Monday Bulletin: Magma Concepts | Ornella | Happiest Places to Work 2026

Catch up on the latest industry news stories of the week from the CODE Bulletin

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ORNELLA

LUPA in Highbury was a soaraway success. Now the team behind it – White Lotus star Theo James, Carousel co-founder Ed Templeton, and chef Naz Hassan – are launching a second restaurant just nine months later. The trio will open their new restaurant, Ornella, on Wilton Way in London Fields, East London at the end of April. Ornella – “less trattoria, more ristorante” – will take inspiration, not from Rome like LUPA, but from Milan where Bangladeshi-born Hassan was raised and spent his early culinary career. Expect to find regional classics like deep-fried mondeghili meatballs, tagliatelle al burro e Parmigiano, and zuppa inglese, as well as the risotto alla Milanese and ‘elephant’s ear’ cotoletta di vitello by which the kitchen will “live and die”.

HAPPIEST PLACES TO WORK 2026

Applications for CODE’s Happiest Places 2026, in partnership with Planday, are now open. Here’s where to register your company and find out more. Last year’s big winner was Bubala; maybe it will be your company this year?

CUE POINT

Just in time for its tenth anniversary, Mursal Saiq and Joshua Moroney’s British Afghan BBQ concept, Cue Point, has found its first permanent site. It will open at The Garden Bar in White City on 22 April. Texan-Afghan roasts on Sundays.

MAGMA CONCEPTS

Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale of two Michelin star restaurant Ikoyi have launched a hot sauce. Magma Hot Sauce, £10, will be available from the Magma Concepts online store in April. Chan spoke to CODE about what makes his hot sauce different.

• Adam Byatt’s Clapham restaurant, Bistro Union, relaunches this week with a menu at 2012 prices for three months. Think Chicken Kyiv, £15 and toad in the hole, £13.

• The Sustainable Restaurant Association has released a new global insights report with volumes on ‘People’, ‘Plate’, and ‘Planet’. Free to download here.

• Rambutan is throwing a fried rice party for Sri Lankan New Year on 14 April. Nick Bramham and Elliot Hashtroudi are among the guest chefs contributing short eats.

• Italian purists, look away. East West Pizza opens its second site on Brick Lane on 10 April. Its speciality? CTM (chicken tikka masala) pizza.

• Chinatown meets Soho, as Dumplings’ Legend and Three Sheets collaborate on a series of dumpling and cocktail specials, available at both locations throughout April.

• News just in from Hawksmoor: the British steakhouse group is opening in Boston. Opening in Autumn 2026, it will be the group’s third US restaurant.

• Julie’s in Holland Park is taking over a Victorian pub, The Prince Edward, in Notting Hill. Restoration work should be complete by the end of the year.

• Electronic duo Bicep is joining forces with six top chefs for SENSORA, a multi-sensory fundraising dinner and DJ set at HERE at Outernet on 5 May. Participating chefs include Fallow’s Will Murray and event co-creator Mark Tuttiett of Da Terra. Tickets, £375. All proceeds to The Brain Tumour Charity.

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WHAT WE’RE READING

Spaghetti… but not on toast! Britain’s Italian love affair: Good Food Guide

10 Questions with Hoppers’ Karan Gokani: CODE

The problem goes far beyond Noma – I’ve seen rot creeping into too many kitchens: The Guardian

Tempo restaurant review – 10/10 mouth appeal: The Sunday Times

THE DUMBWAITER

The stars of the culinary world descended on Motorino for Condé Nast Traveller’s Top New Restaurants Awards last Monday, but lifetime achievement award winner Delia Smith outshone them all.

Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink, currently playing Juliet on the London stage, was spied out and about last week wearing a baseball cap from Ida – London’s Best Local Restaurant 2025 according to CODE’s sister publication, Good Food Guide.

Spotted: west end girl Lily Allen having lunch at Locatelli at The National Gallery.