Blood Orange & Matcha


  • Tucked away at the back of the famous Bubbledogs champagne & hot dog bar, is the perhaps more famous ‘Kitchen Table’. It’s the domain of head chef ‘James Knappett’ where he devises 12 course gastronomic tasting menus, served up to diners seated directly on the pass. We visited our most boutique customer to see James’s new creation using Lalani & Co organic culinary matcha.

    Click on the left and right leaves to see the dish come together.


  • Blood orange is in season and James Knappett lives by the seasons. The dish is simply called ‘Blood Orange’. A remarkably simple name for such an intricate dish.

    “We always name a dish based on the main ingredient,” says James.

    Kitchen Table has a sustainable philosophy. “Most of my cooking is no waste. We use every piece of the ingredient. Anything edible, we use.” It couldn’t be more true than with this dish.


  • First the fresh blood orange is positioned on the plate.



  • Custard comes next which, according to James, “Mellows it out”.







  • Then comes a dusting of matcha. I’m pleased to say it’s our organic culinary matcha. I’ll not argue with James’s opinion: “What makes it unique is the tea. It adds a whole new dimension to the combination of orange and custard. When you say ‘matcha tea’ it gets people interested.”



  • Segments of the orange are dehydrated and positioned in the custard. The texture they bring is one of my favourite elements of the dish.



  • The blood orange juice is saved for the meringue shards; shards, not chunks. James considered chunks, rejecting them as too chunky in the mouth. Shards add just the right weight.




  • Finally, true to the Kitchen Table philosophy, James powders the orange peel, finishing off the dish with a generous sprinkle.



  • The dish is clever and elegant. Different elements of orange hit you from the different components. The custard is smooth. The matcha adds depth and tannin. It’s also a dessert at the current edge of cooking; sustainable, light, and not overly sweet.

    ‘Blood Orange’ is the 11th dish out of 12, so you’ll have the added pleasure of eating through 10 courses to reach it. How long is the dish staying on the menu? “As long as they’re in season, we’ll use it,” says James.

    Hurry down to Bubbledogs Kitchen Table while ‘Blood Orange’ is in season.

    Bubbledogs Kitchen Table is at 70 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 4QG. Their boutique tea list includes the Wazuka Okumidori Sencha 2013 and Jun Chiyabari Himalayan Imperial Black 2013.
    Call to book: +44 (0) 207 637 7770
    www.kitchentablelondon.co.uk