Chicago Rib Shack

Jul 2, 2021

Former Chicago Rib Shack boss & Star to open £450k revamped Barnes pub The entrepreneur previously behind Chicago Rib Shack and Cavendish Bars, Christian Arden has taken on his first pub with Star Pubs & Bars, The Tree House in Barnes, south west London. The pub will reopen as The Crossing in August following a joint £450k refurbishment with Star Pubs & Bars. The new venture will be a top-quality neighbourhood family and dog friendly pub with an emphasis on serving outstanding seasonal freshly prepared food, great beer and curated wines from lesser-known growers plus a few classics. Sustainability will be at its heart. It is Arden’s second south London pub, his other is The Rectory in Clapham, with a third pub in Kennington in the pipeline. The kitchen will be overseen by Chef Antony Demetre from Arbutus and Vermuteria in Coal Drops Yard – and his team of young chefs, The main feature being an outdoor kitchen. Arden said, “I have wanted to open a pub in Barnes for some time and so was delighted when the Tree House became available. ‘The pandemic delayed plans, but on the flipside it gave me the opportunity to finesse them and collaborate with Chef Anthony Demetre. I even had time to go on Star Pubs & Bars’ Innside Knowledge course for new licensees which was a fabulous experience.” Set over two floors, there will be a relaxed light, airy modern bar and dining area with handmade scrubbed wooden tables and comfortable velvet settles. A beer tap wall behind the zinc covered bar and pendant lighting further add to the spacious look and feel of the bar. At the front of the pub, beneath shady awnings and shrub filled planters, there will be fixed seating for up to 40. The main event will be a new garden terrace for 60 with an outdoor kitchen comprising a bespoke grill and rotisserie as well as a wood-fired pizza oven. The decking will be replaced with a mosaic tile and inlaid terrace. Lantern lights, hanging trailing greenery and locally curated planting will add to the atmosphere to create a wonderful, secluded garden. Upstairs will become a comfortable dining and event space for 60 with a relaxed setting and its own private bar. This will also become a social hub for weekly events such as premium sport games, quiz nights or even book clubs. It will be available for day-time community groups at no cost. The menu will feature plant-based, fish and meat dishes using outstanding British ingredients wherever possible, fresh and simply cooked on a flame fired specialist ‘Clayoven Grill’; simple rotisserie Sunday lunches with seasonal roasted vegetables and healthy salads will be a highlight to the week. Sharing dishes and bar food will be available all day, and outdoor-cooked pizzas and flat breads will be available evenings and weekends. Arden said, “My ambition is for The Crossing to offer the best food and drink in Southwest London. “My wife is a founder of the award-winning A plastic planet, so as you can I imagine I am also passionate about creating sustainable pubs. Pubs generally are sustainable businesses using glasses, bottles and cans and like us employ local people and use local suppliers. ‘Reducing waste and energy consumption will be a focus of operations.” Richard Campbell, Regional Operations Director of Star Pubs & Bars, said, “It’s great to have Christian on board. He has a fantastic reputation in the hospitality industry, having run his own Michelin star restaurant, built a highly successful group of late-night venues and turned around many other businesses. ‘He is now returning to his passion – top end pubs with a reputation for superb service. Barnes has been crying out for a pub restaurant of this calibre and with Christian at the helm it will undoubtedly be a great success.” Ardenset up Cavendish Bars during the last financial crisis and was involved in restructuring of several leisure companies including Luminar plc, Regent Inns plc and Chicago Rib Shack. Current projects include Fire Flat Breads in Buck Street Market, Camden.