Meet the chef: Harry Faddy of Dear Jackie
We go inside Soho’s party palace to discover why simple but effective food has become the talking point of Broadwick Soho
Anyone floating around London’s social circles – or watching Instagram closely – will know that the five-star Broadwick Soho hotel, which opened last autumn, has become the capital’s ultimate party palace. Good job, then, that’s exactly what it set out to be. Designed by the illustrious Martin Brudnizki, the uber-luxury address has been attracting a well-heeled cool crowd eager to experience Soho in all its glory, with plenty of fun, grit and soul to boot.
It’s not all late-night parties (it was a go-to address during LFW) though. The hotel also encompasses four decadent bars and restaurants, two of which take their name from the founder Noel Hayden’s mother, Jackie, who owned a family-run hotel in Bournemouth until 1988. 35 years later, Dear Jackie and Bar Jackie opened as a love letter from Hayden to his family, and is the culmination of a long-held personal dream to open his own luxury restaurants in London.
But, who would helm the restaurant? That was the question Michelin-starred chef Harry Faddy answered with ease last year. Having previously worked at the celebrated The River Cafe and now-closed Aquavit, Faddy swapped Scandinavian influences for a touch of la dolce vita in Italy, before returning to the capital to man Broadwick Soho’s flagship lower-ground restaurant, serving classic native gastronomy with a modern twist.
Inside, the restaurant is a sight to behold and a fine example of Brudnizki’s creative nous. The loud, lavish interiors are bathed in Murano lighting while walls are adorned with crimson silks, exuding an ambience that seamlessly blends old-age Italian glamour with the glittering allure of Seventies-era disco. Faddy says: “The food does not need to compete with the restaurant decor, but to complement it with ingredient-led and simple food. It is the kind of food I want to go out and eat.” Here, we sit down with the Chiswick-born chef to discuss why he wanted to move into the hotel dining scene, and why the Michelin guide isn’t on his radar right now.
I grew up around good food. My mum and uncle were both chefs, so I was lucky enough to experience all sorts of cuisines at home. My mum and dad both loved gardening too, so I was lucky enough to eat freshly grown produce from a young age, and appreciate ingredients at the peak of their season. We were also lucky enough to travel a lot when we were kids. Our summer holidays usually centred around a trip abroad, where food was often the main focus.
Growing up, watching my mum cook was always inspiring. She is a fantastic pastry cook, and I can remember coming down the stairs to find her in the kitchen rolling pastry or piping choux. I discovered early on that if I was around to help, I would get to taste things faster!
I got my first kitchen job when I was around 20 years old. I saw it as a great way to save money to travel, and I was at ease and confident in the kitchen as I was already comfortable preparing the basics. I walked down my local high street in Chiswick and walked into restaurants asking for work, the second restaurant I walked into gave me a job. The head chef took me under his wing and taught me everything. It was an amazing experience. We made three types of bread a day, cooked soups, terrines, and made charcuterie as well as all the pastry and desserts. I fell in love with the professional kitchen environment. From there I decided to go to Westminster Kingsway college and completed a diploma course while working evenings and weekends.
Earning a Michelin star was a very special feeling. Henrik Ritzen and I had worked together for more than 10 years in various places and earning the star reassured me that we were cooking good food. It made all the long days and late nights worthwhile. We never set out to earn a star, especially as I associated them with heavily tweezered fine dining, so it was great to see our approach to food being rewarded. I would, of course, be delighted to gain Michelin recognition once again but it is not my main motivation right now.
The idea of Dear Jackie being part of a boutique independent hotel took my interest. Five-star hotels have long been synonymous with fancy restaurants that often aren’t great for food. Dear Jackie seemed like a great place to show the opposite.
Seasons influence our menus at Dear Jackie. Italian food is all about good ingredients and we try to use the best we can, sourcing ingredients at their peak from regions in Britain and Europe. My experiences of travelling abroad also help inspire the dishes at Dear Jackie.
Having just become a father, I don’t quite have the time to eat out and try new restaurants as much as I’d like. However, The Waterman’s Arms in Barnes is our favourite Sunday lunch spot right now and is serving some lovely dishes.
Sam Andrews who is the head chef at The Waterman’s Arms.
I don’t really have a favourite dish at Dear Jackie. There is a dish of seared yellowfin tuna that reminds me of a trip to Sicily, which inspired me to put it on the menu. It’s a simple dish of seared tuna with sweet and sour onions, done in the Italian way of complementing sweet onions with quality vinegar. It takes me back every time.
Visit broadwicksoho.com
Read more: The best fish and chip shops in London
