CUT at 45 Park Lane has launched a new California-inspired brunch menu, available every Saturday. Featuring a wide breadth of west coast favourites with the exclusive CUT flair, the menu includes dishes such as a beef short rib with a buttermilk waffle, avocado, créme fresh and pickled vegetables, to brunch staples like acaí bowls and fluffy pancakes served with berries and maple butter. The Beverly Hills Brunch includes a glass of Rathfinny, but if you’re more into the boozy side of brunch and want something extra, you won’t be disappointed with the expansive drinks menu. Experimenting with new flavours, the Baileys and Oreo milkshake, strawberry and mint vodka slushy, and frozen Brandy Alexander are standouts.
The Beverly Hills inspired brunch menu is the work of Head Chef Elliot Grover. Consistently pushing boundaries, he switches the menu at CUT seasonally and creates an incredible environment in the kitchen as well as in the dining room. Recent travels to California have inspired his strategy and focus, both in the dishes he creates and in the community he fosters — bringing in west coast flavours and more chef-diner interaction that is characteristic of California restaurants.
We spoke to Elliot Grover about the new brunch menu: how he developed it, his favourite dishes, and more!
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Read the interview…
What inspires you when ideating seasonal menus or coming up with dishes?
I eat out quite often as I love to see what other chefs are doing. The culinary scene in London is so diverse at the moment so it is great to understand what new techniques are being used and if any particular dishes/flavours are trending. I find it provides so much inspiration when I’m developing the menu at CUT. Mark Hix has written a number of books on seasonal British food – I have read them all and regularly refer back to them when I am recipe testing. Eating and cooking with seasonal food is something I am incredibly passionate about and I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate more seasonal dishes into our menus.
Specifically, how did you come up with the new brunch menu?
I spent some time in California in March for the Oscars with Wolfgang, and whilst there I ate at one of our sister hotels, Hotel Bel-Air, where I was served one of the most amazing brunches I’ve ever had – the milkshakes were also incredible! I wanted to give a California feel to the London brunch scene by incorporating the typical Californian brunch dishes with the unique culinary identity of CUT whilst also adding in a bit of fun with the boozy milkshakes.
How does it bring something new to CUT?
It will really showcase Californian cuisine whilst adding an element of fun, which is what we’re all about at CUT.
How do you add to the menu, evoke its essence, and create a full story through other areas, such as decor or music?
Oh that’s a tricky question, I normally wake up in the middle of the night with a bunch of new ideas so I keep a notepad nearby to write down all the random ideas that come to me. I then talk to Wolfgang about any new ideas which helps me to figure out which ones are worth developing. It is a lot of trial and error when developing unique concepts and dishes but when it works it is so worth it.
Do you have a favourite dish on the menu?
Oh I love our wild sea bass ‘Hong Kong’ style. It’s super fresh and vibrant with a unique flavour profile. From the new brunch menu, I’m most excited about the beef tacos with avocado, slaw and a cilantro crema. It is the perfect combination of a hearty dish made fresh with the addition of ingredients such as cilantro, cabbage and salsa Verde.
