I can still remember the first time I walked into a Canteen. It was the one under the Royal Festival Hall and I felt like it had been designed just for me. The sort of understated mid-century design that makes my heart flutter and ethically sourced British food. I couldn’t believe my luck. And it was a bacon sarnie and a cup of tea at the Spitalfields Canteen that saved me from flagging towards the end of last year’s London Design Festival. So you can imagine how excited I was to hear that Canteen are pairing up with TfL to create a “site specific concept” for designjunction. Owner of both Canteen and Very Good & Proper (founded to design Canteen’s furniture) Patrick Clayton-Malone very kindly took time out of his designjunction preparations to talk to me.
Why do you think there is such a cross over between design fans and foodies?
There is a shared nature. Simplicity normally shines in both, although more often than not, many processes have taken place to get the designed result.
Canteen’s design philosophy is as much about quality and craftsmanship as its food philosophy. Our democratic, welcoming and considered interiors celebrate British design and craftsmanship. Inspiration for the Canteen design concept came from the best examples of communal, public spaces such as schools, libraries, town halls and interiors that refer to the optimism of mid 20th century design and classlessness of community buildings such as the Royal Festival Hall. The emphasis is on simple, honest materials that ensure design longevity and reflect the quality of the food we offer.
Very Good & Proper was established to create practical, beautiful and reasonably priced products that last a long time.
What qualities to Canteen and Very Good & Proper have in common?
Many things; the core philosophy is very similar. Taking something traditional or established and updating it sympathetically using modern methods and materials. A considered practical approach. With British food we needed to reestablish confidence in reputation – sourcing great ingredients to improve British classics.
Restaurants are a very demanding place to test furniture, our products are built to work in this environment, whilst being elegant enough to place at home.
Why is being part of a show like designjunction important to you? what do you hope will come out of it?
For both Canteen and VG&P its a very big decision to take part, it requires a lot of planning, team effort, time and significant resource just to be there.
Canteen’s collaboration with Transport For London is a natural fit, Canteen was heavily influenced by TFL’s design heritage and its part in building the London of today. It was an opportunity we couldn’t let pass and hope to build on in the future. We also recently opened our fifth site, in Covent Garden, just down the road from the the Transport Museum. We hope to introduce Canteen to a new audience and showcase the great British food we celebrate and make for thousands of Londoners every day.
The hope for Very Good & Proper is to reach as many potential buyers as possible and to introduce new products to the design industry and design press.
What are you most proud of?
Our goal was to raise both the standard of British food on the high-street and good design. We have gone along way towards achieving it – we currently serve up to 14,000 Londoners a week.
Our first cookbook – Great British Food – I’m very proud of that.
The ‘Canteen Utility Chair’ has been popular and a big commercial success. It is found in each Canteen restaurant and also around the world – MoMA Sweden, BBC and Channel 4 and the new Facebook headquarters in San Francisco. The chair is also sold through leading international design retailers.
When you founded Canteen, why did you want bespoke furniture? Why not just use what was already out there?
We found it really had to find suitable products that matched our design brief and commercial requirement whilst being realistically priced and capable of withstanding the rigors of commercial restaurant use. Restaurants break things.
We wanted to match what was happening in our kitchens, where we use great British produce to make great seasonal food. We wanted to celebrate British design too.
You really invest in good design from the interiors to limited edition postcards – why?
Design is integral to everything we do. Practical, considered design has staying power. I have a background in design and the creative industries. I really feel that design is fundamental to achieving a successful result.
Why is British sourcing important to you?
It makes long term sense. It gives you greater control. It’s good for UK PLC. Although, it’s surprising how hard it is to find manufacturers to make what you want, at the required quality, in a reasonable timescale. But we’ve made it possible with a lot of hard work and time spent developing relationships.
Canteen is committed to providing honest food. Nationally sourced, skilfully prepared and reasonably priced (these three points also apply to VG&P). We believe in good produce provenance. Our meat is additive free, sourced directly from producers practising good animal husbandry and our fish delivered fresh from day boats on the south coast. All dishes are cooked to order and our menu changes seasonally to accommodate the best and freshest national produce.
Why do you think the Canteen Utility Chair has been so popular?
It has approachable character, familiar and friendly. The chair that directly inspired it features in our collective memory. It’s affordable and customisable. It’s very practical and built to last. It’s a good design.
Tell me more about the chair that inspired it…
I have always been a fan of the ubiquitous british school / refectory / factory chairs made after the war. I found and bought 200 about 10 years ago and stored them, thinking one day I’ll use them in a restaurant, bar or cafe. We used them at a pop-up restaurant for 100{ff546b69e23b1524d799f96c6ba7a638e1f677053b0a2a1568b05315fd5f8fc7} design and I was amazed at how many people where interested in the chair – they struck a chord. It was a perfect answer for Canteen’s requirement. We decided it would be a great product to redesign, and felt it would be commercially viable outside of Canteen.
What inspired your gorgeous colour palette?
When we launched, we wanted to set ourselves apart (at the time the colours others were using where a little careful) and inject some fun.
What inspires you generally?
People, food, bike riding, music, travel, water, cities and the countryside.
What do you do to overcome creative block?
All of the above and a little isolation, peace and quiet now and then.
What advice would you give to a young up-and-coming designer?
Make, test and assemble products with your own hands. Practice iterative prototyping. Preach practicality and understand the application. Ask yourself: “Is this product amazing? Does it have a use? Is it needed? Does it have commercial potential?” Explore manufacturing processes, but don’t be led by them, think how can you use them to do something better. CAD is an amazing tool but it won’t design great products for you.
What’s your favourite part of your job?
Getting it right and the collaborative effort.
What’s your favourite thing on the Canteen menu?
Pie and mash, eggs bacon bubble and squeak, carrot juice and meantime beer
What’s your favourite VG&P product?
I like them all but if I had to choose, I would have to take two, the Canteen utility chair and Canteen table leg.
What’s your favourite colour?!
Blue.
(Keep an eye out for these Canteen pendants – they’re launching at designjunction. You heard it here first!)
Further reading for the especially geeky:
- interview :: outline editions
- interview :: ilse crawford (pt 1)
- interview :: alan clarke
- interview :: chloe owens
