Since its opening in 2014, The Clink Restaurant and Bakery at HMP Brixton, operated by The Clink Charity and staffed by prisoners in training, has provided professional hospitality skills to over 400 students, creating a meaningful pathway to rehabilitation beyond prison walls.
More than 235 City & Guilds NVQ qualifications in hospitality and catering have been awarded to students trained at The Clink’s HMP Brixton Restaurant, helping to reduce reoffending rates and create employment opportunities for prisoners after their release.
By immersing participants in real restaurant operations, the programme empowers them with the skills, confidence, and discipline necessary to build brighter futures.
Located in the historic governor’s house dating back to 1819, The Clink Restaurant serves seasonal dishes, including à la carte, afternoon tea, and Sunday roast menus.
The award-winning Clink Bakery at HMP Brixton is a successful social enterprise, celebrated for its high-quality artisanal baked goods, crafted by individuals in custody who are simultaneously earning City & Guilds NVQ qualifications in baking and hospitality.
Each dish is carefully crafted by inmates in training, blending technical skill with fresh, sustainable ingredients, and served in a distinctive setting that transforms lives through the power of food.
The refined à la carte menu, updated quarterly, highlights a seasonal celebration of bold, modern British cuisine infused with international flavours. Guests can start with inventive small plates like torched asparagus with cured egg yolk and pea romesco, or sea bass crudo accompanied by Seville orange and rye crispbread.
The mains cater to every palate, featuring dishes like chargrilled lamb chops with pistachio and bagna cauda, alongside plant-based options such as Tandoori romanesco with sweet potato purée and samphire bhaji. To conclude, indulgent desserts like kataifi custard tart with poached rhubarb and Tonka bean cheesecake with lime curd provide a memorable finale to a transformative dining experience.
Offered every other Friday, Afternoon Tea at The Clink Restaurant at HMP Brixton presents a refined take on a British tradition. Guests can savour delicate sandwiches like egg and dill mayo on brioche, Coronation chicken on wholemeal, and cucumber with cream cheese on a savoury scone. Warm plain and fruit scones are served with house-made preserves, lemon curd, and clotted cream. The sweet treats, crafted by NVQ Level 2 patisserie students, feature delights such as rhubarb and ginger custard tart, mango and kaffir lime roulade, and wildflower honey cake with dulce de leche cream.
The Clink’s Sunday Roast honours British tradition with a refined, seasonal approach. Starters include Yukon gold rosti with rose harissa, nduja flatbread topped with stracciatella, and freshly baked soup with bread. Main courses feature roast sirloin, lemon thyme chicken, poached sea trout, or a vegetarian stuffed cauliflower, all accompanied by roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and rich gravy. Desserts include rhubarb and apple crumble or a vegan tonka bean cheesecake to complete the meal.
The Clink General Manager, Simon Mckinnon-Brahams, said: “The Clink Brixton’s 10-year anniversary marks a decade of hard work, transformation, and life-changing training. We’re proud of the hundreds of trainees who’ve gained qualifications, confidence, and careers in hospitality. Here’s to continuing to offer fresh starts for the next 10 years.”
Over the past decade, The Clink has gained national recognition for its impactful work, notably achieving a significant reduction in reoffending rates among its graduates. In a full AA Rosette assessment, the HMP Brixton restaurant earned the highest rating—Highly Commended—for two consecutive years, a testament to the dedication of its training staff and students.
Many graduates have since built successful careers in the hospitality industry, highlighting the transformative power of education, opportunity, and belief in breaking the cycle of reoffending.
