Margot Henderson’s Art for Eats’ Sake

Resolving to treat art lovers to their particular take on simple British fare, east London’s Rochelle Canteen, co-owned by New Zealander Margot Henderson, has just opened its second outlet at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA). Henderson, a chef and author, offers Guardian readers four of the Canteen’s masterfully unfussy classics.

Henderson dishes up onion soup with croutons; steamed mussels, celery and white wine; aubergine and chickpea stew; and pork chops, turnips and beans.

The Telegraph also take a seat at the “revitalised ICA”.

About the ICA’s signature dish, Telegraph reviewer Hilary Armstrong writes:

“Desperate Dan himself would be felled by the pheasant and trotter pie. I think of it as a St John pie but, dare I say it, I enjoyed it here more. It doesn’t say it feeds two but I believe that it could: rich and luscious, it’s packed with nuggets of bacon and juicy bird. I was still picking at bits of baked on suet crust until well past the need-to-lie-down stage. And with that, I’ve laid down my fat stores for winter.”

The ICA is “best for”:

“Parties. Arnold and Henderson are London’s coolest caterers and now they have the ICA’s Nash and Brandon rooms to play with. That’s the office do sorted.”

Original article by Margot Henderson, The Guardian, October 29, 2017.

Photo by Joe Woodhouse.