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Trend Alert:On Rotation

Where: Carousel, London
What: rotating roster of fine dining chefs
Who: brothers Ollie and Ed Templeton

Words: The A+ Team
Images: Joe Okpako

November 26, 2024

A compelling programming doesn’t have to mean the same local band every Friday night. In cities across Australia and around the world, the “What’s On” listings for successful venues are transcending trivia nights and recurring meal deals. They know that an effective event calendar can help define an F&B brand in the community and drive online engagement.

London’s Carousel offer novelty programming operating in a sleek, fine-dining environment. With a stacked rolodex of international chefs, both established and emerging, Carousel creates a buzz around its ever-changing BOH guests.

To keep cashflow steady, Carousel also operates a year-round lunch and dinner service positioned as a neighbourhood wine bar for locals. The result is a sincere binding of the global and local.

Carousel is something of a chameleon, changing colour with each new kitchen team that takes on the 85-pax venue.

Carousel, Masters of:

01. The Non-gimmick

What Carousel champions is a clear business model, rather than a thinly veiled attempt at gaming the attention economy. The team has earned its reputation as true champions of chefs at all career stages.

02. Experience Economies

Brands of all sizes and scales book out Carousel’s function space to treat their staff to an exclusive, fleeting menu in London’s Soho-abutting neighbourhood of Fitzrovia.

03. Synching Socials

Chefs and personalities who take residencies at Carousel often have sizable (or, small and incredibly niche) online followings. Their communities then discover Carousel through simple social media strategies, and vice versa.

Check out Carousel’s Instagram for upcoming chef rotations, and make sure to drop by the next time you’re in London.

This Trend Alert is excerpted from the A+ Future Trends Report 2024–25, a holistic deep-dive into what we know will impact hospitality operators in coming years. Learn how you can gain access to the full report here.

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