Tendril’s Rishim Sachdeva to launch ‘plant-first’ café
Named after the connecting stalk that attaches a plant stem to its leaf, the 27-cover Café Petiole will offer food throughout the day, with a grab and go or grab and stay menu which can be taken both in the venue itself or al fresco in the London landmark;s neoclassical courtyard.
Created by Sachdeva, the menu will include salted piquillo peppers with coriander salsa and ancho chilli dressing; grilled aubergine sabich with tabbouleh; blue corn tostada, smoked artichokes and lime puree; and pineapple, chilli and lime galette.
There will also be a selection of breakfast items including toasted banana bread with agave and baked courgette, feta and honey swirls created by Tendril head of pastry Tarryn Williams.
An all-vegan drinks list will also be available, featuring kombucha and low-intervention European wines on tap, sourced from suppliers such as Basket Press, L.A. Brewery and Graft and Sustainable Wines.
For the interiors, the chef has teamed up with London & Milan based interior design studio DUELLE, who have taken inspiration for the interiors from European travels for the design of Café Petiole, communicating ‘a timeless feel, reflective of an artist’s café, respecting the historic room and surrounds at Somerset House, yet with a contemporary twist’.
“We’ve been working on this project behind the scenes for some time now, so it is with huge excitement that we can now announce Café Petiole at Somerset House,” Sachdeva says.
“This is a whole new concept and brand for me, and to be launching at a venue I’ve loved since my first visit to London all those years ago is an incredible honour, and we are super grateful to our friends at Somerset House for the opportunity.”
With a CV that includes Chiltern Firehouse, The Fat Duck, The Dairy, Sachdeva launched Tendril as a residency at Soho’s Sun & 13 Cantons pub in 2021.
Last year, he launched a permanent iteration of the largely vegan restaurant concept just off Regent Street on Princes Street.
