Quaglino’s and Pidy host Britain’s first ‘Drunch’

Prestigious London restaurant Quaglino’s was the venue for Britain’s very first Drunch recently when head chef Konrad Inghelram joined forces with Belgian pastry supremo Pidy to create a sumptuous selection of dishes for food trade writers to taste and test.

The ‘Drunch’ way of eating is the obvious combination of dinner and lunch – a phenomenon that has swept the USA, caught on big time in France and can even be found in the hot spots of South America and Dubai. The idea has captured the imagination of so many of the world’s smart set that restaurants have seen the potential and are getting in on the act. Quaglino’s is the first to highlight it on these shores.

The meal is a cross between Brunch, Tapas and Dinner. It comprises around 20 individual dishes and everything goes on the table at once – desserts, savoury, hot, cold. The difference is that ‘Drunchers’ put the whole lot together on a plate and there’s no order in which it gets eaten.

Some pundits describe it as a ‘tasting session in disguise’, others a charter for those of us who look at a table of food and can’t make up their mind what to have. If you Drunch – you can simply have it all.

Quaglino’s is well placed to pioneer this new trend in eating. Head chef Konrad was trained in France and his homeland Belgium at a number of Michelin Star restaurants. Previously head chef at Harrods, he has also worked with Andrew Turner at Brown’s restaurant and Albert Roux at Le Gavroche.

Executive sous chef Joe Diaz, who assisted him in creating the first Drunch meal, was mentored by Thomas Keller at the Three Michelin Star French Laundry Restaurant in the Napa Valley, California and has been right hand man to Michelin Star chef Barry Tonks at Bonds in the City of London.

As the largest brasserie in London, Quaglino’s philosophy has been to offer affordable modern food to the 2.5 million people who have come through the door since the present restaurant opened in 1993. The Drunch concept clearly sits well within the restaurant and café menu as this prestigious venue proved on the day.

The new eating trend is also known as Slunch (Supper and Lunch) by those food trendies who practise the idea at home. A glimpse of a France 24 video on http://www.france24.com/en/20090317-lifetsyle-food-cuisine-cookery-slunc... [3] explains how friends and families enjoy it on a Sunday as a celebratory way of ending ‘Le Weekend’.

And, it was in a distinctly celebratory mood that guests at the launch raised their glasses to this new international eating style, characterised by Pidy and perfected by Quaglino’s on British soil.

‘It is often said that there is nothing new in the world,’ comments Pidy general manager Robert Whittle. ‘But we believe this may well be the next fashion in food which could be picked up and adapted in every corner of the UK food sector - from cafes and restaurants to such places as leisure venues, bakeries and hotels.’

We’ll drink to that!