like the plague'. That was amid lots of others praising it and people who keep going back year after year because they love it. Those bad comments have such an awfully strong power. I wonder if people who write them truly realise. Criticism should be helpful rather than vindicitive – the idea should be to improve or change what they felt was wrong rather than advertising it. The Italian trattoria owner sure has the right idea.

    I like Saltshaker's idea of the follow up email dealing woth problems before they arise. Reminds me I used to do this before I got so busy…..

    Reply
  13. GabrielleF

    November 13, 2009 at 1:21 pm

    It seems to me that jealousy has a lot to account for here. Its a shame when people who don't have the confidence or effort to do something amazing like this, want to try to spoil the enjoyment and achievement of those who do.
    I think your supperclub sounds amazing – I've been watching your blog for a while and I want to come along sometime – its something totally different to what i'm used to. Keep on keeping on and enjoy yourself.

    Reply
  14. Lizzie

    November 14, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    I don't agree with visiting a restaurant more than once before writing about it. Some of us don't have the money for that, and why should restaurants be given more than one chance to impress? If I didn't enjoy my first visit I just wouldn't return.

    I have no qualms about (politely) sending my dish back if there is something fundamentally wrong with it, though.

    Reply
  15. theundergroundrestaurant

    November 15, 2009 at 2:05 pm

    Hugh: Please post the link to the Italian trattoria who dealt with some nasty guests…
    So Lovely: I think if somebody is so unhappy that they write a very very bad review they at least owe it to you to let you know that things weren't right for them at the time or just after…
    JustIn: very generous!
    Saltshaker: good constructive idea…your shirt? lol
    James: I think they do know…
    Gabriella: well one of the anonymous nasty ones is now opening his own supperclub so….you may be right
    Lizzie: yes it is a problem for me too. I went to a supperclub recently which wasn't particularly stunning and I feel to do it justice I should go back again on another night, another menu but have to find the money…

    Reply
  16. Anonymous

    November 20, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    This is a great article but VERY similar to Oliver Thring's piece in the guardian

    Reply
  17. theundergroundrestaurant

    November 20, 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Anon: I know it's terrible isn't it? I really ought to get my own ideas…;)

    Reply
  18. Oli

    November 21, 2009 at 5:27 pm

    I'm afraid I hadn't had the chance to read this before I wrote the WoM article – perhaps it would have been better if I had.

    Reply
  19. Ollie

    November 21, 2009 at 5:29 pm

    Sorry – pressed 'send' too soon.

    So yes – this post was new to me. I've read and enjoyed that bit of Table Talk, though.

    Reply
  20. theundergroundrestaurant

    November 21, 2009 at 11:46 pm

    No worries Ollie…

    Reply
  21. Chris Bird

    December 7, 2009 at 9:28 pm

    This commet doesn't really belong to this post. However I got to here and felt the need to say, "What a fantastic set of posts you write." It's a shame I can't get to the "Underground restaurant" (no TM needed, I hope) but that's because I live in Dallas, TX, USA.

    Your events sound terrific, you are full of ideas that will help others, and I greatly appreciate the amopunt of yourself you have poured into this.

    Well done indeed!

    Chris
    http://seabirdskitchen.blogspot.com

    Reply
  22. Anonymous

    February 26, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    большое спасибо было очень интересно прочитать

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed t Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed the top of these toile de jouey curtains in my summer house shed. The days are lengthening a little which brightens up my mood. Self care= trying to get up and washed. Trying to leave the house once a day. Keeping my hands busy. Finding small ways to be creative. #coronaloner #sewingmachine #curtains #shedsofinstagram #sheshed #springiscoming #supperclub #stayingsane #selfcare #lockdown3
Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I get up later and later every day. I’m living in a twilight world- dim skies, getting nothing done. Next week it’s my birthday and every year I’m at my lowest ebb just before my birthday. Lockdown on your own is tough. My motivation, my mojo has disappeared. #lockdown3 #coronaloner #pastadinner #nofilter #january2021 #januarychallenge #selfemployedwomen #single #aquarius #0degrees
On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronal On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronaloner
Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper pesto alla genovese with trofie, small boiled salad potatoes, steamed green beans (good tip: steam the beans in a colander plopped on top of the potatoes or pasta), good quality pesto sauce ( mine from local microbakery @seansloaf ), good olive oil (@pomoragoodfood), torn fresh basil, a few pine nuts. This turns this student dish into a balanced meal of carbs, veg and a little protein.  It’s cold outside, I’ve lit the fire. Covid rages in Kilburn high road in north west london. The rate is 1 in 30 london wide but I feel it’s higher in this poor inner london area. We have a high BAME population who are particularly vulnerable. It’s a little bit anarchic on my high street: cars perched on kerbs waiting for hijabi women, braving pound shops and Aldi . We are all covered up now. In winter masks keep your face warm, but you have a choice between safety and being able to see. I’ve not managed to prevent the inevitable steaming up of my glasses when wearing a mask. Nothing works.  #january #londonwinter #pestopasta #pestoallagenovese #vegetarian #pasta #trofie #supperclub #covid_19 #lockdownlife #lockdown3 #bubblegang
Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Mi Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Minus Crown and king as I cannot find either. This one is made with Tonka bean. Plus homemade puff pastry (well worth the effort). According to ike delorenzo at The Atlantic:  The tonka bean, a flat, wrinkled legume from South America with an outsize flavor that the US government has declared illegal. Nonetheless, it proliferates on elite American menus. The tiniest shavings erupt in a Broceliande of transporting, mystical aromas.
The taste of the tonka bean is linked strongly to its scent. "Scents," I should say, as the tonka bean has many at once. I register the aromas of vanilla, cherry, almond, and something spicy—a bit like cinnamon. When served cold—say, in tonka bean ice cream—the taste is like a vanilla caramel with dark honey. When warm, perhaps shaved over scallops, it moves toward spiced vanilla. Additionally, the aroma of the tonka bean shavings (it's almost always shaved) is so affecting that it seems like an actual taste in the way that opium, which has no taste in the traditional sense, "tastes" like its rich, flowery smoke.  Here is the recipe: 

Tonka bean galette des rois

Serves 8
Ingredients
* 140 g caster sugar
* 125 g salted butter, softened
* 100 g ground almonds
* 2 eggs, medium
* 1 tonka bean, grated
* 2 packs ready made butter puff pastry on a roll
* 1 yolk for brushing the pastry
Instructions
* Preheat your oven to 200c.

* Blend the butter with the sugar then add the almonds. Make sure it’s well mixed. Add in the 2 eggs one at a time, then add the tonka bean.

* If using a block: divide the puff pastry into two and roll out to 5mm thick. 
* Make two circles about 15 cm’s each in diameter. Lay one circle on a silicone mat/parchment paper on a baking tray and fill with the almond cream leaving a 3 cm border around the edge. 
* Paint the border with the egg yolk. Then lay the other circle on top, sealing the edges with a fork. 
* You could then carve designs into the top. Make a little slit in the middle to let steam escape then brush the top with the egg yolk
Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. T Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. This is a vegan version. ***

Ingredients:
- 400 g box of soft tofu not silken
- 5 soaked dried shiitake mushrooms, diced, keep water
- 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
- 400 g fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced thinly
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 thumb fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tbsps groundnut or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp fermented bean paste
- 1 or 2 small red chillies, minced or a spoonful of Chinese chilli paste
- 1 tsp heaped sichuan peppercorns, finely ground
- 2 tbsps soy or tamari sauce
- 2 tbsp cornflour in 3 tbsps water, mixed into a slurry
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- large pinch fresh coriander leaves

Prepare the tofu by cutting it into one inch cubes and soaking it in hot but not boiling salted water. Drain after 15 minutes.
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms, covering them in boiling water. Leave until soft, then dice the mushrooms. Retain the mushroom soaking water and add to the vegetable stock water.
Prepare the other ingredients so they are ready to stir-fry: red bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, ginger, garlic.

Using a wok or deep frying pan, add the oil and heat to frying temperature. Add the bell peppers,fry for a couple of minutes, then add fermented bean paste, chilli paste or chillies, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sichuan pepper.
Add the mushroom/vegetable broth and simmer on high for a couple of minutes.
Carefully add the cubes of tofu, taking care not to break them too much.
Add the cornflour slurry, stirring for a couple of minutes.
Serve with rice or noodles, garnishing with spring onions or chives and or coriander leaves.  #veganuary #mapotofu #sichuanfood #tofu  #shitakemushrooms #supperclub #londonchef #msmarmitelover #ham&highcolumn #eatplants #lockdown3 #selfisolation #coronaloner #cooking #recipe #cookingfromscratch
Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christ Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christmas leftover cheese board. I’ve used @paxtonscheese truffled brillat-savarin and a mystery hard cheese that’s lost its label. Plus cream and topped it with samphire fried in butter. Haven’t bothered with making a roux- this is the lockdown lazy version.  #lockdownlazy #lockdown3 #supperclub #macandcheese #macaronicheese #truffledcheese #leftovers #leftovercheeseboard #londonlockdown #breakfast #coronaloner
Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is san Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is sandwiches. They use the softest, whitest, fluffiest bread. Their mayonnaise kewpie is gorgeous I don’t know why. Perhaps someone here can explain? Here I’ve used sourdough as it’s what I have; kosho which is a Yuzu citrus and green chilli condiment and the aforesaid kewpie Mayo to make an egg 🥚 sandwich.  I’m not a big egg fan but I suddenly had the urge. Also I’ve noticed when I eat eggs it satiates my hunger for hours. All that protein.  #sandwich #sandwiches #japanesesandwich #kewpiemayo #kosho #eggsandwich #sourdough #supperclub #cookingforone #solo #londonlife #lockdownlondon #recipe #snack #sundaysnack #sando
Agedashi tofu for New Year’s Day. With a vegan d Agedashi tofu for New Year’s Day. With a vegan dashi stock, it’s perfect for veganuary. How to make dashi: put a piece of kombu seaweed in water. Soak for half an hour then simmer for half an hour (don’t let it boil). Then mix 2 cups of dashi with 2 tbsps of mirin and 2 of soy sauce.  For the tofu: press soft tofu with weights for half an hour, then cut into cubes. Dust all over with cornflour.  Then deep fry the tofu cubes in 180C veg oil until they float. Set aside to drain, then place say 3 cubes in small bowl. Pour the sauce around and top with spring onion and daikon and togarashi 7 spice.  #easypeasyvegan #veganuary #agedashitofu #tofu #japaneseveganrecipe #newyearsday #freshstart #supperclub #londonsupperclub #msmarmitelover #visforvegan #recipe
Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair rep Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair reputation in this country. It’s so flexible and is a brilliant flavour sponge. Here I’m preparing my soft tofu for a Japanese dish: agedashi tofu. I first pressed it in a clean tea towel with a weight on top to firm it up a bit but not too much. Then I dusted it with cornflour and I will deep fry it in oil. Then I will serve it in a broth of dashi/mirin and tamari sauce, sprinkled with finely chopped spring onions and togarashi pepper from Japan. I would usually add some finely mandolined daikon radish but couldn’t find any. It’s a subtle dish of texture: soft yet crispy. After Christmas I’m desperate for light zingy fresh flavoured food. #supperclub #tofu #vegan #vegetarian #agedashitofu #newyearsday #cookingagain #lunch #asian #japanesefood
Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holdi Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holding on...
#happynewyear #happynewyear2021 #supperclub #hootenanny
Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg includi Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg including mashed swede with cheese and butter. I put pomegranate seeds with my sprouts, and cooked my carrots in marmalade ( worked v well), the mushroom wreath fell apart as I was transferring it to a tray 😤, roast potatoes and parsnips, then a cheese spread with fruit nuts, quince cheese (homemade), Chocs @lindtuk 😍 @guylian_uk @disaronno_official @baileysofficial @taylorsportwine and Brazil nuts. Plus a pavlova wreath ready to be topped with whipped cream and persimmons. 
#christmasdinner #vegetarianchristmas #vegetarianchristmasdinner #supperclub #londonchristmas #liqueurs #christmasspread #grazing #cheeseboard #port #pavlova
Christmas has started! Home-cured smoked beetroot Christmas has started!  Home-cured smoked beetroot and aquavit salmon with homemade blinis, creme fraiche, dill, Prosecco.  The fire is lit 🔥, the tree is up, 🎄the presents 🎁 are wrapped, we have a #brexit deal- a Christmas miracle. Peace and harmony. #christmas #christmasinengland #homemade #christmaseve #blinis #smokedsalmon #prosecco🍾 #londonchristmas
Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christm Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christmas decorating. It might also cheer up passersby. #christmas #christmasdecor #doorscaping #doorsofinstagram #londonchristmas #doorwreath #doordecor #doorsoftheworld #doordecoration #exteriors #london #supperclub #covidchristmas
Look at my gorgeous Nordic pine Christmas tree 🎄 from @pinesandneedles with some family ornaments and beautiful foodie ornaments from @gisela_graham  it’s 7 foot high and no drop. My parents brought over the candle lights. I’ve also used paper ornaments (apples and pears cut from maps) from @dionne_leonard which I first commissioned for a supper club.  #christmas #christmastree #christmasdecor #foodiedecorations #glassbaubles #supperclub #christmasinlondon
More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the seller More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the sellers interesting. It’s often about moving on whether through death, a change of circumstances, moving country, loss of a job. Today I visited a gorgeously renovated Edwardian house where the owners, an antique dealer & a master decorator had died with 18 months of each other of cancer.  The sister was there emptying the house, an incredibly painful experience. The husband who died was an expert in putting up lincrusta wallpaper which I’ve pictured here. All that craftsmanship and knowledge lost now.  The piece I got on Sunday, the teal chinoiserie cabinet, was from a Spanish guy returning to Spain. He’d lost his job as a hotel manager, the hotel, a big one, has now closed. The marble coffee table and arepas grill was from a Spanish couple who’d had a restaurant here for 40 years. They are now returning to Spain. Other slides: green Edwardian fireplace tiles, William Morris wallpaper, 2 small scalloped coffee tables, a knife and fork cutlery hook set.  A fireplace for my bedroom if I can find someone to put it in. #lockdownstories #covidstories #movingon #decor #interiors #bargains #secondhandstyle #edwardianstyle #williammorris #tiles #wallpaper #scallopededge #teal #chinoiserie #whitemarble #vintage #kitchenalia #supperclubrefurb #london #lincrustawallpaper
Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford proper chinoiserie so I make do with fakes. The gradual doing up of my flat proceeds apace. Need to start on main bedroom. Looking for a storage ottoman (velvet?) bench to turn into a horizontal filing cabinet.  Any ideas? Above is a map of london based on the A to Z map which a minicab office was tossing out. Remember when we all carried mini A to Z books in our handbags? Before google maps? #nocrushedvelvet #chinoiserie #supperclubrefurb #londonapartment #londonflat #norfweezy #decor #organising #storage #interiors
My new/old rise and fall light over the dining tab My new/old rise and fall light over the dining table. Found for £50 on #fbmarketplace  but originally from @thefrenchhouse.net_ one of my favourite shops. Every day, a little more progress. #supperclubrefurb #supperclub #londonflat #interiors #lighting #riseandfalllights #lightingisimportant #frenchstyle #vintagestyle #rusticstyle #turquoise #diningtabledecor
Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @k Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @kit.eats.uk. Took only a couple of minutes to cook(see stories) and very good. I’m trying a few meal kits of late to see how hospitality has adapted to the great reset. As a cook I’ve always thought why would I need these but now I get it: it’s like going to a restaurant- the pleasure of food prepared by someone else. Getting jolted off of your normal repertoire, so it’s teaching cooking too.  #mealkits #vegetarian #homecooked #hospitality #covid #takeawayfood #foodpackaging #laksa #ramen #supperclubchef
Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up all my wine bottle openers and cork screws. My favourite is the zigzag bottom left. If you find them at a flea market in France, if you are lucky you may get it for around 35 euros.  #supperclub #londonflat #londoninteriors #corkscrews #frenchkitchenalia #zigzag #tirebouchon #oakcupboard #diy #diyprojects
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