This July, Ivan Tisdall-Downes and Imogen Davis open their restaurant Native in London Bridge following a relocation from Neal’s Yard, bringing their dedication to British wild produce and foraged focused cooking south of the river. Having spent time in the kitchens at River Cottage in Devon and the renowned Blue Hill Farm at Stone Barns in New York, Ivan was influenced by the innovative cooking of natural, foraged and seasonal produce, while Imogen, a hunter-gatherer at heart, spent weekends foraging in the Northamptonshire countryside.
The new restaurant is a return for Ivan to his south London roots; a stone’s throw from Borough Market, large windows allow plenty of natural light to stream into the room, surrounded by exposed brick and trailing greenery. The menu begins with each chef creating a snack from kitchen offcuts, such as radish tops and grain husks, that would ordinarily go to waste. To follow, guests can choose from plates such as Fermented IOW Tomatoes, Smoked Salsa Verde, Graceburn, Yesterday’s Bread; and Venison, Nasturtium, Jersey Royal, Miso Bagna Cauda, Broccoli. The kitchen is dedicated to cooking with sustainable meat and seafood: fish is caught off the Dorset coast, venison is supplied from South Downs in Sussex, and game shot in Yorkshire. Every morning the chefs head to their new neighbours at Borough Market to take their pick of seasonal fruit and vegetables, and herbs are foraged locally by Imogen, Ivan and the team who work closely with local foragers. Diners can finish with something sweet, such as Meadowsweet Custard, Yorkshire Rhubarb and Coriander Honeycomb, and a Native favourite: Marrowmel, a white chocolate and bone marrow caramel.
Guests can sip on botanical-led cocktails, including a Melilot Mule with house-made melilot – or sweet clover – vodka, lime and organic ginger beer, and a Carrot & Sea Buckthorn Negroni, incorporating English vermouth. The wine list takes a similarly local approach: highlights include an English pinot noir by Worcestershire-based Sixteen Ridges, and a bottle-fermented sparkling wine from Three Choirs in Gloucestershire.
At Native’s new home, Ivan will launch an intimate chef’s table where a handful of guests will be served around a polished concrete table in the kitchen each evening. Diners can watch as the team prepares an 8-course tasting menu , breaking down the barrier between chef and guest and allowing Native’s seasonal approach and thoughtful cooking to be seen first-hand.
“Having been born and brought up in south London, it’s great to be returning to my home turf. I’ve always wanted to host a chef’s table, where we’ll be able to experiment with some new techniques and dishes,”says Ivan. Imogen adds, “It’s especially exciting to be so close toBorough Market, one of my favourite markets in the world, where we can pick and choose such amazing wild produce, and keep our focus on being a zero waste kitchen dedicated to the best British ingredients.”
