London’s Pop-Up Restaurants Let Rising Chefs Shine

In London a slew of restaurants has opened and has temporarily brought a new energy to this city’s already lively dining scene. For new and up-incoming cooks they are getting a chance to dazzle an adventurous and demanding audience (Strand). For sharp-whitted Londoners, they give an opportunity to dine ahead of the curve.

These chefs are literally getting their chance to shine. New underground restaurants around London are opening in locations that are often secret. These unknown locations operate in a regulatory gray area which only adds to the sense of culinary adventure (Strand). New chefs are being hired and given a change to show London what they are made of. "Most cooks, though, say they’re less concerned with generating buzz than with creating a menu that’s entirely theirs (Strand)."

Also in London some of these restaurants are beginning to structure themselves differently. "I have complete control," said Ben Greeno, the 30-year-old behind Tudor Road, a supper club he holds in his home (Strand). He does all the shopping and all the prep for his home business. This is a different approach to taking on this type of work in the restaurant business but its logical because he is his own boss and he doesn't have to leave his house for work.

"Underground restaurants in the United States usually involve amateurs trying to cook like professionals. Tudor Road presents a professional who cooks in an amateur’s kitchen" (Strand). While these pop-up restaurants and supper clubs can also found in the United States, the ones in London are beginning to shape the dining landscape.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/dining/06london.html?ref=dining