Latest opening: Pêtchi
What: Housed in a historic grade two listed building in what was once the harbourmasters office, Pêtchi is a modern interpretation of a wood-fire grill restaurant. The name translates as ‘to try to catch a fish’ from Jèrriais, Jersey’s traditional dialect.
Who: Chef Joe Baker (pictured below) and his wife Charlotte were inspired to open the restaurant based on Joe’s time spent cooking in San Sebastian. Self-taught chef Joe read English at university before undertaking stages at kitchens in London, Australia and San Sebastian. In 2016, aged 25, he returned to Jersey to open his debut restaurant, Number 10, which closed earlier this year so he could focus on Pêtchi. In 2019 he represented the South West region in Great British Menu, returning in 2020 for series 15 where he reached the finals.
The food: The restaurant centres on an open kitchen with custom elevation grill and wood-fired oven on which Baker cooks seafood and shellfish as well as meat dishes such as an ex-dairy beef chop with smoked olive oil. A meal will most likely start with a wood-fired flatbread or grilled bread and smoked butter before heading into the raw and small section where dishes include fried Jersey oysters with citrus and house hot sauce; raw Jersey beef and nori tarts; wood-roasted Écréhous scallop with white asparagus and elderflower; and a Chancre crab crumpet. Most mains are designed to two or three people to share and include a crumbed Iberico pork with green strawberry and spruce tip butter; John Dory, Amalfi lemon, girolles and pine nu; and wood-roasted lobster rice, with sides such as confit potatoes and wood-roasted greens, burnt garlic and garum. Desserts, meanwhile, include a fig leaf ice cream sandwich; hay custard, dulce de leche and Jersey strawberry tart; and a brown butter cake.
To drink: English and Spanish sparkling wines sit among more traditional champagnes with around 20 options each of white and red as well as a small selection of rose and skin contact wines and sherries. Wines from Italy, Spain and France dominate the list although European countries also feature, with whites starting at £30 a bottle for a Cretan assyrtiko and reds at £36 a bottle for a Georgian tbilvino.
The vibe: The Bakers have opted for a minimalist design with guests entering the dining room via a reception area that has large floor-to-ceiling dry-ageing fridges for meat and fish. The bright open plan restaurant has whitewashed walls, a wooden floor and large windows while to the rear of the room is a polished concrete pass with flecks of Jersey sea shells and local stone. There is also a separate bar space.
And another thing: Pêtchi’s bespoke grill was designed by Rhys Allen, who has also created one-off pieces for London restaurants Brat and Kiln.
Unit 13C, Liberty Wharf, La Route de Liberation, St Helier, Jersey
https://www.petchi.je/
