Location: Christopher Wren Dining Room, Ye Olde Watling Pub, 29 Watling Road, London EC4M 9BR
Join us for our next Literary Lunch at the historic Ye Olde Watling pub where we will hear from author and chef Peter Gladwin.
Peter Gladwin has published six books on the subject of cookery and entertainment. He has created and written this book on behalf of his whole family to celebrate their English Vineyard, Nutbourne Vineyards. The majority of Peter’s working life has been spent as a chef and business owner in the hospitality sector. He started his own private catering business (Party Ingredients) in 1975 and then the Gladwin Restaurant Group from 1993 onwards.
The family businesses encompass restaurants, farming and a vineyard that all share the concept ‘Local & Wild’, a way of life and commitment to provenance, people and the welfare of the countryside. Peter has served as Chairman of the United Kingdom Vineyards Association as well as Vice-Chairman of Wines of Great Britain.
In acknowledgement of his work in the City of London, Peter has been made a Liveryman of the Drapers’ Company and Honorary Freeman of the Apothecaries’, Clothworkers’, Launderers’ and Saddlers’ livery companies. During the Covid-19 Pandemic he worked on the Livery Kitchen Initiative, providing meals for NHS workers and supporting community projects in deprived areas of London. He also wrote the associated Livery Kitchen Cookbook.
Peter now concentrates on his wine production in Sussex, as well as writing and speaking on the topics of cookery, healthy eating, wine and food sustainability.
Helen Esmonde was a teacher, a commissioning editor for McGraw-Hill in Toronto and later founded and ran Esmonde Publishing Limited for over 30 years until it was acquired by GMC Publications Ltd in 2012. Helen stayed on as Publishing Director and retired in late 2020. Esmonde Publishing published books and stationery in partnership with major institutions, think tanks and retailers. Helen was Director of Hoopers Photography Gallery for nine years having also been a Director of a fine art gallery earlier in her career. She is a Past Master of the Stationers and Newspaper Makers’ Livery Company, where she is now a Court Assistant, a trustee of the publishing company Hymns Ancient & Modern, a trustee of Hoopers Africa Trust, a director of the Leigh Academies Trust, a member of the Book Aid International Development Board and is a member of the City & Guilds Council. Helen is married to Bob Couldrey who commanded 7th Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Gurkha Rifles in Brunei and Hong Kong.
The cost of this lunchtime event, which starts at 1.00pm, is just £35 and includes a traditional two-course lunch, as well as the after-lunch interview with Peter Gladwin and Helen Esmonde.
We are restricted to 35 attendees, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Books will also be available to preorder and get signed on the day!