Dans le Noir?
The science of gastronomy is constantly evolving, as chefs bring exciting innovations to the dining scene. Today, you can find entire restaurants dedicated to singular scientific concepts like sustainability and health, as well as unusual hypotheses that boost the sensory experience of your meal in a variety of restaurants that embrace food science in London and across the south east.
Silo
Silo originated as an Australian project before moving to London in 2019. Its core concept resolves around having no bins on the premises, making it the world’s first zero waste restaurant. Whether that be through fermentation, composting, or recycling, only 0.1% of the restaurant’s output can’t find new use and new life. And that 0.1% is then preserved and kept so as not to pollute other areas of the ecosystem – they even turned some of it into a small cube sculpture. On the food front they offer a seasonal tasting menu.
Where: Unit 7 Queens Yard, Hackney Wick, London, E9 5EN
Bookings: silolondon.com
Dans le Noir?
As its name suggests, Dans le Noir? is a dining experience that takes place completely in the dark. Without sight to guide you, their chefs believe that your other senses become enhanced as you are invited to use your smell and touch alongside taste to admire food in a new way. Leaning even further into the theme of mystery, the seasonally shifting menu is kept a surprise, allowing your senses to come to life. A unique way to experiment with your own perceptions of food and drink.
Where: 69-73 St John Street, Farringdon, EC1M 4AN
Bookings: london.danslenoir.com
Kitchen Theory
The project of chef Jozef Youssef, Kitchen Theory is dedicated to using scientific and gastronomic innovation to heighten the dining experience through the use of immersive elements. Youssef is also an associate editor at the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science and gives speeches on multisensory and immersive dining. The experience is available as either a private, group dining experience or a supper club open to the public and consists of 10-courses that play with notions of projection mapping, aromas, audio, lighting and narration.
Where: 33 John’s Mews, Holborn, WC1N 2NA
Bookings: kitchen-theory.com
The Fat Duck
Ok, The Fat Duck is technically not in London but come on, we can’t talk about unusual, science-inspired restaurants without at least mentioning Heston Blumenthal’s dizzying professor creations. He is also one of the most prominent names in molecular gastronomy; the art of using scientific principles to prepare food. Menus like the Topsy-Turvy have become renowned for the ways in which they challenge our perceptions of food and alter the ways in which we interact with the world around us. The entire meal is eaten backwards, starting with dessert, moving on to mains with dishes titled Beef Royale and Sound of the Sea before finishing with aperitifs. Is it science? Is it magic? Who can say.
Where: High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ
Bookings: thefatduck.co.uk
Restaurant Story
When it comes to experimental food, Restaurant Story is one of the first that comes to mind. Their seasonally changing tasting menu captures the essence of British produce, which is combined with evocative storytelling and precise food science. With unusual presentation, the experience is as much about the tactile and sensory world around you as the food itself. Their sample tasting menu features dishes like the intriguingly named Candle, which consists of brioche with beef extract, as well as more traditional food like squab pigeon.
Where: 199 Tooley Street, Southwark, SE1 2JX
Bookings: restaurantstory.co.uk
Ampersand Hotel
Situated only a stone’s throw from both the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in Kensington, Ampersand Hotel has embraced the interests of its neighbours with a pair of themed afternoon teas. The Jurassic Afternoon Tea features treats like dinosaur eggs and fossils that you have to excavate. Meanwhile, the award-winning Science Afternoon Tea has planet shaped cakes, chocolate spacemen, and more. While the food isn’t exactly rocket science, the theme certainly is.
Where: 10 Harrington Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 3ER
Bookings: ampersandhotel.com
Oracle Time