Carousel Restaurant London: John Gregory-Smith

Carousel restaurant, Marylebone
Up-and-coming Marylebone spot Carousel has had some fine chefs through its doors in recent months. Leandro Carreira, Sebastian Mazzola, Murray Wilson and more have taken up residence in the Carousel kitchen since the turn of the year, a veritable... well, carousel of top culinary talent from across the UK and Europe.
Located just around the corner from celeb hot spot Chiltern Firehouse, Carousel is a London pop up restaurant with a punchy reputation, famed for hosting leading figures in the culinary world – such as Moro Chef Tom Ryalls and in-house rising star Ollie Templeton. London restaurants with rotating chefs rarely have as much variety, and the most recent residency at Carousel is no exception.
John Gregory-Smith
For the last ten years, chef, food writer and most unusually, adventurer, John Gregory-Smith has immersed himself in Turkish culinary culture. He has travelled the length and breadth of the country in search of authentic regional recipes, and has come out with a traditional meyhane­-style menu.
On the menu
John aims to show the amazing scope of Turkish cooking, from lighter meze dishes like ‘Haydari’ and ‘Muhammara’ (accompanied by homemade flatbreads) to ‘Charcoal Grilled Sardines’ and the fiery, melt-in-your-mouth ‘Ali Nasik Kebab’. This time around, Carousel are teasing us with intricately spiced, marinated Lamb Tenderloin, seared on the grill and served with Labna, Smoked Aubergine Paste and unctuous Chilli Butter. Booking is already open with tickets selling fast, so book now to avoid disappointment.
Top tips
Carousel pop up's rotating service means you can expect to wait a little while between courses, but they are constantly improving and the dishes are certainly worth the wait. We'd recommend booking with a group, as Carousel's relaxed atmosphere and long tables are conducive to intimate dining among friends.
Unlike some other Carousel chefs, Gregory-Smith will only be serving a dinner menu, which is always four-course. Expect to be there for at least two hours as service is staggered. Our tip: show up at 8 instead of 7 to avoid a wait.