London restaurant Lowcountry to serve 'authentic and regional' American cuisine

Mark Sands, a former operations manager for Jamie's Italian, saw a gap in the market to open a family-friendly American restaurant in the area of London he's lived in for the last 14 years.

However, the first-time restaurant owner told BigHospitality he is keen to distance his restaurant from the traditional 'All American'-style joint selling ribs, burgers and hot dogs and instead will showcase food from a particular region known as the Lowcountry, which spans the southern stretch of the US from the Carolinas to the Gulf Coast.

"I didn't want to do another rib shack or sell burgers," he said. "I've always liked the idea of serving real American cuisine and that's what I'm aiming to do with this place."

The 170-cover restaurant and bar, which has space for another 100 covers outside, will serve traditional Lowcountry meat dishes such as roast pork leg, pulled with Carolina style BBQ sauce and homemade Andouille sausages served with chunky red mash and collard greens alongside seafood dishes such as seafood gumbo and crawfish with steamed cracked crabs.

Diners will be able to see their food prepared in the open kitchen and can order fresh seafood from the restaurant's raw bar. The restaurant will also feature a smokehouse outside.  

American chef​

Sands has employed American chef Michael Kirk, one of the founders of London-eating.co.uk and who has spent the last 15 years working at restaurants in London, to help set up the kitchen, with American chef Jennifer Ryan, who most recently worked in St Louis, taking on the role of head chef.

Ryan, who came specifically to the UK for the job, intends to source all ingredients as locally as possible and has been impressed with the quality of suppliers so far.

She said: "Lowcountry cuisine, which we call Lowcountry and French in the States has Irish, African and French influences. The best thing about this style of cooking is they use everything that's available to them. I use every single piece of an animal I have available, it's healthy and it's really economical."

Sands said he was aiming the restaurant at those aged 30-plus with and without children. The restaurant will be family friendly with special £7.95 set menu available for children which includes two courses and includes five portions of fruit and vegetables.