Luxury hotel The Langham has opened its newest restaurant, a modern Caribbean concept from the winner of Channel 4’s Five Star Kitchen: Britain’s Next Great Chef.
The Good Front Room in the Palm Court of the West End Hotel is the work of chef Dom Taylor, who wowed the show’s judges with his upscale versions of jerk chicken, curried goat and ackee with salt fish.
The cooking competition was filmed at the Langham and the judging panel consisted of the hotel’s culinary director, Michel Roux Jr., and chefs Ravneet Gill and Mike Reid.
The winner, announced on July 14, received his own restaurant and The Good Front Room opened the next day.
Taylor, born to a Jamaican mother and a St Lucian father, combines influences from his Caribbean heritage and south London upbringing. He said he experiments with classic Caribbean dishes, using ingredients such as plantains, rum and sorrel to reinterpret the tradition as “fine dining”.
Starters include jerk chicken with plantain jam and corn, and ackee and salt cod cakes with candied garlic and Scotch bonnet aioli, while mains may include sea bream baked in a banana leaf with allspice and ginger, and rum-glazed pork belly with pickled raisins and cho cho.
Taylor’s menu also includes a variation of the traditional Jamaican cheese roll, and there’s also a coconut soft serve – the dessert of the year – with pineapple compote.
The chef said the restaurant’s name was inspired by his great-aunt Myrtle, who lived in a house “full of knick-knacks and keepsakes” and left one room immaculate and completely off-limits unless guests came.
“It is a dream come true to open a restaurant at such a prestigious address as The Langham,” said Taylor.
“The modern Caribbean menu we serve at The Good Front Room brings something completely new to the world of five-star hotel dining in London.”
Drinks include lagers and IPAs, wines from around the world and cocktails that play an important role in Caribbean culture. Guests can expect plenty of rum, including Ron Zacapa and Wray & Nephew.
And on the walls hang pieces by Nigerian-born, London-based artist Carolien Chinakew, who combines pop culture imagery with contemporary Afrofuturism.
Roux Jr. said: “With Five Star Kitchen, we set out to find a hidden gem from a chef with an original vision who wants to revolutionise five-star gastronomy and open an exciting new restaurant at The Langham.”
“Dom’s concept is personal, which makes it unique and after many months of planning and preparing for the launch, I can’t wait for the first guests to try The Good Front Room.”
The Good Front Room, 1c Portland Place, W1B 1JA, langhamhotels.com
