Award-winning Wilsons set for rare London collaboration dinner

Michelin-starred Bristol restaurant Wilsons is heading to the capital for a rare London appearance, bringing its farm-to-table ethos to Soho institution Rita’s for a one-night-only collaboration.

Taking place on Monday, February 16, the dinner will see Rita’s chef-owner Gabriel Pryce join forces with Wilsons head chef and co-founder Jan Ostle to create a menu rooted in seasonality, produce and shared culinary philosophy.

For Jan and his partner Mary Wilson, Wilsons has become synonymous with intuitive, ingredient-led cooking, much of it driven by the restaurant’s own two-acre market garden in Bristol. The move to London offers a chance to showcase that approach in a different context, while aligning with Gabriel’s playful, American-accented style at Rita’s.

A shared belief in produce-led cooking

The collaboration promises to marry Jan’s thoughtful, produce-first approach with Gabriel’s bold, flavour-driven cooking. Both chefs have built reputations for letting ingredients take centre stage, focusing on sourcing, seasonality and clarity of flavour rather than unnecessary embellishment.

Guests can expect locally sourced meat and fish alongside British and European produce, with much of the menu shaped by vegetables, fruit and herbs grown at Wilsons’ own market garden. The drinks list will focus on organic and biodynamic wines, in keeping with Wilsons’ sustainable ethos.

Highlight dishes include Wilsons’ house-made sourdough with cultured butter and smoked cod’s roe, followed by cod head rillette with pickled onion and smoked cod in a ginger, garlic and butter broth. For mains, diners will choose between Bristol roe buck, barbecued and served with a sauce made from its own bones, finished with a fruity hot sauce and Rita’s cornbread; or cornbread celeriac with taleggio, fermented chilli and brassicas, served with a choice of sides. Dessert will see a classic tarte tatin paired with bay leaf ice cream.

A restaurant riding high

The London outing comes at a strong moment for Wilsons. Alongside its Michelin star, the Bristol restaurant recently placed first the SquareMeal Top 100 Restaurants 2026 list, reinforcing its reputation as one of the UK’s most compelling produce-led destinations.

That national recognition has placed Wilsons firmly in the spotlight beyond the south west, making this collaboration a rare opportunity for London chefs and diners to experience its approach without travelling to Bristol.

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A kitchen reunion on the pass

Adding further depth to the evening is a reunion element. Hywel Denham, formerly sous chef at Wilsons and now part of the kitchen team at Rita’s, will cook alongside his former colleagues for the night.

The collaboration brings together two kitchens with distinct identities but shared values. For Gabriel, the opportunity to host Wilsons in Soho carried personal and professional significance.

Gabriel said: “Wilson’s cooking is rooted in an almost reverential relationship with produce. What they grow in their market garden shapes the food in a way that feels immediate and deeply connective. That closeness to the garden is evident in every dish Jan cooks. There’s a clarity that lets the ingredients speak for themselves. Getting them in with us at Rita’s, with Hywel returning to cook alongside his old team, feels genuinely special.”

Jan added: “We’re so thrilled to be cooking at Rita’s. We’ve always admired everything that Gabriel, Missy and the team do, and we’re excited to bring together our shared approach to food – one that feels very natural, letting the produce speak for itself and keeping things honest, seasonal and fun. Getting to reunite with Hywel makes the collaboration even more special.”

Wilsons, which earned its Michelin star for hyper-seasonal cooking and a close relationship with its land, rarely steps outside Bristol. For London, this dinner represents a concise snapshot of its ethos: ingredient-led, technically assured and grounded in the rhythms of the garden.

Reservations are now open here.