London's Town Hall Hotel launches social bubble dining concept

Devised by content creator and brand consultant Richard Lee Massey, APT offers the opportunity to hire an apartment at London’s Town Hall Hotel, where a leading chef will create a bespoke menu for up to 10 guests.

The concept has been developed as a new means of getting people together in a safe yet stylish environment, whilst at once supporting the hospitality industry and allowing chefs to get back to what they love to do.

“I came up with APT about a month into lockdown. The pandemic brought the industry to its knees, so I guess the idea was born from a love for my chef friends and all their restaurants,” says Massey. “I was eyeing up restaurant projects pre-lockdown, but even as government guidelines change, the future of restaurants is yet to be determined. Social-distancing measures have been tweaked, but there are still so many hurdles.

“So, coming up with a creative solution for getting together is what I was aiming for. I also wanted to provide a platform that offered safe spaces for my chef friends to get back to doing what they do best.”

The process is simple; guests will be able to select a date they would like to get together with their friends – be that for a celebratory dinner, engagement party or business lunch – choose from either breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, and finally pick the chef or restaurant of their choice to cook for them.

The current roster of chefs includes:

•  Ana & Meng (Tata Eatery/TOU)
•  Chris Leach (Manteca)
•  Claude Bosi (Bibendum Oyster Bar)
•  Claire Ptak (Violet)
•  David Carter (Smokestak)
•  Helen Graham (Bubala)
•  Jackson Boxer (Orasay)
•  Jacob Kennedy (Bocca Di Lupo)
•  James Cochran (Restaurant 1251)
•  Jeremy Chan (Ikoyi)
•  John Li (Dumpling Shack)
•  Leandro Carreira (The Sea, The Sea)
•  Lee Westcott (formerly of Pensons and Typing Room)
•  Pophams
•  Rafael Cagali (Da Terra)
•  Ravinder Bhogal (Jikoni)
•  Selin Kiazim (Oklava)
•  Shuko Oda (Koya)
•  Simon Shand (Corner Room)
•  Skye Gyngell (Spring)
•  Zaw Mahesh (Lahpet)
•  Zoe Adjonyoh (Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen)

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of this project – cooking alongside great chefs, for family and friends as they finally break bread together again,” says Claude Bosi. “I have missed cooking for people as much as they’ve missed being cooked for; it’s exciting to celebrate the return of eating out in such a fantastic way.”

Selin Kiazim adds: “I’m delighted to be partnering up with APT. As we continue to learn to adapt in these uncertain times, it feels good to be a part of a new platform which still gives me a stage to cook my food for small groups of diners.”