Ashley Letchford and Clive Watson to launch new Chelsea venue

British-Basque restaurant, bar and garden King’s House is due to open in London’s Chelsea on 14 October.

The venue’s co-founder, Ashley Letchford, who co-owned the venue’s previous incarnation, the Jam Tree at 541 King's Road, has teamed up with hospitality entrepreneur Clive Watson for the project.

Letchford has worked with drinks expert Anna Sebastian, drinks consultant and former bar manager of the Artesian bar at the Langham London, and MasterChef winner Dhruv Baker, to create the British-Basque dining concept.

Designed by DesignLSM, the ground floor bar and restaurant will feature red banquette seating, dark wooden floors, table lamps and a black painted bar contrasting with white marble tops, pale walls and antique mirrors. Upstairs, the first-floor dining room and events space will have an “intimate loft” feel, with a vaulted ceiling, dark beams and raw brickwork acting as a backdrop to statement artwork and low lighting. Leading out from the ground floor bar is the King’s House Garden, a 96-cover outdoor space.

The food at King’s House has been created by Baker, founder of British Charcuterie brand Tempus Foods, alongside chef Ben Floyd. The Josper Oven will shape the seasonally changing menu, with 90-day aged Txuleton steak cooked over fire as well as whole grilled fish with butter beans and chorizo, charred leeks with Romesco and Toulouse cassoulet, with Sunday roasts available on weekends. Small and sharing plates, such as British charcuterie, ex-dairy steak tartare, and Spanish-inflected bar-snacks, will also be on offer.

Weekend brunch dishes will include granola with coconut yoghurt, eggs Gallinero, spiced crab on toast and green shakshuka.

Cocktails will be inventive Basque takes on classic drinks, for example, the King’s House Aperol spritz will be made with apple gin, fig and Cava, while the Martini will be served with herbes de Provence and a choice of savoury Basque garnishes, and a Sangria will be made with French rosé, orange and red wine blend, vermouth and Fraise du Périgold.

The concise wine list will feature a range of old and new wines with Spanish and French highlights to match the food menu and Spanish beers will also feature alongside local breweries.