The project is a restaurant in St James’s, located in a corner of Masons Yard–a very special and unique crevice in central London. The programme is expressed in a labyrinth of subterranean kitchens and bars to serve as a place of research and development for chefs, as well as a place for them to simply congregate.

The building seeks to re-examine the relationship between the chef and their customer and to uplift the often-undervalued trade of being a chef. It is inspired by the writings of Anthony Bourdain and Marco Pierre White, both of whom have succeeded in depicting the world of chefs as one that is fraught with danger and eccentric characters. The ‘seduction’ of the customer is achieved by using delicate materiality that seeks to engage all the senses. Changes from a daytime to a late-night clientele are reflected using light-giving materials. In the daytime the restaurant’s materiality will allow light to enter the subterranean dining rooms, while at night it will glow and light up the intimate square. The building would be open for 24-hours a day. The intimate site allows for the underground culture of chefs to flourish whilst being in the heart of central London and appealing to a clientele seeking exclusivity and hedonism.