George Ryle
George Ryle
George Ryle's relaxed, simple approach to cooking the best ingredients results in unfussy dishes that sing with natural flavour.
George’s foray into cooking was more of an accident than a desire held throughout childhood. ‘When I left university in 2008 I didn’t really know what to do with myself – all my mates were getting jobs and I just didn’t have any idea,’ he says. ‘I’d always enjoyed cooking and I thought it’d be a fun thing to try. At the time I probably didn’t think of it as anything long-term, but I really liked doing it so I stuck with it.’
Throughout his twenties George started to get experience in an array of professional kitchens across the UK, as well as spending some time in Australia. It was his time at Primeur, in Stoke Newington, however, which made the biggest impression on how he cooks today. ‘Primeur was definitely the best kitchen I’ve worked in and I learned so much, which is always important. It was different to what I’d seen before even though the food was relatively simple, mostly through the suppliers they worked with. I also worked at Padella for a few months when it had just opened – it was crazy busy but the buzz around it was great and made it a really fun place to work. Although it was pretty tiring!’
In 2017, George received a call from a restaurant consultant he knew called Ben Benson, asking if he fancied taking on a new, slightly unusual project. The Garden Museum in London was looking to shake things up a little by offering something more than the bog-standard selection of sandwiches, soups and cakes at its on-site café. After the initial chef they had on board for the project fell through, George was brought on board with fellow chef Harry Kaufman to make The Garden Café a destination in its own right.
‘When we started there was a bit of a disconnect between what people were expecting and what we were doing – even today we get people asking what sandwiches and cakes we have as that’s what you usually expect in a museum café,’ says George. ‘It was quite brave to try something different, but it’s really paid off – the owners wanted to attract a younger audience and that’s certainly happening. Plenty of people come here now for the restaurant without even thinking about the museum.’
In place of the sandwiches and cakes most museum cafés carry was a menu that reflected George’s approach to cooking. Lemon sole with cockles and seaweed; pork collar with borlotti beans; John Dory with peppers and peach Melba give you an idea of the high-end yet natural, unfussy food that was on offer. ‘I think my cooking style is always respectful of tradition and the classics,’ says George. ‘I keep things simple, thoughtful and stick to a small number of ingredients – but that’s harder than it sounds! I do like the classic flavour combinations and looking through old recipes to find ways of cooking ingredients well.’ With the focus being on lunch rather than dinner, the dishes tended to be a little lighter. ‘We’re never going to sell loads of heavy dishes or steaks. We still have meat on the menu of course, but there’s quite a seasonal, lighter style to the dishes. We want to match the ethos of the museum as best we can, reflecting what’s going on in the garden.’ George’s food has always felt effortlessly beautiful and tastes just as good.
In late 2022, it was announced that George would be leaving The Garden Museum after five and a half years. He is currently working with Swaldale Butchers.
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