This March, Allan Pickett, former chef patron of the critically acclaimed Piquet, is announced as executive chef at the helm of Swan, Shakespeare’s Globe on London’s Bankside.
The British chef has combined his classical French training, under the Galvin and Roux brothers, with a superb knowledge of British ingredients and suppliers, to create the restaurant’s modern British menu. His career has seen him work with some of the UKs finest chefs, notably spending several years at various Roux restaurants, before he met Jeff Galvin at Chez Nico in 1997. He followed Jeff to Orrery, as a senior sous chef at the Michelin-starred Marylebone restaurant. Allan continued his career at restaurants such as L’Escargot under Marco Pierre White, Galvin Bistrot de Luxe and Plateau, where he led the kitchen for over four years.
After leaving D&D London, Allan set up his own restaurant, Piquet. Piquet received critical acclaim with excellent national reviews from Giles Coren, Jay Rayner, Fay Maschler and furthermore placed seventh and claimed the title of highest new entry in the Top 100 UK Restaurants 2016. One of the capital’s most exciting chefs, Allan is thrilled to be back in the kitchen and developing his own take on British dishes. He comments:
“I am delighted to have joined the team at Swan, Shakespeare’s Globe; it’s great to be back on the London restaurant scene and I felt Swan was a perfect fit. We’ve been busy the last couple of months creating our Spring menu, which showcases the best Spring produce and I can’t wait for people to try it.”
Following an extensive refurbishment Swan, Shakespeare’s Globe reopened its doors in February 2016 with a fresh, vibrant new look. Situated on Bankside, overlooking the River Thames, this all-day restaurant, bar and private events space boasts unrivalled views across St Paul’s Cathedral and the City of London.
Fond of pickling and preserving, Allan has added some of his homemade preserves and compotes to certain dishes, foraged in Kent by his mother. Signature dishes from the main menu include starters such as Hand-dived marinated scallops, Granny Smith apple, squid ink mayonnaise, Ham and Savoy cabbage terrine with Yorkshire rhubarb and sourdough toast, and Old Spot pork belly, black pudding, creamed celeriac, Somerset cider brandy prunes. Main courses include Haunch of venison, faggot, braised red cabbage and damson preserve and Cornish fish stew, saffron Norfolk potatoes with garlic mayonnaise, and Salt Marsh lamb chump chops, braised shoulder with spring greens. Puddings include a warming Baked winter fruit tart with Devon cream, Vanilla rice pudding with plum compote and a bitter chocolate mousse with ginger and farmhouse yoghurt.
The perfect pit-stop for breakfast, or lunch following a weekend stroll, the menu, served in the ground floor bar area offers an array of modern British dishes throughout the day as well as cocktails, coffees and fresh smoothies for those seeking a healthier boost. In addition to the breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, the restaurant continues to offer a three-course pre-theatre menu priced at £24.50 for 3 courses, as well as a Midsummer Night’s Dream afternoon tea.
Located in close proximity to both London Bridge and Blackfriars stations, the venue features a large open plan bar downstairs, and restaurant upstairs, furnished throughout in an elegantly simple and comfortable style. Full height timber panelling spans from the ground floor to the upstairs restaurant, with a striking Rothschild and Bickers chandelier lighting the stairwell. In the restaurant, bespoke seating by The French House, and additional statement lighting, by Rothschild and Bickers, create a relaxed and refined environment; with two private dining rooms at each end of the restaurant partitioned with copper and glass screens, and 180 degree views of the London river skyline. The dining room to the right, the River Room, houses a unique selection of sheep head sculptures that run along the back wall and are designed by the renowned Dido Crosby.
The restaurant bar features a seamless length of pewter and brass, with a Carrara marble bar back and Christopher Howe bar stools. Upstairs is the Balcony Room, a beautiful private event space that is licensed for weddings. The venue also boasts a large outdoor terrace, with views across the river, as well as a number of additional spaces for larger scale events.