An insight into the food and beverage offered at The Standard (4 minute read).
The Standard, London.
The Standard, London opened its doors in 2019 and demonstrated from day one that their operation was at the forefront of world-class food and beverage, spatial design and customer service. From our first meeting, we were made immediately aware of how like-minded our businesses were, and before we knew it, were on-site at one of the largest fitouts we had ever been involved in. Weaving through an ex-Council office basement and then popping up to take in the iconic view of Kings Cross St Pancras on one side and Central London on the other - we realised the extent of this project, that this was the new kid on the block, and it was going to be very, very spectacular! We caught up with The Standard, London’s Executive Director of Food and Beverage, Helenka Fletcher, to discuss the magic behind the model that makes The Standard, London so very unique.
What is the magic behind the food and beverage offering at The Standard Hotel, London?
For me, the magic is about offering such a diverse range of restaurants and bars, all with different styles of food and in unique environments across the hotel. You could have a burger and a pint whilst you listen to the familiar soundtrack amongst the noisy crowd in Double Standard, a nightcap in the Library Lounge or enjoy the incredible Decimo food in a stylish dining room, overlooking the London skyline in front of an open fire. We’re also launching our rooftop next year which will be a really fun summer location to add to the hidden garden we have on the ground floor.
How is the food and beverage offering curated and how have you achieved a stand-alone destination not just limited to Hotel guests?
We set out to please all our guests, regardless of whether they choose to stay with us or not. If you remain focused on quality and the integrity of what you set out to achieve then people will appreciate it for what it is. No fads, no fuss, just a very clear brief of what we want to create for people to enjoy.
What is your sourcing philosophy at The Standard, London? Is local best, quality best or a perfect mixture of both?
It’s definitely a mixture of both.
For raw ingredients we will always go for quality first but we try and find the right balance.
How do you consistently achieve delivering your high-quality food and beverage offering at scale?
We have a team of people that know how to deliver to a range of numbers. We can offer an amazingly bespoke experience for a small group dinner in our 8th floor private Townhouse, or we can achieve that at volume within our restaurants because of our experienced Chefs and front of house and beverage teams.
From the outset, The Standard, London has committed to specialty coffee, prepared to a high standard not just in the F&B venues but in the rooms too. That’s something Hotels often struggle to execute – what were the challenges and how did you overcome them?
There’s nothing worse than a bad cup of coffee and so many people overlook the importance of a really great quality product. It’ll ruin the end of the best meal or fail to set you up in the morning in your room. Having spent some time in Australia, I appreciate the coffee culture movement and how that’s transitioned to be of importance here in the UK – and although we are getting better at it, there’s still a way to go. Ozone was the perfect choice for us; they understood our culture and ethos, they were helpful at every single step of the way and they are as passionate about their products as we are.
How has the support from the Ozone team – technical, training and CRM helped achieve your high-quality, scaled offering?
The team were amazing. The construction of a hotel is very complex, and often deadlines moved to for kit installs. The team weren’t phased by it at all, and in fact relished coming onsite in hard hats and boots to see progress! They assisted us in securing our Modbar coffee units in Decimo which were also really important to us in order to allow us to achieve what we set out to in that space. From purchasing to training, Ozone have been a great partner.
What would you consider the perfect day in terms of food and beverage at The Standard Hotel, London?
Wake up late in you room and enjoy breakfast in bed courtesy of In Room Dining. A casual Burger and Ginger Margarita with some friends on the sunny garden terrace at Double Standard, and then pre-dinner Martinis in the Library Lounge listening to the DJ in the Sounds Studio. Then, up to Decimo for dinner overlooking London at sunset with a glass of ten year old fino sherry from the Balbaina Alta region, with the amazing para picar, and then a bottle of Taberner (a funky Syrah from Andalusia) with main course. Maybe even a nightcap before bed on the rooftop to watch the city wind down for the day. Bliss!