'We need to get this right. We haven’t got a second chance at this'
Clare Smyth chef and owner of Michelin-starred Notting Hill restaurant, Core, believes that the future of hospitality rests on inspiring customer confidence when lockdown measures are lifted.
Speaking on the BBC's Today programme, the chef said: "We need to get this right, we need to start slowly."
Having taken measures including masks for staff, covered cloakrooms, hand sanitiser dispensaries, and QR codes from which guests can order wine, she stressed that "guest confidence is the most important thing right now."
The chef said that as restaurants are well versed in in food and health safety, reopening with Covid-secure measures in place should simply be “an extension of that.”
However difficult the hurdles ahead, she said: "We have to get it right. We haven’t got a second chance at this.”
As of yet the restaurant has not announced a reopening date, as like many others much rests on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's anticipated announcement this evening, which will lay out guidelines for restaurants, bars and pubs
Last week Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon laid out the country's plans to reopen the sector, showing close alignment with UKHospitality guidance.
Last night, Clare shared a picture of her team on social media, expressing how much she has missed them and hinting that they would be reunited again soon:
For 17 years, The Staff Canteen has been the meeting place for chefs and hospitality professionals—your stories, your skills, your space.
Every recipe, every video, every news update exists because this community makes it possible.
We’ll never hide content behind a paywall, but we need your help to keep it free.
If The Staff Canteen has inspired you, informed you, or simply made you smile, chip in £3—less than a coffee—to keep this space thriving.
Together, we keep the industry connected. Together, we move forward.
Support Us
CONTRIBUTE
'We need to get this right. We haven’t got a second chance at this'
