...this bar, bistro and cooking school is a little more than it seems on the surface. Not only does it employ and train young people at risk and those who have experienced homelessness, it actively reinvests its profit into other social enterprises and charities, all aiming to increase meaningful employment in the local community. Now, this is by no means the only one of it's kind in London, but that fact does not detract from the superb initiative of chef founder Simon Boyle . A haven of food, drink and learning
For a catch up dinner with my school friends, I actually ventured outside of Soho for a change and went out in London Bridge this week. It's been a while since I've been in the area and upon exiting the station I got immediately lost amongst all the engineering works that definitely weren't there last time.. Luckily my friend Emma had arranged the evening as I had no clue where to go and after a few drinks in Balls Brothers we headed to Brigade in Tooley Street. Right by More London and Hays Galleria, Brigade occupies the site of an old fire station. This fire station was a founding part of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade which was established in 1865 after a fire broke out in Tooley Street and devastated the London Bridge area for two weeks before it could be put out. I love somewhere with a story behind it, something a bit original, and not only does Brigade have an interesting history but is also part of the Beyond Food Foundation , working with them to offer catering apprenticeships
The food - which is, ultimately, what it's all about - is very good, and certainly well above the standard one might expect from a brigade of mostly chefs-in-training.
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