Islington’s Favourite Gastropub The Drapers Arms Gets a New Head Chef

Nick Gibson, landlord of The Drapers Arms gastropub in Islington, north London, has announced that the outgoing head chef Gina Hopkins will be replaced by Luke Frankie. He will be in place by next week, according to a post by Gibson on Instagram this lunchtime.

Gibson first announced Hopkin’s departure two weeks ago. Frankie, a graduate of Jamie Oliver’s flagship Old Street restaurant Fifteen, has previously worked under Stevie Parle, at the Dock Kitchen in Ladbroke Grove, as both a chef de partie and, later, as head chef. Between those two posts, he worked as sous chef at Skye Gyngell’s Spring in Somerset House.

The Drapers Arms, on Barnsbury Street, in a residential part of north London, is popular not just among its many locals, but the wider food community as well. The annual Glandstonbury — an offal-orientated 10 chef, 10-course collaboration — is one of the many initiatives Gibson leads in support of food charity, Action Against Hunger. The next instalment of Glandstonbury will take place in February next year. Action Against Hunger’s big fundraiser event will take place on 7 November at Borough Market.

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