What has always struck me when visiting trattorias both in Italy and the UK is the genuinely warm and welcoming spirit they have. It was very much the reason we wanted to create Luca; it stems back to the concept of the Italian family table, that aura of community and the sense of mealtimes being a real event. We may be in London, but I want to create that same feeling.
We're using the term "Britalian" as shorthand to describe the type of cuisine we will serve, which is focused on using prime British ingredients and imagining them through an Italian lens. The food at Luca will observe and respect the deep traditions of the country's cooking, but will break the rules a bit – think woodpigeon-sausage ragu, for example, or pheasant Milanese.
In a similar way to The Clove Club and a lot of other great London restaurants, there will be a strong sense of seasonality. We'll be making homemade limoncello using Amalfi lemons and on the menu will be other Italian specialities such as prosciutto and parmesan vacca bianca modenese. Where we know we are sourcing the best example of an ingredient we will get it from Italy, but in terms of fresh produce such as fish, meats and vegetables, as much as possible will be from the UK.
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At Luca there are two distinct areas. The bar is fun and vibrant and will have an aperitivo feel to it. It will be open all day for breakfast (as of the New Year), lunch and dinner, offering small plates to share, a great wine list and freshly shaken cocktails. The main restaurant, which is going to observe a more traditional Italian-style menu, will have antipasti, fresh pasta, main courses and desserts. The whole place feels contemporary and elegant and the interior design from Alexander Waterworth really plays to the strength of the architecture of the Grade II-listed building.
I'll be going over to work at Luca alongside our new general manager Jennifer Brown, who has come from working with Jeremy Mogford at Quod Brasserie and Gee's in Oxfordshire. Our head chef Robert Chambers has Italian heritage and has worked in some of London's best restaurants, including The Ledbury, The Square and Locanda Locatelli, and leading the fine-dining operation at The RAC Club in Pall Mall. Going from one restaurant to two is always the biggest challenge because you're doubling your workforce in one fell swoop.
It was very humbling for The Clove Club to be ranked on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list among so many great chefs and establishments and I was very pleased for myself and [co-owners] Daniel [Willis] and Isaac [McHale], but also for the team who are here every day and working really hard. The staff are such a massive part in shaping it and creating the experience.
In terms of the tricky second album? We really care and are passionate about what we do. Opening a restaurant in many ways is hell on earth, but it's also hugely exciting, inspiring and life-affirming. If you're getting to the point where you're so stressed out that you're not enjoying it any more, it hinders your ability to be creative and motivate the team around you. We've worked so hard over the past year to get where we are now and it's such a beautiful process to watch a place grow from a shell to seeing the colours starting to form and the furniture going in and to see the features of the building in a new light – I get goosebumps just walking in there.
JOHNNY SMITH co-founded the Michelin-starred The Clove Club. The team behind the award-winning restaurant is setting up a second dining establishment, Luca, which opens on 28 November and will offer a British take on traditional Italian food. 88 St John Street, London EC1M 4EH; luca.restaurant
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