Woodhead Restaurant Group is focused on its existing concepts, with the possibility of opening further neighbourhood restaurants, co-owners Daniel Morgenthau and Will Lander tell MCA.
The London-based group recently launched its fifth site, a Gallic concept called 64 Goodge Street, in London’s Fitzrovia. The concept will add to its existing portfolio of neighbourhood restaurant Clipstone; Michelin-starred fine dining venue Portland; steak-focused concept The Quality Chop House; and the small plates- and wine-focused Quality Wines.
“Clipstone is a neighbourhood restaurant but also a destination venue,” Morgenthau says. “It would lend its model to other neighbourhoods in London, but not under the same brand.”
“We certainly have our sweet spot, with five different concepts that don’t feel like each other,” Lander adds. “But we did enjoy our foray into faster, cheaper concepts during lockdown.”
Despite eyeing neighbourhoods, the group finds that its venues in Farringdon and Fitzrovia continue to see robust trading.
Its new French bistro-inspired launch marks a ‘narrow focus’, led by head chef Stuart Andrew, who trained in Paris.
“We had two modern European restaurants in Fitzrovia,” Lander says. “We loved the area and wanted a narrow focus.
“Our head chef cut his teeth in Paris, which gave him a passion for that style of cooking. We always wanted to do something along those lines.”
“We give our teams the opportunity to find a concept as opposed to driving something top-down.”
The group will therefore take an ‘organic route’ to growth, with the focus continuing to be on individual, differentiated concepts.
While work-from-home and rail strike action has impacted trading, Woodhead will continue to eye mixed-used areas like Fitzrovia and Farringdon.
“We like areas that tick off all the boxes,” Lander says. “We’re so fresh from the Goodge Street opening, we’re not necessarily thinking of a specific next concept…but there are different routes we could go down.”
