Restaurateur and hotelier Harry Handelsman (Chiltern Firehouse, Allegra, Booking Office 1869) will open The Midland Grand Dining Room in April, in collaboration with critically-acclaimed chef Patrick Powell (who will continue to oversee Allegra) and globally-renowned interior designer, Hugo Toro.
Sitting alongside the sympathetically restored restaurant will be an impressive stand-alone bar - Gothic Bar - as well as a private dining room, Chef’s Table experience and an expansive outdoor terrace.
This opening will be the culmination of Harry's decades-long regeneration of King’s Cross which he spearheaded upon the acquisition and subsequent redevelopment of St Pancras Chambers (now St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel) in 2002, with the successful recalibration of the area demonstrating his city-wide place-making abilities.
The new restaurant is named after Midland Grand Hotel, the Gothic Revival 19th century hotel which originally occupied the building and the Dining & Coffee Room which operated in the same space upon the hotel's opening in 1873.
Until its closure in the early 20th century, the room was renowned for its French haute cuisine and internationally-inspired design features. Between 2011 and 2021, the space was known as The Gilbert Scott, which was operated by celebrated Michelin-starred British chef Marcus Wareing.
Harry, Patrick and Hugh will pay tribute to the building's heyday, via both a design and menu which will have firm French influences, honouring the reputation of the area as a gateway to Paris and Europe whilst also becoming a culinary destination within the creative hub which is King’s Cross.
Having worked at the likes of L’Ecrivain (Dublin), Cutler & Co (Melbourne) and Wild Honey (London), Patrick spent 4 years at Chiltern Firehouse as Head Chef before being hand-picked by Harry to open Allegra at The Stratford hotel where he has established a reputation as one of the capital’s most exciting chefs.
At The Midland Grand Dining Room, Patrick and Harry will collaborate once again on an exciting yet timeless offering which will compliment the arresting nature of the room whilst being versatile enough to appeal to a broad mix of guests. Patrick will split his time between Allegra and The Midland Grand Dining Room.
Menus will have resolute French origins which will inform the foundation of each dish, whilst the creativity around the ingredients, their seasonal application and their combined execution, all ensure a lighter and more innovative menu performance.
Dishes will change regularly to account for the best possible ingredients that the team can source, with particular focuses on British fish and meat. Available alongside the versatile à la carte menu will be a set lunch menu.
Signature dishes will encompass the likes of Crab & elderflower pain perdu, Chicken liver parfait with a truffle & Madeira jelly and Grand Marnier soufflé. These will sit alongside broader, more familiar menu items such as Salad of English tomatoes, pesto rouge, pickled shallots & soft herbs, Wild mushroom on toast with parsley & garlic, Welsh lamb with Pommes Anna, ratatouille & whipped aubergine, Grilled Dover sole and Epping honey madeleines.
Alongside Patrick, the stellar team will be made up of some of the brightest lights of London’s hospitality scene, including Emma Underwood as General Manager, who will be assisted by Tebeho Tsekelo, Jack Porter as Bar Manager, Charlie Crote as Head Chef, and Arran Schaffer as Head Pastry Chef.
The wine offering will be just as considered as that of the food, with a predominantly old world list, demonstrating established as well as up-and-coming producers. There will also be a concise and carefully-crafted cocktail list created specifically for the restaurant, overseen by Porter, which will place an emphasis on excellently complimenting Patrick’s culinary direction.
An example of this will be the Le Pain cocktail - a digestif taking direct inspiration from Patrick’s grandmother's soda bread, including Soda bread mix, Jameson, Guinness liquor, black walnut bitter and sweet vermouth.
The dining room will seat 86 people across a mix of bespoke tables, banquettes and its very own bar.
Harry said, 'Since I redeveloped and reopened St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel back in 2011, the regeneration of King's Cross has continued apace cementing midtown as a true destination within the capital.
'I'm convinced that under Patrick Powell, the upcoming launch of The Midland Grand Dining Room will go a long way to now securing the neighbourhood's culinary reputation too.'
Patrick commented, 'I first walked past the building within days of moving to London and was immediately in awe of it. So to now be opening a restaurant within it just over ten years later feels like an extraordinary privilege.
'The layers of history that permeate the restaurant and adjoining bar create this extraordinary sense of excitement, and thanks to Harry, I can't wait to be a part of its next chapter.'