This February, restaurant Turnips with Tomas Lidakevicius in Borough Market will host "Fight THE SYSTEM" in response to the current negative rhetoric consuming our news and communities. From the 15th to the 25th of February, Tomas will lead his team in setting aside conformist consistency - setting aside the demand for perfect produce and presenting a dish exactly the same each and every day.
Instead menus and dishes will be flexible in the extreme, changing daily or even by service to reflect available ‘surplus’ produce. The primary intent will be creative improvisation: a riff where the chefs take advantage of each of the available ingredients on their own merit - however imperfect - and combine them in a harmony of taste and flavour.
Over the 9 days, the team will offer their tasting menus for almost half the usual price, making their dining experience more accessible to more people. Concentrating on the surplus from their own kitchen and their trusted suppliers' networks, their hope is to bring some joy while highlighting how perfectly good ingredients still remain sidelined and classified as ‘leftover’ or ‘surplus’.
Chef Tomas Lidakevicius says, "The idea of the initiative came from the discontent and antipathy we all seem to be feeling: if it’s not the cost-of living it’s Covid; if it’s not Covid it’s Brexit; if it’s not Brexit, then we have the parliamentary merry-go-round to delight in. Quite simply we want to set aside cost and celebrate value and have some fun in our own way.”
A gem at the heart of one of the most iconic London locations, Turnips with Tomas Lidakevicius offers seasonal creative modern dishes starring world-class vegetables. Born from the collaboration with Turnips owner, Charlie Foster (5th generation greengrocer) the venture started as a pop-up in the middle of the 2020 lockdown and soon became a permanent operation. Both the small plates selection and tasting menu showcase an instinctual and beautifully presented cooking style that follows the microseasonality of the ingredients.
"Surplus isn't poor quality food," says Charlie Foster. "In fact, it can be food of the highest quality, but for which there is no commercial home: it is often just the result of over-ordering, or slightly not meeting aesthetical standards for their imperfect appearance. By collecting whatever is surplus from our suppliers, we can still guarantee the best ingredients for our menus, carefully selected according to our criteria for world-class fruits and vegetables, but at a much lower price."
The wine pairing will mirror the food concept, thanks to the invaluable relationship with their market neighbour, Dynamic Wines. The list will favour natural and biodynamic producers who focus on minimal waste, no pesticides or chemical fertilisers and bottles that celebrate the quality and purity of the grape itself.
Ends
For further media information on Turnips restaurant, please contact Cristiana Ferrauti at LOTUS: office@lotusinternational.net Tel +44 20 7751 5812
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Follow Turnips on their Instagram account HERE and Chef Tomas Lidakevicius HERE.
Notes to editor
Price list
Food menu: £50
Wine pairing: £50
Opening hours
15-18 February
Wednesday—Friday: lunch 12pm-3pm / dinner 6pm-11.30pm
Saturday: 12pm-11.30pm
21-25 February
Tuesday—Friday: lunch 12pm-3pm / dinner 6pm-11.30pm
Saturday: 12pm-11.30pm
Address
43 Borough Market
London SE1 9AH
Reservations can be made online via their website HERE or by telephone on +44 (0)2073 578 356