High-profile chef Monica Galetti has launched a restaurant in Primrose Hill with a social purpose – to provide career training to homeless people and recovering addicts.
130 Primrose, which opened this week, takes its name from the area and also from the ‘prima rosa’ flower, representing new beginnings. For Monica, best known as a judge on MasterChef:The Professionals, it marks a return to restaurants following the closure of Mere in Fitzrovia two years ago.
She says: “My first task is to create an exciting new menu that attracts customers to support our mission – celebrating the best British seasonal ingredients with a little twist of fun. Later, I’ll weave in touches of my Samoan heritage, giving our trainees a unique development opportunity and helping them to stand out when they move on in their career in hospitality.”
Working under head chef Eric Zhang, trainees will be offered six-month contracts in kitchen or front-of-house roles, followed by accredited certification and support to gain permanent jobs in the industry.
130 Primrose operates as an all-day restaurant with breakfast served from 9am, with a speakeasy-style bar opening on the lower ground floor later this month. The venue was previously run by the charity as Home Kitchen, under chef Adam Simmonds, before closing dow last summer.