Chefs launch restaurant concept at Hirst Gallery
Two of London's up-and-coming chefs have joined forces to open a 'Best of British' exclusive pop-up dining experience at Damien Hirst's gallery.
Pario London is set to open at Newport Gallery in Vauxhall for four days only, from 9 to 12 October. The exclusive venue offers 60 covers and will be open every evening, as well as for lunch service on the Friday and Saturday.
Spearheaded by chefs Charles Bryant and George Browne, Pario brings a fresh, seasonal approach to modern British cuisine, with a focus on simplicity, sharing-style dishes and quality-driven ingredients. The Pario team also includes Hohn Guilbert, previously of JKS Restaurants, who will lead the front-of-house operations.
The restaurant will occupy the space formerly home to Mark Hix's Pharmacy 2 restaurant, which closed nearly three years ago. With Pario, the gallery welcomes a new era of culinary artistry that coincides with the cultural scene of London Frieze Week.
The menu will feature a rotating selection of sharing-style plates, including ex-dairy dry-aged ribeye and barbecued Cornish lobster tail with tempura claws, crispy hash browns and fennel seed mayo. Complementary sides like house crispy potatoes with confit garlic and beef dripping will also be available, alongside desserts such as milk ice cream affogato.
Two of the city's most exciting young chefs
The concept is led by chefs Charles Bryant – formerly of The Dorchester and Alyn Williams at The Westbury – and George Browne – a private chef working on innovative dining experiences across London. Bryant has gained recognition through his successful pop-up events with the likes of Crisp W6 and Eating with Tod, through which he has consistently drawn sell-out crowds.
"Taking the space within the gallery is a hugely exciting opportunity and perfect for the sort of experience that George and I aim to deliver," says Bryant. "Pario is all about letting the quality of British ingredients speak for themselves – and in an exclusive and distinctive location. We've built a menu that highlights the best seasonal produce the UK has to offer, from sustainable seafood to prime cuts of meat."
Browne adds: "It's about creating dishes that are simple but executed with precision, where every element on the plate has a purpose that enhances the natural flavours. For us, it's not about overloading the dish, but about celebrating each ingredient in its purest form. Their vision is to create a dining experience centred on British heritage and the very best seasonal produce, offering delicious food that focuses on high-quality ingredients."