A face-off like no other is going on in branches of Tom’s Kitchen across the Capital this month, and the only question in need of answering is: Which side are you on?
At the start of every year the focus inevitably turns to healthy eating and what super foods need to be passing our lips to make up for a full month of indulgence. However, the age of ‘retox over detox’ is now upon us and a special challenge is reminding diners that going clean is not the only option around this month.
This January, Tom’s Kitchen, which serves the City from its St Katharine Docks branch, is pitting London-based healthy food and drink company Rude Health and social media influencer and Instagram account ‘KS_Ate_Here’ head-to-head with the ultimate Retox vs Detox menu, available throughout the whole month.
Rude Health is a London-based healthy food and drinks company, co-founded and led by Nick and Camilla Barnard. Not afraid to stand up for real, honest food, Rude Health only use ingredients that are easily attainable and found in most kitchens – nothing artificial and nothing refined.
Meanwhile, Kar-Shing Tong started getting involved in the food world around 2012, with a particular passion for street food. With a growing number of followers every day, his Instagram account has now reached over 49,000 followers and documents the best and most indulgent street food dishes that London has to offer. KS has been included in features on the top Instagram accounts to follow by the likes of Buzzfeed.
Founded by renowned chef Tom Aikens, Tom’s Kitchen has worked closely with both teams to create two dishes that are polar opposites, whilst also using fresh ingredients and unique flavour combinations. For those in need of a health kick after an indulgent Christmas, Rude Health has created a delicious smoked salmon tartare, served with a wasabi crème fraiche and cured egg yolk.
A good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, the dish is ideal for diners looking for a light lunch (£10) or dinner (£18) after a month or two of pure gluttony. In contrast, KS’s contender is the ultimate ‘cardiac stack’ burger, featuring chicken schnitzel smothered in homemade pickles, crispy sage chicken skin, streaky bacon and smoked Applewood cheese. The burger is then topped with its very own duck fat potato rosti, sandwiched between a duck fat brioche bun and served with a side of triple cooked chips (£20) – perfect for those who aren’t quite ready to let go of the festive feasting.
Available for lunch and dinner at all Tom’s Kitchen restaurants across the country, including the Somerset House branch over in Strand, the dishes will go head-to-head against in the ultimate food fight until February rolls around.
