Julian George launches Future Plate at Somerset House

The Future Plate chef development project is to launch a kitchen and event space in Somerset House, London.

The space, which has been designed with Conran & Partners, includes a test kitchen that will form the home of chef Julian George’s Future Plate: House of African & Caribbean Cuisine & Culture, which aims to address the lack of infrastructure, visibility and long-term opportunity afforded to Black chefs in the UK hospitality industry.

It will be a permanent base for Future Plate to support chef development, innovation and commercial collaboration through the programme’s creative studio, events business, academy and management arm. 

The space will offer a rolling programme of chef residencies and host private dining and brand activations. It will also serve to support the wider hospitality industry on menu development, chef training, cultural consultation and collaborative programming.

George said that the project existed to position African and Caribbean cuisine within the premium hospitality landscape and to open pathways for Black chefs across the industry. 

He added: “This Test Kitchen is a major milestone for us. For a long time, we’ve been creating experiences in temporary spaces. Now we finally have a permanent home where our chefs can develop ideas, collaborate, train and build sustainable careers.

 
“It gives us the infrastructure to support Black chefs properly from supper clubs and events to education, brand partnerships and foodservice, while continuing to push African and Caribbean cuisine forward at every level.”