Rake will serve its final meal at the Compton Arms in Islington on Saturday 19 December 2026 as chefs Jay Claus and Syrus Pickhaver prepare for the next stage of the project.
The residency began in January 2025 at the pub, which has previously hosted kitchen concepts including Four Legs and Tiella.
During its time at the Compton Arms, Rake has developed an approach centred on British cooking, carefully sourced ingredients and a focus on using as much of each ingredient as possible.
In March 2026, Rake at the Compton Arms was added to the Michelin Guide, while Claus and Pickhaver also earned recognition in Time Out’s list of London’s best young chefs.
The Islington residency followed a shorter period at The Gun in Hackney during 2024 and gave the pair the opportunity to further develop Rake’s food and hospitality style.
Their cooking incorporates whole-beast butchery and responsibly sourced Cornish fish and seafood alongside dishes inspired by traditional British food and pub culture.
Claus and Pickhaver previously worked in London kitchens including BRAT, Quo Vadis, The Zebra Riding Club and Acme Fire Cult.
Dishes during the residency have included ray wing tenders served on a homemade crumpet with hot golden syrup, stargazy pie and beer-battered cockles and clams.
Other dishes have included baked oyster with caramelised onion, ale and Worcestershire sauce, crab on house soda bread with brown butter hollandaise and English apple, and ox tongue served with mustard, vinegar and fried homemade white bread.
The chefs have also focused on making greater use of less commonly served cuts and ingredients, including Fosse Meadow chicken wing tips and livers.
Claus said: “Rake’s ethos, in its current and future form, has always been about hospitality without pretension as much as it is about cooking.
“Our time at the Compton Arms has provided us the opportunity to finesse exactly what that means, cooking generously, drinking well and creating a place where people can relax and spend time with friends.
“The end of the residency is an evolution rather than an ending for Rake.”
Pickhaver added: “We’re excited to be turning our attention to a new independent hospitality project we’ve been working towards for 2027.
“The cooking will remain playful and deeply rooted in a sense of place, moving between nostalgic British classics and unexpected interpretations.”
Further details of the chefs’ new project are expected to be announced in due course.
Rake’s final service at the Compton Arms will take place on Saturday 19 December 2026.
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