Esteemed Welsh chef Bryn Williams is delighted to be celebrating the 10-year anniversary of his Primrose Hill restaurant, Odette’s, this October. A neighbourhood institution since 1978, the site came under the ownership and direction of Williams in 2008. Williams will mark the milestone with a special menu showcasing the best of Odette’s from across the decade.
Coming from a strong chef pedigree working under the likes of Marco Pierre White and Michel Roux, Williams shot to fame as a sous chef in 2006 by beating several established chefs to cook the fish course for the Queen’s 80th birthday celebrations on the BBC’s Great British Menu. Williams’ first restaurant, Odette’s was the start of a portfolio that now includes Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, a beach-front restaurant, café and bar on the North Wales coast that was opened in 2015, and Bryn Williams at Somerset House, opened in March 2018. His decision to keep the name Odette’s (given to the restaurant in 1978) came from the discovery that it was a location on the famed Knowledge test for London’s black cab drivers.
Over the years, Williams has ensured Odette’s has established its mark on the culinary map, too. A highly regarded professional kitchen, young chefs to pass through its doors have included Tom Brown, now chef patron of Cornerstone and winner of National Restaurant Awards 2018 Chef to Watch, Oli Boon, 2012 finalist on Masterchef the Professionals, Berwyn Davies, ex-head chef at Michelin-starred Glasshouse Kew, and Jamie Randall, now Chef Owner of Adelina Yard in Bristol.
Williams’ menu continues to offer modern interpretations of classical dishes, with a strong focus on sustainability, seasonality and provenance; much of the produce is grown by Bryn’s brother on the family farm in Wales. A special anniversary menu will be available from 16th to 27th October, lunch and dinner, showcasing a selection of favourite dishes from over the years. Curried scallop, cauliflower & coconut soup, and salted grapes (£12), for instance, featured on the menu from 2008-2011, and is the favourite of a couple who have frequented Odette’s every Friday for the past decade. Odette’s Jaffa cake, mandarin, orange curd (£9), has been a staple on the menu for the past six years after being created to use up an excess of chocolate originally intended for a Bounty-inspired dessert.
Odette’s will also be offering an exclusive £10 two course lunch menu throughout the two weeks (excluding Sundays) – a token of appreciation to neighbouring businesses and local customers for their support over the years.
Speaking on the anniversary, Williams says, “reaching 10 years in the London restaurant scene is undeniably a milestone I’m very proud of, and one that couldn’t have been achieved without the team I’ve had by my side – whether that’s the brilliant suppliers, kitchen porters, head chefs or front of house. However, it’s the amazing customers we most need to thank – their loyalty and support, criticism and praise is what has allowed Odette’s to thrive and develop into the restaurant it is today.”
Odette’s
130 Regent’s Park Rd
Primrose Hill, London, NW1 8XL
Reservations: www.odettesprimrosehill.com/bookings
