Carousel more gourmet magnetism in Marylebone

Food nomads Shuttlecock Inc open a more permanent restaurant space

From a village with a high street that 10 years ago boasted more charity shops than any other in London, Marylebone has become restaurant central. Take the Chiltern Firehouse, which has elevated a road once best known for wedding-dress shops to paparazzi heaven. Or Corbin and King’s Fischer’s at the top of Marylebone High Street, which serves chopped liver to die for. And now there’s new venture Carousel, opening on Wednesday August 20 on Blandford Street (and for which email bookings are now being taken), a venue sure to score the gourmet hat-trick with its quirkily hip vibe.

The food comes from Ollie Templeton, director and head chef of “foodie nomads” Shuttlecock Inc – a culinary troupe that specialises in inventive gastro pop-ups. This is a totally new concept, however; as the name suggests, it proposes to host a rotating inventory of pop-up dining events, for a limited span of five years.

“We wanted to open a space in London that was always changing – by event, by chef, by pretty much anything,” enthuses Templeton. “Chef residencies will bring in talented people from around the world to take over for two or so weeks at a time.” First up is Javier Rodriguez, with his modern take on Argentinean food, while Giorgio Locatelli will be donning his whites for the kitchen in September. “The chefs cook their food, and we cook it with them,” continues Templeton. “This way we are always learning, progressing and sharing ideas.”

While the restaurant is on the ground floor, upstairs is a space for exhibitions and screenings for 100 people. The inaugural show is The Art of Dining’s Colour Palate, which sets out to stimulate the senses by flooding customers’ plates and glasses with different colours for each course, accompanied by music to complement the experience.

Roll up, roll up and book a table, and let the whirligig of Carousel take you on a culinary ride.