Sem

3rd – 7th October

This one’s extra special.

Before making the move to Lisbon with his partner Lara Espirito Santo, New Zealander George McLeod was part of the Carousel family. George’s talent as a cook was obvious, but it was his very genuine commitment to eliminating single-use plastics from our food chain, minimising food waste and doing things the right way, not the easy way, that left the biggest impression on our team.

Fast forward to the present day, and George and Lara’s (first) baby, Sem (‘without’ in Portuguese) is one of the most talked about restaurants in Lisbon, admired throughout Europe for its progressive, closed-loop tasting menus that tell the story of “produce that is at its best right now; of the by-products made invisible to us by industrialised food; of the offcuts, the too-big-too-small, the misshapen, the picked too early or too late, of the disregarded roots, stems and leaves, and of all the ancient techniques, not yet forgotten, available to us for food preservation”.

For Sem’s week in London, George has been speaking to good friend and fellow former employer, Doug McMaster, to ensure that we get our hands on the best of what’s in season from local regenerative producers who share their inspiring mindset. As awe-inspiringly imaginative as they are beautifully plated, highlights include ‘Crayfish x Rose x Koji’ (Crayfish Tails, Pickled Rose, Lacto-Fermented Cucumber, Rose & Koji Water Tea); ‘Acorn x Beetroot x Walnut’ (Acorn Flour ‘Tortilla’, Miso Confit Beetroot, Black Walnut Ketchup, Elderberry Hot Sauce Powder); and ‘Deer Loin x Wild Berries X Onion’ (Juniper-Smoked Grilled Deer Loin, Treacle Garum, Wild Berry XO Oil, Wild Onion Paste).