A host of London chefs, from Michelin-starred cooks to street food specilaists, will commune for London Shell Co.’s third oyster challenge next month.
Chefs from Manteca, Behind, The Parakeet and many more will shuck in front of diners and judges on The Grand Duchess, London Shell Co.’s largest boat-cum-restaurant moored in Paddington.
On September 12, 15 chefs will take part in the competition, with Budgie Montoya of Sarap, Sally Abé from the Pem, and London Shell Co’s own Fede Pollame also on the line-up. Diners will have a chance to try as many as 15 oysters each, all prepared in different ways, and will also get a glass of Langham’s English sparkling wine, the restaurant’s soda bread with devilled brown crab butter, and trout sausage rolls included within their £75 ticket, much of which will go to charity.
The competition each year seeks to raise money for The Fishermen’s Mission, a charity formed in the late 1800s that works to care for fishermen and their families. Fishing remains one of the world’s most dangerous peacetime professions — in 2021, 10 commercial fishermen lost their lives at sea.
London Shell Co. co-founder Harry Lobek said: “We’re now well and truly into our groove with oyster challenges. They’re truly the highlight of my year and watching our kitchen full of activity and buzz is such a thrill for me.
“It’s why we do it: the dishes are always so dynamic too, and it’s fab to give this most divisive of shellfish a bit of love and airtime. We are super proud to have such a stellar line up of chefs this year, too.”
Judges at the event include the Standard’s own David Ellis, the Guardian’s Bob Granleese, writer Flora Gill, Dominic Rowntree — better known as @samphireandsalsify — and Dean Lawrence of the Fishermen’s Mission.
The event will take place from 6-10pm on Tuesday September 12. The full list of chefs competing is as follows:
- Andy Beynon, Behind
- Bradley Walford, 20 Berkeley
- Budgie Montoya, Sarap
- Chris Leach, Manteca
- Dan Murphy, Oenomaris
- David Carter, Smokestak
- Ed Jennings, The Parakeet
- Fede Pollame, London Shell Co.
- Jay Morjaria, Tiger & Rabbit
- Matthew Scott, Papi
- Mursal Saiq & Josh Moroney, Cue Point
- Oliver Gladwin, Rabbit
- Sally Abé, The Pem
- Tom Mumford, Sam’s Riverside
- Will Bowlby, Kricket
