In London’s bustling restaurant landscape, where competition is fierce and standards are high, making a lasting mark requires more than just good food.
Enter Cornus, the latest venture from David O’Connor and Joe Mercer Nairne, the duo behind Chelsea’s acclaimed Medlar. With the recent opening on the rooftop of The Ice Factory at Eccleston Yards, just a stone’s throw from London Victoria, Cornus has already hit several high notes: a prime location, star-worthy food (courtesy of executive chef Gary Foulkes, formerly of Michelin-starred Angler), and a commitment to quality over gimmicks.
For O’Connor and Nairne, expanding beyond Medlar, which has thrived for over a decade, meant patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity. “David and I looked for many years to do a second project after Medlar, but as usually happens, life seemed to throw up obstacles,” says Nairne. “From Brexit to Covid, and simply being outbid by larger operators with deeper pockets.”
Their search for a second location was long and competitive, often thwarted by the high costs of London’s property market and the bids of larger, well-funded operators. The breakthrough came when a partnership with Grosvenor emerged, aligning their vision and enabling the project to finally take shape.
Choosing the rooftop of The Ice Factory, a renovated 19th-century warehouse, was a strategic move designed to offer a distinct destination dining experience. With panoramic views of Belgravia, Cornus provides a special setting in an area otherwise lacking in luxe rooftops, catering to a clientele increasingly seeking unique dining environments.
From there, it was a relatively quick turnaround – it took just six months of renovation to transform the space from a concrete shell into a 70-cover restaurant – marking a stark contrast to the launch of Medlar 15 years prior.
“Our landlord ran the restaurant himself in the ’70s and conducted his business over a coffee and a handshake. While we redecorated, the bones of the restaurant were already there,” says Nairne. “Of course, it was still stressful, but it was a simpler project for two guys with no previous experience of running their own business to open.”
Cornus’ hand-rolled spaghetti and native lobster
Cornus, in many aspects, is Medlar 2.0. Chef Foulkes’ culinary approach is centered on ingredient-led dishes that celebrate the best of British and European seasonal produce, like Medlar, albeit with a bit more contemporary flair.
“Our cuisine is ingredient led and guided by seasonality. We put a lot of effort into sourcing the best ingredients, treating them with respect, and cooking them well,” Foulkes emphasizes.
A standout example is their native lobster dish with hand-rolled spaghetti, which showcases the kitchen’s commitment to sustainability and flavor by using every part of the lobster. “To make it, we use all parts of the lobster – from the coral to make the hand-cut pasta, the bodies and shells for the master stock, and the lobster meat to finish the dish,” he continues excitedly. “This is an example of how we like to cook!”
Elsewhere on the menu, you might find seabass tartare with oyster cream, green apple and shiso; Hubert Lacoste’s tomatoes dressed in cherry juice with soft curd and fig leaves; and Roast Landes chicken, sourced from revered producer, Arnaud Tauzin, with Scottish langoustines, sweetcorn and roast chicken sauce. A proper ‘Best of British’ culinary celebration.
Together with head pastry chef Kelly Cullen, who joins from Michelin-starred Cornerstone, Foulkes has also co-created a dessert menu of pure comfort, including creamed rice pudding with caramelized oat milk, cherries and cherry ripple ice cream, and a mille-feuille of English raspberries with lemon verbena cream and baked raspberry ice cream.
‘Chicken’ at Cornus
Such high-quality ingredients and top-tier culinary talent inevitably come at a cost – especially when owners choose to self-finance.
Unlike many upscale restaurants that rely on external investment, Cornus is entirely self-funded by O’Connor and Nairne, with strategic support from the Grosvenor Estate.
“We did Medlar on a shoestring budget and roped in as many friends as possible to help. While that has been true for Cornus to an extent—friends and Medlar regulars have been invaluable—it was certainly a different financial undertaking,” says O’Connor.
“With both restaurants, there is no outside investment, just David and myself, which helps when it comes to making decisions, but means we’re always up against a tight budget.”
Self-funding in today’s economic climate brings its own set of challenges, of course, including rising food costs and supply chain disruptions.
“Things go wrong, but you can’t let that get you down or let it affect the long-term goal,” says Nairne. “If something negative happens, I always ask myself, ‘Will this matter in five years’ time?’ and the answer is generally no, so I move on.”
Nearly two decades of experience at Medlar has undoubtedly helped them navigate these hurdles, too. O’Connor, with nearly 30 years in front-of-house roles, is currently working 75-hour weeks on the floor at Cornus, while Nairne, a chef for over 20 years, still cooks a section at Medlar while helping Cornus get off the ground.
“It’s what we do and love, providing us with identity, as well as livelihoods, and so for us ROI can’t be measured purely financially,” Nairne explains. “Financial modeling and business plans only get one so far, anyway. These spreadsheets don’t capture the essence of a hospitality business, the art of looking after people and cooking wonderful food.”
With the initial launch showing promising results and regular five-star reviews, Cornus’ future plans include fully opening its two outdoor terraces by 2025, though the current priority remains on fine-tuning the kitchen and front-of-house operations.
“I think an investor not from a hospitality background may have done it the other way round, seeing the potential revenue from outdoor space in August,” says Nairne. “However, if the team can’t execute, potential revenue will remain just that.”
As Cornus continues to settle into its new home, it’s clear the restaurant is charting its own course, setting it apart from competitors—and that’s not a bad thing. “I don’t focus on others, but rather on what we can do to try to be better every day,” says O’Connor. “I have confidence in our vision and in the team to deliver our goals regardless of what is going on around us.
“Our goal is to become an institution over time, building a reputation for our food, wine, and service in equal measure. We will sustain this by sticking to our non-negotiable principles and our culture that the team embraces,” he continues. “We will push the train as fast and as far as we can.”
Cornus’ Amalfi lemon tart