Platform1, the East Dulwich restaurant renowned for being a springboard for some of Britain’s brightest new chef talent, has announced that Fodder is the next chef residency, taking the helm from now until 25 November.
Opened on Lordship Lane in 2015 by Chloe Gounder-Forbes, Platform1 has nurtured now-well-known names such as Perilla and Smoke & Salt, both of which have gone on to open permanent restaurants of their own. Most recently it hosted Olive & Thyme, led by chef Christopher Bower, former executive chef of Thackeray’s in Royal Tunbridge Wells where he was awarded three AA Rosettes and won a Michelin star.
Fodder, created by chefs Michael Thompson and Ollie Downey (pictured) together with co-founders Jenny Novitzky and Louise Stapley, celebrates all things wild, local and seasonal, bringing ‘a fresh twist to fine dining’ by working with foraged produce and a community of carefully-selected suppliers. Alumni of Fera at Claridge’s, Michael and Ollie share a passion for produce and seek to tell a story with every aspect of a meal.
It’s a philosophy which impressed Gounder-Forbes, who challenges chefs – chosen through a rigorous, audition-like process – to deliver a consistently high-quality, ingredient-led set menu, as well as a bar snacks menu.
Dishes include: Heritage carrots and butterhead lettuce with smoked hay; Buttermilk buns, crispy chicken skin, cultured butter; Chicken & spelt ragu, sauerkraut, mushroom & bread broth; Raw plaice, cucamelon, apple marigold; Grey-legged partridge, Kalibos cabbage, beetroot & anise hyssop, and Caramelised pear, buckwheat, hogweed & whisky.
Fodder is working with several south London-based suppliers including Moxon’s Fresh Fish of East Dulwich, The Butchery in Forest Hill, and Article No.25, based in Elephant & Castle, who use discarded grounds from London coffee shops to grow mushrooms. Herbs are being grown on-site in propagators and in planters on Platform1’s outdoor terrace. From further afield, organic salads, fruits and vegetables are being supplied by Good Earth Growers, a Cornwall-based collective with whom Fodder have formed a lasting relationship.
To drink, guests can choose a wine pairing, or order by the glass, carafe or bottle from Platform1’s concise, considered list championing ‘forgotten grapes’ – rare and indigenous grape varieties. Alternatively, a wide range of cocktails, premium spirits and soft drinks are available.
