On Toast

A few years back when we opened the Rivington Grill in Shoreditch I developed an ‘on toast’ section for the menu. It gave customers the option to indulge in a snack without feeling they had to be part of the whole dining experience. Taking some of the formality out of restaurant dining has always appealed to me. In my view, restaurants are somewhere to socialise and eat rather than be reserved just for special occasions.

At the Oyster & Chop House, we don’t have an ‘on toast’ section as such, but I often serve these dishes as starters and bar snacks. Putting ingredients on toast is an ideal way to show off a great seasonal ingredient, such as asparagus, broad beans, heritage tomatoes or wild mushrooms. It is also an opportunity to revisit classics, such as Welsh rabbit and pilchards on toast. I love playing around with these old-fashioned recipes and coming up with interesting variations, such as smoked haddock rabbit and mackerel and tomatoes on toast.