InterContinental London – The O2, the newly launched luxury hotel on the vibrant Greenwich Peninsula, has announced Tomas Lidakevicius has taken over the helm as Head Chef at the Peninsula Restaurant, the hotel’s elegant eatery.
Located on the 2nd floor of the 18-storey hotel, Peninsula Restaurant is an elegant and stylish dining room for just 80 guests. The restaurant boasts spectacular views of the River Thames and Canary Wharf and offers a serene and luxurious environment for city diners and hotel guests, whether for a business lunch or a romantic dinner.
Paying homage to the restaurant’s location in historic maritime Greenwich, Tomas has created a menu reflective of the spice, exotic fruit and fresh fish trade that passed through East London’s docks to be sold at London’s Billingsgate and Greenwich markets. Taking inspiration from modern and classic European cuisine, Tomas uses the very best fresh local produce to create seasonal tasting menus at the Peninsula Restaurant that deliver exceptional flavour and look striking on the plate.
Diners can enjoy either an a la carte menu or the choice of two tasting menus, one of which is vegetarian. Starters on the menus include sweet corn textures accompanied by doughnut and wild mushrooms, and scallop ceviche with chilli dressing, fennel and lemongrass snow. Main courses include British Isles lamb with slow cooked chicory and confit kumquats and halibut fillet with toasted buckwheat, pickled cockles and turnip. For dessert guests can choose from dishes including sticky toffee cake served with apple, banana and vanilla ice cream or poached cucumber with aerated yoghurt, white chocolate mango and passion fruit.
Hasham Soliman, General Manager at the InterContinental London – The O2, commented, “We are delighted to have Tomas join as Head Chef at the Peninsula Restaurant. We pride ourselves on offering our guests and visitors a truly first-class dining experience in exceptional surroundings. Tomas has a natural flair for creating delicious, stunning looking dishes and has created inspirational and varied tasting menus that both reflect and respect our Greenwich heritage and really deliver on the palate. I am very confident of the restaurant’s broad and long term appeal within our luxury new hotel environment.”
Tomas added: “I am really excited to have taken the reins at the Peninsula Restaurant. Its location within vibrant Greenwich – with such a wealth of fantastic ingredients and produce on our doorstep – and its position overlooking the river and iconic Canary Wharf, has inspired daily-changing seasonal dishes that are both classic and experimental. I look forward to delivering an ongoing element of intrigue and surprise for our diners.”
The Peninsula Restaurant has been designed to offer city diners and hotel guests an intimate and exclusive environment for everything from business lunches to romantic dinners, all against the impressive backdrop of Canary Wharf. The interiors are plush and luxurious, with cream leather banquette seating providing an air of intimacy. The look is completed by deep purple and pale dusty green velvet chairs, warmly lit recessed golden ceiling panels, dark wood furniture and gilt fixtures and fittings.
The restaurant includes a separate private dining space for up to 24 guests – replicating the capacity of a private box at The O2, adjacent to the hotel- with every seat offering breath-taking views to create a sense of calm and exclusivity.
Tomas joins the Peninsula Restaurant from his position as Senior Sous Chef at Northall Restaurant, Corinthia Hotels. Prior to that Tomas honed his skills at some of London’s top restaurants including Texture, Corrigan’s Mayfair and City Social. Joining Tomas at the Peninsula is Restaurant Manager, Csaba Adamy. A Sommelier turned Restaurant Manager, Csaba has many years’ experience working alongside chef-restaurateurs such as Jun Tanaka, John Burton-Race and Joël Robuchon.
