Alexandra Dudley to host one-night pop-up at The Palomar with specials from new cookbook

Chef and food writer Alexandra Dudley will take over the kitchen for one night only at Soho restaurant The Palomar on Monday 6^th July, serving a selection of specials drawn from her new cookbook, Cooking Made Simple. This will be the latest instalment of the restaurant’s guest chef series, which invites culinary experts to prepare offerings alongside the venue’s regular à la carte menu.

Dudley is a food writer and cook based in London. While writing a food column at SheerLuxe, she also runs the Substack newsletter and podcast Come for Supper, and has a loyal following of more than 200,000 on Instagram, where she regularly shares recipes. Her new book, Cooking Made Simple, is available now.

The chef’s dishes will be served alongside plates by resident head chef Dan Murray. Her menu centres on Mediterranean flavours and seasonal produce, beginning with a cocktail created for the evening, the Summer Fling, which is made with vodka, Campari and lemon, and garnished with a lemon twist. Among the smaller bites is a Basil Devilled Egg with Crab, while larger options to include Grilled Squid with Tomato, Feta and Fennel Seed. For sides there are dishes like Charred Lettuce with Ajo Blanco and Spring Onion and Spiced Aubergine with Dates and Yoghurt, intended to be eaten with the restaurant’s breads.

The Palomar, which opened in Soho around 12 years ago, only recently began inviting guest chefs into its kitchen, when the series – the first of its kind at the venue – launched in February. Dudley’s appearance follows previous pop-ups featuring Jacob White and cookbook author Millie Lagares, with further instalments expected to be announced in the coming months.

The Soho institution was founded by siblings Zoë and Layo Paskin and has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2014. Its kitchen serves food influenced by the cultures of Southern Spain, North Africa and the Levant, using British produce that includes organic free-range meat, seafood from Cornish day boats and bread baked on site. The restaurant is built around an open kitchen bar that runs through the dining room, in the very heart of London’s Theatreland.

Food Desk

Alexandra Dudley’s guest chef takeover takes place on 6^th July 2026 at The Palomar, 34 Rupert Street, London W1D 6DN. For further information or to book, visit the restaurant’s website here.

For further information about Alexandra Dudley, visit the chef’s website here.