Food Inc: the new food paradise at Whiteleys
As Whiteleys’ new 6,300sqft food hall, Food Inc., opens, Bill Knott quizzes its creators about what’s in store
Above: Dominic Ford and Pat McDonald, the men behind Food Inc. at Whiteleys
When I visit there are just a few weeks left until the opening of Food Inc., the open-plan food hall on the ground floor of Whiteleys and it is not entirely obvious how it will all fit together. Gazing down into the boarded-up sections of the grand Edwardian department store, it is impossible to discern anything that looks like a fridge or a counter, let alone any food.
Over a glass or two of Condrieu at Le Café Anglais, Dominic Ford – the man behind not just Food Inc., but all the other food projects at Whiteleys – seeks to reassure me. ‘It’ll all be ready in time. Obviously there was always going to be a last-minute rush to stock the shelves and fridges: it’s primarily a fresh food market.’
His business partner, chef Pat McDonald, seems similarly unconcerned, although he admits to ‘a few problems with contractors. Still, that’s just par for the course.’
It is a course that the two of them know very well. Their joint venture, the Ford McDonald Consultancy, has worked on projects for Selfridges, Liberty, Park Plaza and, most recently, the stunning La Rinascente department store in Milan. Vittorio Radice, the retail guru who restored Habitat’s fortunes, made Selfridges cool again, and is now in charge of La Rinascente’s rebirth, comments: ‘food makes people happy. Dominic learnt that a long time ago and all his projects are an expression of this.’ Dominic’s background also includes a long stint as the first director of Harvey Nichols’ Food Hall and restaurants, so he knows his onions when it comes to food retail.
So, what can we expect from the new venture? A delicatessen, naturally, stocking cheeses, cured meats, pies, fresh pasta ‘and whatever else catches our eye’: Pat has been ‘scouring the country for small producers doing great things.’
For those seeking ready-made gastronomic gratification, there will be a traiteur counter and a sandwich bar: the store will benefit from a 4,500sqft kitchen in the basement, fiefdom of Pat and his head chef Jason Lynas, who will dish up soups, sauces, terrines and other dishes to take home. Perfect for an easy supper, or a dinner party, for that matter. Pretend you cooked it yourself: Pat promises not to tell your guests if you don’t.
I query Pat’s inclusion of risotto on his list of traiteur dishes. ‘Actually, I’ve developed a very successful way of making risotto and “holding” it, so it can be reheated at home.’
Pat goes on to explain his method, which involves part-cooking the rice, straining it, then spreading it out. It sounds very like Delia Smith’s method, I comment, innocently enough. ‘Yeah, she pinched it from me!’ retorts Pat, who goes on to say some decidedly unprintable things about the grande dame of British cooking.
The sandwich bar aims to revive the bespoke sandwich, subsumed for many years by the pre-packed Pret version. Artisan breads, home-made dressings and high-quality fillings are promised, as well as some pre-packed sandwiches for those in a hurry.
Meat will come mostly from Highfields Farm in East Sussex, which already supplies the meat to Dominic’s two Butcher and Grill restaurants. ‘Simon [the farmer at Highfields] is a little bit worried about supplying the demand,’ Dominic tells me, ‘and he’s already increased his cattle from 120 head to 650. He’s got 11,000 acres though, so there’s plenty of room for them.
‘We really want to do fresh fish properly, as well. We talked to a few guys that we wanted to run the stall, but we couldn’t really find anyone who quite fitted the bill, so we thought, “OK, we’ll do it ourselves”. Pat’s got plenty of experience choosing fish – he’s been a chef for decades, after all – and when I opened Harvey Nics, we did the fish counter ourselves, so I think we should be up to the job.’
Food Inc. aims to be a sort of indoor street market – a ‘virtual high street’, as Pat and Dominic call it. ‘Nobody’s done what we’re doing before’, says Dominic. ‘We want to bring a restaurant level of service to Food Inc. When you walk into a restaurant, you expect to be greeted and served. We don’t see why it should be any different in a shop.’
Dominic has his reservations about organics and biodynamics. ‘I think food retail is starting to go a bit muesli again. We believe strongly in being environmentally responsible – all our packaging is biodegradable, for example, and our home delivery vehicles will be “green” – but our primary responsibility is to offer the very best-tasting produce. If that happens to be organic or biodynamic, then fine, we’ll stock it. There won’t be any smug slogans, though, we can promise that much.’ That wouldn’t be a little dig at Wholefoods, would it? Dominic smiles inscrutably. ‘We’re not trying to do what they do. We want people to have fun here: come for the evening. There’s lots going on at Whiteleys, and plenty more still to happen.’
These forthcoming projects include a 120-cover Food Inc. café, serving simple, classic dishes from early morning to mid-evening, aimed at shoppers and weary mothers: ingredients, naturally, will come from the Food Inc. stalls. Wines will be chosen from the 500-bin list in Food Inc.’s wine store: ‘I started my career in food and drink in the wine trade, so it’s a subject close to my heart,’ says Dominic, taking another sip of Condrieu.
Two offerings from Alan ‘Wagamama’ Yau should also brighten up the food scene at Whiteleys: the well-established Busaba Eathai, serving Thai food at big square tables, and his new venture Cha Cha Moon, serving Chinese noodle dishes at Wagamama-style benches. There will also be a space for Utobeer, the excellent beer specialists from Borough Market, and at least some of their selection of 600 beers from around the world.
While some may feel torn between visiting Wholefoods and going to Whiteleys, stronger competition, perhaps, will come from closer to home. Waitrose is opening a new store in the old Budgens site, just 100 metres from Whiteleys. As the recession starts to bite, won’t shoppers naturally turn to cheaper alternatives? ‘We’re not aiming to replace a supermarket’, says Dominic. ‘And even though some produce at Food Inc. won’t be cheap, we will still offer great value. Quality never goes out of fashion.’
Food Inc. is now open on the ground floor of Whiteleys W2; www.whiteleys.com