Jonny Lake and Isa Bal - from Trivet’s two stars to Labombe in Mayfair
Having opted to leave The Fat Duck and go it alone, opening Trivet in 2019, restaurateur duo Jonny Lake and Isa Bal are now ready for the next step.
After navigating some early challenges, down in no small part to the global pandemic, Trivet in Bermondsey took off, first earning a Michelin star in 2022, before being upgraded to two stars from 2024.
Canada-born chef Jonny moved to the UK in 2005 to join Heston Blumenthal’s iconic Bray restaurant The Fat Duck, where he would go on to meet head sommelier Isa, who has won a host of individual awards.
Now, with their two-star restaurant ticking along nicely, Jonny and Isa are opening Labombe, featuring sharing plates and food off the grill.
Opening officially next week (September 16), Labombe by Trivet is housed at COMO Hotel in Mayfair, the space which was formerly the renowned Met Bar.
Introducing Labombe - a new Mayfair restaurant from the Trivet team
Discussing the expansion of their portfolio, Jonny told The Staff Canteen: “A little over two years ago, we found ourselves in a situation at Trivet where we needed to open another day.
“We felt that just opening another service at Trivet wasn't much to talk about. So we decided to do more of a wine bar evening at Trivet, a different menu, small amount of chefs, grill-based, this kind of thing.
“We worked on that kind of concept for a number of projects that never came to fruition over the years.
“I was at home in Canada and going through some boxes in my parents' basement and I came across this project from school when I was 13 years old where I'd had to create a menu for a bistro. I called it Labombe at the time. Absolutely random, I have no idea where it came from.
“I put it in front of Isa when I came back and he's like, well, that's what we're going to call it.
“It kind of went from there.
“Now we've been given the opportunity to turn that into a fully-fledged restaurant, seven days a week, lunch and dinner.”
Balancing expectations between Trivet and Labombe
Given the success of Trivet, expectations and intrigue is likely to be high when it comes to what Jonny and Isa will offer at Labombe.
Asked how they will handle those expectations, Jonny said: “It’s a good question, because when you're in it and you're doing it, it's really clear to us what's what, but it's often hard to clearly explain that to other people.
“Trivet now is somehow six years old. It's an established restaurant. I don't really know how we got there after our very auspicious start, but there it's pretty straightforward. Five starters, five main courses, five desserts, à la carte menu, and I think we're known for that now and that's great.
“The main difference I would say here is that it's the same quality ingredients, but just presented in a different style. Much more what people are used to eating, in terms of smaller starters, some snacky things, some composed main courses, but especially when you're on bigger tables, sharing, bigger things coming off the grill and things like that.
“There’s still a choice, but in a different style. That's the biggest difference between the two, I would say.”
He added: “It's a very different neighbourhood of London from where we are in Bermondsey. We always wanted Trivet to be a neighbourhood restaurant first. That fits quite well there.
“The relationship between us and COMO Hotels is, it's a family-owned company and it is somebody that we've known for quite a long time.
“Over the years, they've come to Trivet. It's just a timing thing where we had this concept that we were doing and they had a space and it just worked out.
“I never went there when it was the Met Bar, but from a lot of people that I've talked to, even when I just mentioned that, this Met Bar space, they are very like ‘oh wow’.
“So I think it's a very, very different
thing for us. But we're hoping to bring something a little different to this quite prestigious address, I would say.”
Despite the offering and locations being very different, Isa feels there will be crossover of guests between Trivet and Labombe.
He said: “When we were opening Trivet, we were told that people wouldn't travel more than three stops in London.
“We had people coming from all over the world to go and dine there, let alone the UK and London.
“People, I think, do travel for good food, good wine, good ambience, that's for sure.
“The people who come and dine at Trivet, I'm confident they will be coming here. In fact, many of them have already booked to come to eat here.
“And it will be the other way around as well. I think the people who come and eat here, they'll be curious at least to go and see what we do over in Bermondsey as well.”
How Jonny Lake and Isa Bal are shaping their second venture
Opening a restaurant always throws up challenges along the way. But how much have the pair learnt from their experience launching Trivet six years ago?
Jonny said: “We'd both been part of different openings over the years, but never our own and generally with a lot less to think about, whereas when we opened Trivet, we didn't know what we were doing, operationally.
“We learned so much. I think that experience, particularly knowing what to worry about and what not to worry about, and that you can't control everything, that's the biggest thing we’re trying to get into the team here now at Labombe.
“It's never exactly how you think it's going to be, so be ready to adapt and be open-minded to whatever comes.”
Building independence after The Fat Duck
For Jonny and Isa, it was a big leap, to leave the stability of employment and branch out on their own.
But as they prepare to open a second venue, with two Michelin stars already secured at the first, they are confident they made the right choice.
“As hard as it's been to get to this point, I wouldn't have it any other way,” said Jonny.
Isa added: “I think it's kind of like dancing to your own music. You might not be great at making music, but it's your music and you are dancing to it, so the freedom or satisfaction that comes with it is great.”
Jonny interjected: “To work somewhere that long and to be motivated, you really need to put a lot of yourself into it and really treat it as your own.
“I've spoken to a lot of chef friends and chefs around the world who have had similar careers and similar experience and it's a really similar feeling, where one day you just realise it's not your own.
“To do the things that you want to do, you need to find a way to do your own thing, if you can.
“It's hard, but if you truly want to do those things, you need to find a way to do it on your own, because otherwise you're just trying to force something on someone else that is not yours to do that.
“Within all that, it's been incredibly hard. But like Isa said, there's a real magic in being able to really see something and be like right, this is what I want to do, you just find a way to do it.”
The goal for Labombe
So, what would represent success at Labombe?
“The goal for us is for it to be full, and to create that kind of atmosphere that makes people want to come back again and again,” said Jonny.
“We've got a very clear vision of what that is. But I also know enough to be ready to be flexible and to adapt. Sometimes you need to change that in order for it to work, you need to listen a bit to who's coming.”
Isa concluded: “You set it up in a way that you see it and want it to be and it will develop into its own space and personality. So we are as curious as you.”
(Pics: Jodi Hinds)
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Jonny Lake and Isa Bal - from Trivet’s two stars to Labombe in Mayfair
