Eat & Drink
Originally published on Thursday, 10th May 2012
Jonathan Downey Q&A
From corporate lawyer to bar and member’s club empresario (Milk & Honey, Redhook, Giant Robot), Jonathan Downey owns some of the top haunts in London. His latest project, Century, is a members club in the heart of Soho. On Saturday May 26, Jonathan will open Century’s doors to host Taste By Appointment, a revelatory occasion dedicated to exploring your personal taste…
UJ caught up with Jonathan to get the lowdown on what tastes make him tick.
How did your career in the food and drink industry begin?
In the mid-90s I bought a flat in Old Street – there was nowhere apart from dingy pubs to go out for a drink so I decided to open my own bar, which I wanted to be about great booze and great music.
What is your favourite thing about working in the industry?
I love creating great spaces to meet, eat, drink and dance in.
What do you think it is about the experience your guests have at your venues that have made them so popular?
I hope that quality (service, ingredients) is the foundation of everything we do, but we try and deliver this in a relaxed atmosphere. Also, it really matters to me that we look after people (that’s what hospitality is). We are not about showing off.
How do you think taste interacts with other senses and emotions to make people like / dislike certain food or drink experiences?
It’s all about taste, the other senses are a precursor or a catalyst to taste.
Are there any particular childhood foods that you feel a strong attachment to / dislike towards?
I always loved the taste of tangerines at Christmas.
What is the best / worst taste experience you’ve ever had?
I recently ate an outstanding meal at Dabbous in Fitzrovia, where every course had amazing depth and complexity: a truly brilliant meal. I also vividly remember the first time Sasha Petraske made me a Chicago Fizz at Milk & Honey in NY. I’ve tried to replicate it since but never quite managed it.
How do you think your taste preferences and your personal taste profile have evolved as you have grown up, and are they still changing?
It’s funny how the older I get the more I enjoy stinky, bitter, sour and fiery flavours. I like to think my personal taste profile was fully evolved by my mid-thirties and I’m now happy with my ‘taste plateau’.
How important do you think it is to understand taste and the way the different elements of taste interact when ordering food and drink?
It’s great to understand taste but it’s even better to put yourself in the hands of a talented chef and a cracking bartender when ordering food and drink and leave it to them to get everything right.
Of the five elements of taste, which do you think are the most important?
Sour.
What are you most looking forward to about Taste By Appointment at Century?
Meeting and spending time with interesting people who are passionate about taste and keen to know more.
What can guests at Taste By Appointment look forward to learning from you?
Hopefully understanding what makes a great drink, how balance is so important, and some tricks to make everything 10% better (which can make all the difference).
What can guests at Taste by Appointment look forward to seeing featured in your bespoke Grey Goose cocktail?
Lots of good alcohol, bitters, grapefruit, chartreuse and texture.
What is your favourite Grey Goose cocktail?
The one Joe McCanta made for me, I’m not sure we’ve named it yet…
Info
Taste By Appointment is taking place at venues across London. To book Taste By Appointment at Century or other upcoming events click here. Select venues (*marked below) are also offering exclusive three-course meals at a special price for Taste By Appointment ticket holders.
May 22: Bread Street Kitchen, St Paul’s*
May 26: Century, Soho
May 31: The Artesian, Marylebone
June 17: The Savoy, Strand
July 1: Hakkasan, Fitzrovia*
July 2: Rhodes Twenty Four, The City*
July 11: Quo Vadis, Soho*
