Harbour & Jones to run RSA House's restaurant after being appointed catering partner
As part of the £5m deal, completed last week, 20 members of catering staff from the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce (RSA), including head chef Gordon McQueen and 20 temps will also transfer to H&J.
RSA House's venue director Matthew Bates said: “Bringing Harbour & Jones on board as our catering partner is a reflection of our food philosophy and our desire to push the creative boundaries of event production for our clients. We take the sourcing and production of healthy, nutritious food really seriously and endeavour to support British food producers, with meat sourced from grazed herds, fish from sustainable stocks and unadulterated raw ingredients bought daily and prepared on-site.
"The talented RSA chef team, including head chef Gordon McQueen, will TUPE across to Harbour & Jones. We’re very excited about what this relationship will bring to our positioning as a leading meetings and events venue in central London.”
Renovation plans
The Grade I listed venue on John Adam Street, near The Strand, is currently being restored by architects Matthew Lloyd. The venue's Great Room will be kitted out with movable seating and improved audio visual facilities to turn it into a multifunctional venue. The ground floor will be opened out and new informal meeting spaces will be added for its planned April to June re-opening.
While work is carried out, H&J will work on menus for a variety of events at RSA House and for its public restaurant The Vaults and Gerard's Bar, a private bar for RSA Fellows.
“We’re thrilled to have won the opportunity to be involved in such an exciting regeneration of a stunning central London venue and mobilisation has already begun to ensure we hit the ground running come April, when the first of the public rooms reopen for event hire,” said H&J director Nathan Jones.
H&J is already involved in catering at a number of landmark venues and high profile businesses across the capital, including the restaurant at St Paul's Cathedral, the London Stock Exchange and Global Radio.
