Hoxton Apprentice

Hoxton Apprentice occupies the ground floor, mezzanine floor and wide terrace in a Victorian Grade 2 listed former primary school in fashionable Hoxton Square. It is an interesting and imaginative venture with a list of supporters that must make Jamie Oliver wince a bit, set up by internationally renowned chef and restaurateur Prue Leith and doping a splendid job training young chefs to produce really quality food at prices that mean Mr Average can afford to buy it.

The restaurant is a social enterprise developed by the charity Training For Life and run by industry professionals. They take up to 48 young aspirants every year mainly from disadvantaged backgrounds, and put them through the hoops, they benefit from programmes aimed at bringing positive changes in their lives and helping them secure employment. This is no passing act of benevolence, and its impact on catering in future years should be considerable. All profits from Hoxton Apprentice are returned to support the work of the charity.

What's on the menu? Prue Leith works with the chefs to provide a menu of international classics, which provide simple, high quality food at very affordable prices; bowls and bread produce Baba Ganoush, roast aubergine with onions and spices, or roasted almond and cashew nuts with broad beans and chick peas.

Cold starters offer oak smoked salmon with grilled organic sourdough and chive and dill crème fraiche, or cannelloni bean and chick pea salad, pan-fried chorizo, with mint and red onion. For mains a Thai green chicken curry with jasmine rice offers good flavours, or honeyed Old Spot ribs with roasted garlic mash, make a substantial contribution to a meal, though one critic had reservations about the big fat curry dusted chips.

As one might expect from the hand of Prue Leith, the puddings tend towards the spectacular. Think of chocolate date and hazelnut truffle torte, or Spanish cheeses or a wide selection of ice creams. Sadly when I last enquired the muscovado heaven and the banana spring rolls had been banished from the menu. What a shame!

What the press has to say:

"A hotspot of selflessness for today's decadent times" - Metro

"The place looks great - dark and sexy" - Independent

"It's fast becoming a destination out of merit rather than philanthropy" - Square Meal

"Simple, sensible menu at fair prices" - Harden's Restaurant Guide