AT THE TABLE WITH CHRIS SHAW

The late September sun has finally come out. We briefly take it in, standing outside the abandoned red-tiled Aldwych station, just opposite London’s iconic 180 The Strand.

Set between Somerset House and the Inner Temple, 180 is a Brutalist building reimagined as a hub for art, design, music, broadcasting, and of course, food – the reason we’re here.

On the first floor sits Toklas, a Mediterranean-style bar and restaurant, with its bakery just a couple of doors down.

When we step inside, it takes us less than a moment to notice the space’s careful design. Its name pays homage to American writer Alice B. Toklas, who, alongside her partner Gertrude Stein, transformed their Paris apartment into an art salon.

Every corner is beautiful. There’s a large planted terrace with glimpses of the Thames. Dark teal leather banquettes. Vintage Danish chairs. A large Wolfgang Tillman photograph from 1993, depicting tomatoes and aubergines by a pool – perhaps a nod to the seasonally inspired, vegetable-forward menu that Toklas is known for.

On the other side of the wooden bar, the kitchen team moves, as you’d expect, like a well-oiled machine: roasting carrots on the grill, stuffing peppers, rinsing fresh, glossy tomatoes. At the same time, tables are being set with a pared-back arrangement. The atmosphere feels easy, modern, inviting.

Despite the day’s sunshine, it’s autumn–winter cooking that anchors our conversation this morning.

Seated at the table, head chef Chris Shaw has a plate of Delica Pumpkin Fritti in front of him – light, delicate, golden-crisp ribbons, brightened with a lift of citrus and just sticky enough from a drizzle of honey.

We talk about the art of carrying the brightness of Mediterranean cooking into autumn, his career so far, and the top-table on his visit list.

You entered kitchens quite young – was a career in food something you always wanted to pursue, or did you stumble into it and get hooked?

I definitely stumbled into it. It wasn’t a set plan, but once I was in the kitchen, I was hooked. 

I actually started washing dishes when I was young, mainly because I needed some money. My friends were travelling in Thailand and Vietnam, and I wanted to do something. At first, it wasn’t even about cooking, it was about being in the kitchen. I loved the energy of it, watching and observing how chefs worked. From there, I started helping out and realised I could cook, and then came the love for food itself.

Tell us about the recipe you’ve chosen today. What’s the inspiration behind the ingredients?

It’s fried Delica Pumpkin with honey, chilli, and oregano. Pumpkin is usually roasted or made into soup, but sliced thin it fries beautifully, really delicate. When citrus comes into season, it pairs well with this dish, too. We’ve done it with blood oranges, lemon wedges, mandarins, even a bit of orange zest, and it really complements the pumpkin.

What’s your process when it comes to creating a new dish or building a new menu?

I always start with the vegetables. What’s in season? How can it be used? From there, I think about what it might work with, maybe a piece of fish or some meat. For example, pumpkin might be grilled and paired with a pork chop and roasted grapes, but the starting point is the veg. That approach keeps the menu dynamic and evolving. Sometimes, of course, an incredible fish comes into season, like tuna, and then we’ll build around that. But more often than not, veg is the focus.

How do you translate the brightness and lightness of Mediterranean cuisine into autumn, when ingredients naturally tend to be heavier and more robust?

Citrus is key. Autumn is when it comes into season, and it balances heavier vegetables beautifully. Technique is another way: pumpkin roasted or puréed is hearty, but sliced thin and fried it’s light, almost summery. Acid and olive oil help too. Vinegars, citrus, good fruit. Even with game, root vegetables, or bitter greens like radicchio, you can keep things light by using fruit or preserves, or simply by preparing the veg in a way that highlights delicacy rather than heaviness.

Do you have a favourite season to cook?

Autumn. I love working with game – venison, partridge, mallard, and pairing them with pumpkin, squash, bitter greens, preserved berries, plums. The citrus from winter also excites me. Even tomatoes, some of the winter varieties, with their acidity, can have more depth of flavour than summer ones.

Walk us through a “day in your life,” in a nutshell.

I usually arrive at Toklas around 7:30 or 8am. We’re always making menu changes, so the first job is seeing what veg we’ve got and what might be coming in. I’ll check in with our fish suppliers in Cornwall and Bournemouth. Fish is a big part of the menu, so we plan starters, mains, and sharing dishes around what’s best that day. Mornings are full of deliveries, prep, and getting ready for lunch. Service is busy. After a staff meal in the afternoon, it’s a race to reset for dinner and pre-theatre.

After a long shift, what’s your comfort or go-to meal?

Usually cheese on toast with butter and Marmite. It’s simple and delicious. I always keep sliced bread in the freezer for that reason. If it’s dinner rather than a late-night snack, then a quick pasta. Like a 20-minute bolognese made with sausage meat, fennel, garlic, chilli, and tomatoes.

If we could whisk you away to any restaurant in London or beyond, where would you want to go and why?

Outside of London, I’d love to go to Gloriosa in Glasgow. It’s been on my list for ages. I think we share a similar philosophy around vegetables, fish, and flavour. In London, one of my favourite recent meals was at Leo’s.