Premier Hospitality

Barbecoa

Barbecoa
Written by Roma Publications

Barbecoa

Barbecoa

Barbecoa Piccadilly is Jamie Oliver’s second offering of traditional fire-based cooking from around the world. Housed in a stunning Grade II listed building, the new restaurant will offer the same great seasonal menu that guests have come to expect from Jamie, and will serve delicious dishes from morning to evening, including afternoon tea.

Overseen by Justin Hardy the Director of Design, work on the project was initiated and completed by Martin Brudnizki Design with heavy involvement from Jamie Oliver. The new restaurant is inspired by the concept of fire and the theatre of barbequing meats. Part of the St James’ Market development, the refurbishment has included the complete fit-out of the restaurant and bar by main contractors Tekne Shopfitting.

Housed in the Princes Arcade in the former Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, the restaurant is located in the St James’s Conservation Area in the City of Westminster. Built between 1881 and 1883, the building was designed by the architect E.R Robson with a Portland stone in the Free Renaissance style including sculptural embellishments by Onslow Ford.

Princes Arcade itself was an arcade of uniform shops that had retail space on the ground floor and storage space on a mezzanine floor. For the Barbecoa site, the modern fit-out covers the basic shell of the Victorian building as no original feature or finishes have survived over the years.

“On-site construction of the restaurant was completed in 18 weeks,” commented Justin Hardy, Director of Design and Developments for Jamie Oliver restaurant group. The interior design is inspired by the 1920s style as shown throughout with influences from an old menu and reservation card from 1925.

The 10,000ft2 restaurant is spread over two floors with the main dining area located in the basement. Able to seat 285 guests, Barbecoa includes space to entertain diners at the liquor bar which comes complete with a large offering of whiskey, bourbon and cocktails.

“As the most elaborate Jamie Oliver restaurant with the estate, obtaining site access after over three years of discussions was a huge relief,” added Justin. The rustic aesthetic, carried over from the original St Pauls site, is created using scorched timber panelling as well as brass and antique mirror detailing. Bespoke leather and mohair furniture are also used to add to the rustic design.

A glass meat display is situated on the ground floor along with the liquor bar, which is a staple of Jamie Oliver’s Barbecoa restaurant chain. Adding a sense of grandeur to the site is the marble staircase which wraps around the brass and antiqued mirror-concealed lift, and descends into the main dining hall. Subtle nods to the 1920s style infused into the interior design of the restaurant are the bespoke tiles used on the walls and low lighting.

Two open kitchens, one for the cold bar – serving seafood – and one for grilling the British meat, create a sense of drama with diners able to watch their dishes being cooked, some using naked flames and infused smoke. The kitchens also boast a Japanese roabata grill, a Tandoor oven, a Spanish Mibrasa charcoal oven as well as a Texan smoker.

Fruit woods like apple oak and cherry are used to add to the already flavourful meat. Throughout the restaurant a Versailles panel and chevron-patterned wooden floor adds to the rustically art deco 1920s atmosphere.

Situated off from the main dining area is the 16 cover private dining room, which is named after one of Oliver’s River Cafe mentors Rose Gray. Deep burgundy tones and unique furniture add to the elegance of the 1920s influence in the interior design and is perfect for intimate group dinners.

The menu heavily features meat with smoked duck, pit beef and ribs as some of the classic Barbecoa dishes on offer. The cold bar offers seafood dishes for those wanting something lighter such as wild prawns, crispy calamari and crab salad.

attends Jamie Oliver's new Barbecoa restaurant, a classic steakhouse reimagined in the heart of Piccadilly on February 8, 2017 in London, England.

Real Flooring Solutions

Real Flooring Solutions is a commercial flooring specialist, installing a range of bespoke timber, carpet, LVT and vinyl flooring solutions. The company has been in operation for seven years and within this time has worked on a diverse range of projects, from schemes for the commercial, leisure and retail sectors.

Over the years, Real Flooring Solutions has worked on a number of projects for Jamie Oliver, including most recently, Barbecoa – Piccadilly. Working on this project, Real Flooring Solutions installed bespoke timber flooring to the ground and basement floors of the restaurant, all finished to the client’s requirements.

Real Flooring Solutions Managing Director, Mark Thompson, said:

“We like working with Jamie Oliver and his brand. This site has such a good location in the centre of London – it’s a great project to be involved with.”

Mark added:

“At Real Flooring Solutions, we pride ourselves on our customer service. We always strive to meet the client’s requirements, with work completed on time and to budget.”

About the author

Roma Publications