Brigade bar and kitchen relaunches as smoke and grill restaurant

Social enterprise restaurant Brigade bar and restaurant has relaunched with a smoke and grill-themed offering after an extensive refurbishment that will allow it to help even more people.

Brigade, which helps Southwark residents at risk of homelessness develop the skills to find employment in hospitality, will focus on sharing dining experiences with the new meat fish and plant-based options from head chef Pete Denhart.

Brigade was founded by Simon Boyle, who also set up the Beyond Food Foundation and won this year's Extra Mile Award at the Foodservice Cateys. Thanks to the refurbishment and the decision to move to a seven-day week, the site will now be able to increase the number of apprentices it is able to take on, helping to lift more people out of homelessness.

New dishes include: dry-aged 1kg Cornish bone-in sirloin with fresh horseradish, served with a selection of house sauces and butters, including smoked bone marrow butter, chimichurri and salsa verde; burrata, smoked heritage beetroot, olive oil and toasted crumb; and sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and milk cream.

Pete Denhart, head chef, said: "We want to offer customers exceptional casual dining, but with a conscience.

"We've meticulously handpicked every element, whether it be salmon from the Secret Smoke House in Hackney, our 32-day dry-aged Cornish beef sourced from renowned butcher-farmers Philip Warren, or our flavour-packing, seasoned woods and charcoal from Bermondsey's London Log Company.

"On top of that, our new menu is the perfect concept to give our apprentices an appreciation of the food, produce, butchery and cooking techniques that will fully prepare them for long term, future employment in the hospitality sector."

Simon Boyle added: "This project is about good food, doing good and the re-launch will allow us to maximise the work we're already doing for disadvantaged members of London's community.

"We're using food as a catalyst to break to the cycle of homelessness for thousands of people and we'll be doubling the number of people we work with in the coming year. Bringing freshly cooked food into the lives of those vulnerable people can play a crucial role in helping them stand on their own two feet.

"Not only does this help people live healthier lives, learning the basics of cooking equips them with building blocks to create lives full of purpose. Good food, kitchen skills and harnessing a sense of vitality lays the groundwork towards helping vulnerable people gain the confidence to contribute to society in meaningful ways."

This much I know: Simon Boyle, founder of Brigade Bistro >>

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