Rocola, the East London restaurant, bar and rotating kitchen from the team behind Crudo and Tiny Wine, is welcoming Great British Menu chef Lawrence Barrow for an exclusive three week residency, bringing bold Northern Irish flavours and ingredients to East London from 15 September to 3 October.
Born and raised in Ballymena, Lawrence has cooked across Australia, New Zealand and Italy, before returning to London to work with chefs including Lee Westcott and Jason Atherton. Earlier this year, he won the Northern Ireland regional heat of Great British Menu 2026, going on to represent Northern Ireland during finals week.
For Rocola, he’s created exclusive menu inspired by his roots, putting a contemporary spin on traditional Northern Irish ingredients and flavours picked up throughout his career.
Highlights include Smoked Eel Boxty with Irish black butter, Coolea and black truffle, Wild Venison Tartare with seaweed hashbrown and venison heart bottarga, and Wild Seabass with Atlantic mussels, ratatouille and Kilkeel crab bouillabaisse. For something sweet, there’s Peat-Smoked Chocolate & Stout Cake.
Available for three weeks only, Lawrence’s menu will be at Rocola from 15 September to 3 October, giving diners a limited window to try his Great British Menu cooking in Hackney.