Third Space

Jools Holland prepares to host the Boisdale Music Awards 2024

The musician, presenter, band leader and singer talks Isle Of Dogs pubs and playing in special rooms

Image shows Jools Holland and YolanDa Brown hosting the Boisdale Music Awards
Jools Holland in full flow hosting the Boisdale Music Awards with saxophonist YolanDa Brown

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Jools Holland has a long association with Boisdale Of Canary Wharf.

He’s been patron of music at the Cabot Place venue since it opened its doors way back in 2011.

But his musical connection to this part of London goes back even further. 

“Growing up, I lived in Greenwich – just the other side of the Blackwall Tunnel – but nobody dared go through ‘the pipe’ as it was known,” said the band leader, pianist, presenter, singer and former member of Squeeze. 

“It was another world, but we were teenagers so we went through and discovered the people on the other side of the river were just as nice as us.

“I cut my teeth playing in pubs on the Isle Of Dogs such as The Watermans Arms and The Gun.

“I even won a talent show in one at the age of 15.

“The prize was that you got to play there for four weeks.

“They sacked me after three, because I didn’t know any more songs.

“Pubs used to have piano players and then, once a week, maybe a band.

“There was one in Rotherhithe – The Prince Of Orange – which had trad jazz. It was open all night for a while and it was fantastic, although it’s closed now.”

That regularity of live performance was what first attracted Jools to Boisdale. 

“I went to the restaurant in Belgravia a few times and got to know the owner, Ranald Macdonald,” said the musician.

“I just thought it was so great that they put on music, because there aren’t that many places doing that consistently.

“Boisdale does and that’s amazing because it’s a really hard thing to organise.

“Right from the first time I went in there, it had an atmosphere, something a bit glamorous – as though it was from another age like a 1940s American film.”

Jools performs with Gregory Porter and Nick Reynolds of the Alabama 3
Jools performs with Gregory Porter and Nick Reynolds of the Alabama 3

patron of music: Jools Holland

As patron of music, Jools regularly hosts a Boogie-Woogie Spectacular at the Canary Wharf venue, featuring his favourite stride and boogie-woogie pianists such as Neville Dickie, German Axel Zwingenberger and Swiss Ladyva.

He also hosts the Boisdale Music Awards annually and is set to do so again on September 18, 2024, in the company of saxophonist YolanDa Brown – herself now an east London restaurateur.

“Boisdale Of Canary Wharf is really a wonderful place,” said Jools.

“It has a magical atmosphere that’s like walking into another world.

“You have the joy of the music, the food and the buzz.

“The awards are really great because you get people from all different fields of performance at varied stages in their careers.”

Previous winners have included the likes of Alabama 3, PP Arnold, Snow, Tony Iommi, Kiki Dee, Suzi Quatro, Emeli Sande, Lemar, UB40, Lisa Stansfield, Mud Morganfield and Maxi Priest.

It’s also recognised emerging acts such as Errol Linton, Emily Capell and Charlie Pyne.

“Forget what they say in the media, there aren’t different sorts of music, these are just great players and singers,” said Jools, who often collaborates with winners on the night.

“It’s a bit like Later, my TV programme.

“The event is a real mix of things rather than just a load of pop music – although there’s nothing wrong with that.

“I’d use previous winners Gregory Porter and Albert Lee as examples.

“Albert is one of the greatest country guitarists the world has ever known and Gregory is one of the best jazz singers alive today.

“I love the fact that they’re in different spheres, but they can both fit into Boisdale and both receive awards from this venue in Canary Wharf – I think that’s wonderful.”

PP Arnold on stage at the Boisdale Music Awards
PP Arnold on stage at the Boisdale Music Awards

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf: home of the unexpected

One of the endearing things about nights out at Boisdale is that you never quite know what’s going to happen and its awards ceremonies are legend for their unexpected appearances and juxtapositions. 

Where else might you spot Hugh Laurie swapping tales with a founder member of Black Sabbath or see a Sex Pistol perform with David Bowie’s sideman?

With going on a decade and a half of performances, its stage has hosted an unrelentingly diverse programme of acts, with Mel C, Rebecca Ferguson, Alexander Armstrong and Suspiciously Elvis giving it their all.

“My friend Rod Stewart did go in and perform one night and loved it,” said Jools. “He didn’t realise I could have been there playing with him.

“Boisdale Of Canary Wharf has become a great room. When these places are new, I think they’re harder. I do think rooms have a spirit – now it’s got a vibe in it.

“It’s a curious thing. I’m not a mumbo-jumbo person, but there is definitely something about a musical instrument that’s been played a lot, or a room that’s been inhabited and has had a lot of music played in it, with people enjoying it. That really adds to the atmosphere.

“You can’t put your finger on what it is, but the likelihood of something great happening is much increased.

“For me, that was playing with Gregory Porter at Boisdale.”

People attend the Boisdale Music Awards dinner hosted by Jools Holland
The event packs our Boisdale Of Canary Wharf

Jools Holland on Canary Wharf

It’s not just the venue itself for Jools, however.

Having grown up locally and formed Squeeze across the river in Deptford, he’s seen Canary Wharf emerge and grow and he’s a fan.

“Some people say that, years ago – when there was nothing there – it was really great,” he said.

“But I say what the great gurus say, which is that it’s now that’s the moment

“If you have a room with all those great people in it and great food too, then now is its pinnacle – paradise is now – and now is the time to go.

“When Canary Wharf was first built it was a big thing.

“You’d look over from Greenwich and you’d see it towering above everything else, but now everything’s around it – there’s a whole world here.

“When they said the piazza in Covent Garden was a great place after it was first built, others said they’d preferred it as a mediaeval village.

“The great thing about Canary Wharf is that it’s been very well built.

“Then with the live music you have here now at Boisdale it becomes a place.

“You’ve got to give places like the Wharf a chance sometimes, rather than saying it was better in the past or it will be better in the future.

“Now is the time that it’s actually good.”

Son of Muddy Waters, Mud Morganfield on stage at the awards
Son of Muddy Waters, Mud Morganfield on stage at the awards

a burger for preference

While on duty Jools prefers a clear head and stomach, so he’ll be waiting until after the presenting is done to enjoy Boisdale’s hospitality on September 18, 2024.

But his dish of choice at the venue perhaps harks back to another memory from his personal relationship with Canary Wharf. 

“Their cheeseburger is a delicious thing,” he said. “The food is always very consistent – you feel as though you’ve had a proper night out when you eat there.

“They have a great wine list there, and I quite like wine.

“You could take your aged aunt there and she’d think it was fantastic, or you could take some teenagers and they’d have a fantastic time.

“It has that personal touch, it’s not like a corporate chain, but it has the contents of Ranald’s brain all around the room and it’s a very nice brain to have a look at.

“I remember, back when One Canada Square was first built, I used to take my children through the Blackwall Tunnel and we’d pretend we’d driven all the way to the USA.

“There was an American diner at the foot of the tower serving burgers and that was great.

“There’s a lot more than that here today.”

Emerging artist Emily Capell performs at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf after receiving an award
Emerging artist Emily Capell performs at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf after receiving an award

key details: Boisdale-Xejoff Music Awards 2024

The Boisdale-Xerjoff Music Awards 2024, hosted by Jools Holland, are set to take place on September 18, 2024, with ticket prices starting at £149.

The evening starts at 6pm with a Champagne and cocktail reception followed by a three-course dinner. 

The awards will then be presented by Jools Holland and YolanDa Brown alongside performances from the winners.

The party will go on until 1am.

Find out more about the awards here

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf: How Fish Game serves up something different in Wood Wharf

Restaurateur Roberto Costa has engaged head chef Matt Colk to run his seasonal venue in Water Street

Fish Game head chef Matt Colk, formerly of The Gun

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There’s something a little bit radical about Fish Game that sets it apart from the carefully crafted interiors and presentation of its neighbours.

Dishoom has a delicately written founding myth about a rogue banker that informs its entire design.

Mallow has earthy colours with golden accents.

In contrast, Fish Game is the rock dropped into the serene waters of Wood Wharf.

Here there’s a giant artwork of a man apparently eating credit cards with his head wrapped in cling film, tree stumps supporting glass tables, colourful fishing floats and flailing squid hanging from the ceiling and a private dining room decorated with images of Mafia bosses.

The restaurant, which recently opened its doors is the latest creation of Roberto Costa – the man behind Macellaio RC, a chain of six establishments named in honour of the Italian word for butcher plus his initials.

These feature butchery as theatre and plenty of Italian produce and dishes as befits a son of Genoa.

Fish Game, however, is different again – a bamboozling, hedonistic sort of a place that nevertheless rests firmly on four pillars – bread, veg, fish and, naturally, game.

To ensure those pillars are well founded, Roberto has turned to head chef Matt Colk – who returns to E14 having previously spent eight years cooking at The Gun (a little further to the east and right on the Thames) before a brief flirtation with Soho and then Fish Game.

It’s some distance from his start in hospitality.

“I began cooking when I was 14 in a little chip shop in North Lincolnshire,” he said. “I went on to do graphic design at college but my part-time job in the kitchen was much more fun.

“When I was 18 I came to London and first of all worked at Christopher’s Restaurant And Martini bar in Covent Garden before moving on to Roast in Borough Market.

“Then I worked at the RAC Club in Pall Mall, winning Worshipful Company Of Cooks’ Young Chef Of the Year in 2013 before joining The Gun in 2015.”

Rabbit Croquettes with marjoram and lime zest mayonnaise at Fish Game

The approach at Fish Game, however, strikes a contrast with his previous roles.

Having impressed with two dishes he served Roberto during a cook-off, he got the job and then discovered things in his new restaurant would be quite different.

“Roberto wants everything rustic, a bit more rock ‘n’ roll – everything natural,” said Matt.

“He wants to change people’s idea of what food is – to try all the good bits that people normally get rid of.

“In the beginning it took time because I was making dishes the way I used to, but Roberto didn’t care for recipes or classics. Everything had to be different.

“That took a bit of time to get used to but I sought inspiration and had a few ideas.

“We’ve broken the menu down into four sections with bread, veg, seafood and meat. If you need advice the waiter or storyteller will come and advise you what to have.

“It can all come together or separately – that’s how people enjoy eating.

“They can share and there’s never any rush.

“Diners can have small plates or big plates, whatever they want, and then order more if they are still hungry.

“It’s simple food cooked well. Roberto loves the diversity of England’s produce and wants to showcase that.”

Early signs seem to indicate that’s something customers are eager to experience.

While only open a short time, bookings have been strong with Matt and his team of chefs working furiously to satisfy full services.

Roman Tigella bread withe rabbit and offal at Fish Game

The menu is certainly a singular creation with ingredients cooked primarily on the ash and charcoal of Fish Game’s bank of grills.

“We’re in the middle of four really good restaurants here, but I love that this isn’t a chain,” said Matt.

“The feedback has been really good so far and people are getting used to the food. 

“There are dishes on the menu that have taken two months to create, but the one everyone loves is something that took me five seconds to whip up.

“Roberto turned to me and said he wanted a squid dish on the menu – I asked when, and he said: ‘Now’. So I looked in the fridge, found a few ingredients and made the one that’s on there now.

“It’s charcoaled squid served with fermented chilli and fried cavolo nero – it just works. There’s a little bit of sugar and salt in there against that chilli sauce.”

Chilli is a big ingredient for Fish Game. In fact the restaurant is certainly the only place in Canary Wharf that boasts a tasting menu dedicated to the plant’s spicy fruit. 

This offers diners the opportunity to taste peppers from Italian farm Vivi Piccante ranging in heat from a prickly 100,000 to 2.3million units on the Scoville Scale.

For contrast, a supermarket Jalapeno is around 2,500 units.

While Matt isn’t afraid of some spice, his dishes are designed to delight rather than melt guests, often focusing on less frequently used ingredients.

“I’m proud of the ox heart, which is marinated for 12 hours in garlic and chilli plus olive oil, that we source from near Roberto’s home in Italy,” said Matt.

“Then it’s seared on the charcoal and served with a crunchy carrot salad, with red onion, salt, pepper and lemon juice.”

Sea bream at Fish Game

Other offerings include a gamey take on an Italian classic in hare arancini, a dish of smoked duck breast and duck leg, a venison tartare with bone marrow and rump of mutton with fresh mint and mustard.

Game dishes range from £6.50 to £52 for a beef ribeye off the bone with bone marrow.

On the aquatic side, there are oysters (£6 for two), langoustines with samphire, mussels with venison nduja and monkfish with rosemary, lime and sea salt.

Dishes range in price from £6 to £50 for a butterfly sea bream served with olive oil, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts and basil.

“If I was ordering, I’d start with the Tigella bread from Rome (£9), which is served with rabbit and offal cooked over ash and finished with parsley, fresh garlic and lemon juice,” said Matt.

“Then, of course, I’d have the squid (£9). Sometimes the people are right.

“They even rave about the potatoes we serve but they’re just crispy new potatoes with chilli, garlic, chives and lime.”

In addition to the skill of the chef – after all Matt used to write a recipe column for Wharf Life when he was at The Gun and we don’t let just anyone do that – key to the success of a restaurant is the produce it has to work with.

Fish Game promises to regularly change its menu to fit in with what’s in season, whether that’s meat, fish or vegetables.

“It’s a little early for game season at the moment, but come August 12 we will have grouse on the menu and we also plan to feature partridge, pheasant and quail at the right time,” said Matt.

“We’ll be sourcing our game from the Windsor Park Estate, which is pretty local to us.

“In fact, if they turn the menu over, diners will be able to see where we get all of the fish, meat and game that we use within the UK, which is a nice touch.

“For Roberto it’s important that we serve things that stand out.

“That includes the fact we only offer two desserts – a tiramisu that’s made at the table and a lemon tart with seasonal fruit.

“We’ve also got an ice cream machine that we’re going to use to make a gelato with olive oil and sea salt. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s really good.

“I’ve been here two months, but as for the future I’d love to win a Michelin star and then perhaps see if we can expand to another site or two.”

Venue owner Roberto Costa with Matt

So there you have it, the Wharf’s latest arrival packed with unusual produce, dishes, decor and verve. 

Fish Game is, Matt tells me, currently looking for talented chefs – who wouldn’t want to chance their arm at a project that aims to stand out and get noticed?

Oh, and before I forget to mention it, as if potent art, a chilli menu and plenty of food isn’t enough, the Water Street restaurant also distinguishes itself by offering drinks served from its extensive Agave Bar.

Specialising in Tequila, Raicilla and Mezcal (with a single Sotol on the list too) this promises to add a potent note to any dinner.

And there certainly isn’t time to go into a cocktail list that’s classified by a system of chess pieces.

You’ll just have to head down to Wood Wharf, bag a table and work your way through them, by which time the whole enterprise might make some kind of sense.

Find out more about Fish Game via this link

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Blackwall: How The Gun pub is helping customers discover its wine list

Venue plans regular monthly tastings dubbed The Grape Escape hosted by deputy manager Fabio Scarpa

The Coldharbour pub is set to host more monthly wine tastings

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The Gun is a pub that has long been about bringing people together.

That might be the illicit meetings of Lord Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton (whose trysts remain immortalised with their names on the toilet doors), rugby fans indulging in pints while watching the game or locals catching up around the fire or out on the terrace in the warmer months.

Recently it’s been experimenting with wine tastings – refining and ageing its formula ahead of the launch of a regular series on the last Friday of the month, set to kick off in earnest on March 31, 2023.

Having recently attended one of the warm-up events, I’m happy to confirm that The Grape Escape features no uncomfortable tunnelling beneath the Thames or Steve McQueen impressions.

Rather, it was a snug evening in the company of fellow wine enthusiasts, heated by an open fire and set to the gravelly tones of deputy manager Fabio Scarpa, whose rich drawl proved as deep and rewarding as the notes in a well-aged Cabernet Sauvignon.

We tasted seven wines, nibbled on cheese and took turns to tour the pub from top to bottom – enjoying its views, nooks and cellar to get an appreciation of the place’s history and continuing appeal.

Fabio Scarpa hosts the The Grape Escape at The Gun

Perhaps the most striking thing about the evening, however, was its role as a catalyst for interaction – bringing long standing local residents together with east London newbies, to much merriment.

Lubricated by three reds, three whites and a fizz, the atmosphere was open and welcoming as a diverse group of attendees talked about the wines, themselves and a certain amount of nonsense (me) in good cheer.

Having come through two years where talking freely to strangers was pretty much an impossibility, it was refreshing to see how easily and enjoyably the world has returned to normal.

Looking around at smiling faces, with fast friendships formed, it was also a moment to reflect that people have been enjoying such pleasant evenings at the venue since the 1700s. 

With a lazy fire smouldering in the grate and the scent of wood smoke in the nostrils, perhaps some things don’t change so very much.  

  • The final format (and price) of the forthcoming tastings is still in production but will be announced on the venue’s website and social media channels in due course.

WHARF LIFE’S PICK OF THE WINES

Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot, £65

Stellenbosch, South Africa

This wonderful, rich companion should be drunk in leather armchairs by an open fire in fine company.

Eins Zwei Dry (Best Buy)

Riesling, £41

Rheingau, Germany

Crisp and refreshing with a pun in the name, this was the wine of the night as well as being the most modestly priced 

Bolney Estate

Bubbly Brut, £50

West Sussex, England

This fizz is a true delight on the tongue and a wonderful way to start an evening. Refreshing and approachable

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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