Walking in to Solera you get a small taste of Barcelona – like Antoni Gaudi briefly reincarnated and collaborated on a bar design. Organic and curving forms, tiled in glass and ceramic, blown glass, and twisted metal adorn the space, and the dining room is deep blues, rusts, and greens. It’s a place that prepares you for creativity and daring, which will now be supplied by executive chef JP Samuelson.

JP Samuelson in his new space at Solera

Talking to JP it’s clear that, after three weeks on board, he’s excited to be starting a run at Solera. It’s a chance to incorporate a style of cooking and set of ingredients that he’s never focused on professionally in to his already-wide range of influences, and to collaborate with a new set of creative minds on new challenges. Should be a blast to see what the Solera crew comes up with – definitely make your way to the Sample Circuit event if you can for what I’ve got to think will be one of the season’s highlights.