Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack to open new restaurant in Covent Garden

The Staff Canteen
London’s Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack are set to open a new 300-cover restaurant in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden in February 2014. Using inspiration from its King’s Road sibling, the Chelsea based institution are aiming to bring the much loved ‘crabshack’ to a more urban West End setting by offering the most authentic, American fresh-smoked Bar.B.Q, seafood, cocktail and drinks in the UK. Big Easy founder Paul Corrett, said: “As London’s love of Bar.B.Q, lobsters and steaks continues, I am absolutely thrilled to offer the evolution of the Big Easy to Covent Garden. No-one in London is cooking with wood and charcoal in such an unprecedented way. “Fresh Bar.B.Q straight from the smoker is the holy grail for Bar.B.Q aficionados and we are aiming to provide local residents, workers and visitors alike, with the most comprehensive genuine, quality US style Bar.B.Q and seafood dining experience in the UK.” In the kitchen of the new restaurant will be executive chef Kenny Callaghan. Kenny’s reputation in the Bar.B.Q world precedes him but he is best known as the former chef partner of legendary New York restaurant ‘Blue Smoke’. Taking the role of pit master will be Pete Daversa, former pit master at Hill Country Barbeque -Market in New York and also an ex-worker at Blue Smoke. The new site is located in a former electrical power station built in 1883 and owned by the Gatti brothers. The interior will retain the building’s original heritage by keeping features such as copper conduits, brickwork and steel and concrete girders, complimented by industrial lighting while adding some Big Easy touches like neon lobsters, Americana and nautical themed decoration on the three floored, 10,000 sq ft establishment. A central feature will be found on the ground floor with a theatre style kitchen, including a 2.5 metre Argentinean-style parilla charcoal grill as well as a two-metre rotisserie spit for whole hog roasts and a 2.5 metre wood burning oven. As well as the finest cuts of Bar.B.Q meat, a large lobster tank has been constructed on the premises to house almost 2,000 live lobsters, there will be a nine-metre long bar and Big Easy will continue to boast live music seven nights a week.
In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall  – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.

The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 21st November 2013

Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack to open new restaurant in Covent Garden