The Cheese Barge to open at Grand Union Canal
Mathew Carver, founder of Pick and Cheese and The Cheese Bar, has announced he will be opening a new restaurant, The Cheese Barge, this coming Spring.
The restaurant will be sited on a double-decker vessel that will be permanently moored at the Grand Union Canal at Paddington Central.
Carver has appointed head chef Reagan Ellenbroek to create a refined menu of seasonal dishes centred around British cheese. Working alongside executive chef Ross Keeling, the duo have created a menu that will feature a variety of cheese from local, small producers.
The new menu will feature such dishes as Windrush Goats’ Curd with lamb scrumpets and pickled walnuts, Cropwell Bishop Stilton ‘devils on horseback’ and Maida Vale cheese served on treacle soda bread with smoked mackerel and green sauce.
Sharing plates and charcuterie will also feature, and head cheesemonger, Sam Wilkin, will curate a weekly list of seasonal British cheeses served with individual pairings, including Winslade with chilli dukkah and St Andrews Cheddar with green kimchi.
The barge is currently being built in Somerset by master boatbuilders. It was designed by Adam Richards Architects, and is inspired by the Electa bookstore in Venice. It will feature a copper ‘veil’ awning over the 40 cover lower deck dining room, alongside an open-air upper deck.
Carver said: “Hailing from Jersey, I spent my childhood years messing around in boats. So, when the opportunity of opening The Cheese Barge came along, we couldn’t say no.
“The fact that it was British-made by real craftsmen appealed to our continued efforts to support British industry. We’ve always set out to create fun restaurant experiences, and what could be more fun than eating the best of British cheese on the Grand Union Canal.”