Friends of Caprice - June News

SLOW FOOD DINNER AT RIVINGTON

On 19 June, food artist Caroline Hobkinson will be creating a Slow Food feast at Rivington Grill Shoreditch, looking at the ritual of eating food, its traditions and how we prepare it. Working with Head Chef Simon Wadham the event, entitled ‘2062’, will help us to make sense of our world through the way we eat, and will be offering an experience that will make us think about how we feed ourselves. Caroline’s recent work has included installations at Salone Milan and a dinner evoking the history of a house in Spitalfields. Book tickets.

CAFE JAZZ AT LE CAPRICE

Following last month’s sultry set by Louise Marshall, Café Jazz returns to Le Caprice on 24 June with a night of swing featuring Sally Rowley on piano, Greg Davis on sax and Sandy Burnett on double bass. Influenced by the classic jazz sounds of Stan Getz, Miles Davis and Ben Webster, the trio will be playing throughout the evening from 7pm. To book, call 020 7629 2239 or book online.

PIPPA EVANS AT SHEEKEY'S SPEAKEASIES

This weekend’s Speakeasies on 10 June feature ‘Showstopper!’ stalwart Pippa Evans, bringing her hilarious one woman show to the horseshoe-shaped bar. When not at J Sheekey Pippa is currently working with the BBC on her first sitcom, ‘Be Our Guest’, and recently recorded a character comedy pilot for Radio 4 entitled ‘Pippa Evans is on the Radio’. Performances at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets £35, including a set menu of Sheekey’s favourites and a Ketel One cocktail on arrival. To book, call 020 7240 2565. More information.

TASTE OF LONDON

Now in its eighth year, Taste of London returns from 21 – 24 June. The presence of the country’s best food and drink suppliers, top chefs and restaurateurs make this one of the most hotly-anticipated events of the London food calendar. The Ivy’s Gary Lee will be at the AEG Taste Theatre at 2.30pm on 21 June demonstrating how to make wild black bream with grilled potato and seafood vièrge, along with dukka-spiced chicken with Middle Eastern dips. Friends of Caprice can get two standard tickets for entry on 21 or 22 June for £38, saving £18 on the door price. To book click here or call 0871 230 7132 and quote CAPRICE (T&Cs apply.)

QUEENIES FESTIVAL, ISLE OF MAN

A different type of queen will be celebrated on the Isle of Man from 29 June to 1 July: the queen scallop. Dave McCarthy from Scott’s and Simon Wadham from Rivington Grill will be at The Seafood Extravaganza at Port St Mary’s from 3pm on 30 June and from 1pm on 1 July cooking dishes including queenie scallops with crispy bacon, peas and lovage, queenie scallop popcorn with homemade chilli jam and curry glazed queenie scallops. For more information and details on how to book, click here.

PRIVATE ROOMS DURING THE OLYMPICS

We’ve taken the hurdles out of booking an event space or private dining room during the Olympics. Simply call our special Group Bookings Office and they will find you the perfect spot for entertaining, whether you’re a group of 12 or 120. With rooms across town, from Rivington Grill Greenwich, close to the equestrian events, to Daphne’s in South Kensington, handy for the Earl’s Court volley ball action, you only need to call one number: 020 7307 5907 and we will take care of the rest.

SUMMER PARTY STYLING WITH URBAN

As we brave the British summer weather for outdoor parties, event creators Urban Caprice recommend dressing up an outdoor space with stripes. The pattern has already taken over shop window styling, and it was only a matter of time until it made its way into our homes too. Bold stripes give an outdoor area a “resort” feel all summer long. Whether you have a grand pool or a small patio, popping up a brightly coloured sun umbrella and setting out a tray decked with lemonade and striped paper straws instantly makes your space feel party-ready. For more ideas: Urban Caprice. 

ROAD TO GLORY IN AID OF WARCHILD

Our restaurants each support two charities across the year and Le Caprice works particularly closely with War Child, a humanitarian organisation which helps children and young people affected by armed conflict. (For more details on our restaurants’ charities click here.) On 10 July War Child are the beneficiary of a sporting gala at the Tower of London, to be attended by Olympic legends Daley Thompson, Roger Black and Denise Lewis. Tickets are still available and if you want to be part of the sporting action on the night, click here.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

We couldn’t resist one nod to the Jubilee with the recipe of the month: Tim Hughes’s version of Cherries Jubilee, which is currently on the menu at Scott’s. The dish is generally credited to Auguste Escoffier, who prepared the dish for one of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations, though it is unclear whether it was for the Golden Jubilee of 1887 or the Diamond festivities in 1897. Try it for yourself.