Jason Atherton’s French Bistro to Become British Restaurant This Spring

Jason Atherton’s restaurant group, The Social Company, has announced that its French bistro, Little Social, in Mayfair will close at the end of this week after “six successful years of trading.” It will open in Wednesday 8 May as No.5 Social to “celebrate seasonal British produce under the leadership of executive chef,” Kostas Papathanasiou and restaurant manager, Nils Cassignol. The space will undergo a major refurbishment at the end of this week.

About the 60-cover project, Atherton said: “Kostas has been an important part of The Social Company for the past three years and Irha [Atherton] and I felt it was time he was given his own project to run. We are sad to say goodbye to Little Social.

“It has been a hugely successful restaurant since its opening in 2013, however, we felt it was time for a new direction and know Kostas and Nils together, will make a great team and success of No.5 Social.”

Papathanasiou has worked as senior sous chef at Atherton’s flagship, the Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social across the road from Little Social. The chef’s impressive CV also includes stints at The Ledbury and The Fat Duck. The new menu will draw from “Papathanasiou’s wealth of experience and will focus on accessible, seasonal ingredients while championing the best of British produce.”

The Social Company [Official Photo]

It will include the like of: English heritage tomato salad with goat’s curd, almonds and fennel; poached Hebridean halibut, celeriac truffle emulsion and purée with pickled mushrooms and a black truffle beurre blanc; roasted Herdwick lamb chop and cannon fillet with crushed Jersey Royal potatoes, spring peas, cucumber and mint. Desserts include Richmond Park honey, oat crumble, milk ice cream and meringue; and a chocolate fondant served with blackcurrant sorbet. A fail-safe selection of crowd-pleasing menu items for Mayfair.

Papathanasiou said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be working on this exciting project with Jason; to be given the opportunity to launch a new restaurant that reflects my cooking style is a real honour. I’m really looking forward to re-opening in May as No.5 Social and hope our guests enjoy the new menu and interiors.”