Anna Tobias is in Decorate the cafe. This seems obvious, but it is an important part of running a restaurant. Over the past five years, Tobias has established an identity based on simple dishes made with high-end seasonal products, most of which come from nearby British farms.
The London-based chef told Observer to sit at a dining table in an intimate restaurant in May. Bloomsbury-stet restaurant was once greasy spoons, with a boutique atmosphere that feels both stylish and lifelike. “I found a lot of restaurants with cookies with the same dim light,” she said. “It could be what you can be anywhere. The menu is the same. No identity.”
Cafe Deco’s focus mirror Tobias’s own history, in London’s chef’s history, in famous restaurants River Cafe and Rochelle Cafeteria. She is leisurely and serious, like food, avoiding picky preparations. The menu changes weekly based on what the vendor is available (they often send her a list of what they get), and sometimes Tobias pops up a new dish on the day. Maybe it’s a plate of cooked spring vegetables topped with Salsa Rustica. Maybe a perfect piece of trout and herbal sauce. Or the first British asparagus of the season, steamed and drizzled with Dutch asparagus – a memorable standout for just a few weeks a year.
“I love the creative challenges of menus,” Tobias said. “We do have some staple foods that they may repeat year-round. But, in asparagus season, you just have to do it. And we’re not making unusual dishes.” Instead, the approach is classic and simple, but that doesn’t mean boredom. The menu is thoughtful and emphasizes the inherent flavor on the plate. “I’m not going to challenge my guests with food,” Tobias said.
Tobias has loved cooking since she was a teenager, but she doesn’t plan to become a chef. “I always thought I would be a teacher,” she said with a smile. “And I think I still do it in a different way.” She studied languages in college, but as she graduated, she began to rethink her career path. She mailed her handwritten letters to some of her favorite chefs and restaurants, hoping someone could hire her. In some responses, Tobias accepted the job in 2008 at Blueprint Café, who worked for Jeremy Lee.
At the time, Tobias felt that there were few female chefs working in more high-end restaurants in London.
“Of course, in Blueprint, I was the only female chef,” she recalled. “But while it’s all male, it doesn’t necessarily go high this way. It’s normal in the industry, so I don’t think it’s a young chef. As a young chef, I’ll carry things that are too heavy for me because I want to prove myself. But, I’m not ashamed to ask someone to help you with any help. Now, I’m happy to ask for help.”
After the blueprint, Tobias applied for a large Italian midstream cafe in Chelsea. It was the only place she sent the application; she found a job and ended up staying for three years. “It’s very iconic,” Tobias said. “Still is. It’s run by two women. I’m eating there and I really like the simplicity of the food.” When she left, it was another kitchen led by women, this time in the Rochelle Cafeteria.
For Tobias, being a chef under Margot Henderson of Rochelle Canteen was a particularly transformative moment in her career. Although this is Henderson’s vision, Tobias is encouraged to write his own menu and explore his own ideas. “Obviously, what area does it have to be in? [Henderson] “I want it, but she also expresses herself generously. I’m very grateful to her because I think that’s how I develop my voice.”
She added: “I don’t think she has enough honor for it because she has had a lot of different chefs over the years. Each chef has posted her own little stamp on it, but Rochelle is still very cautious. Her beauty is still very felt. Her presence is still very felt.”
It’s only a matter of time before Tobias opens his own restaurant. She has worked with the Bermondsey Wine Bar and Maltby Street 40 stores for several years, so it feels natural to work with it. “I don’t even remember who approached who at this point,” she said. “But we had a conversation at some point, ‘Do we all want to do something together?’ The warning is that they don’t actually want to work in a new place, but they want a space where wine can be sold.
Tobias remembers watching “so many websites” near London. She is not associated with a specific community, but she likes the idea of leaving East London. Story Street is accessible to most areas of London, a quiet tree-lined road in Bloomsbury. Plus, this space is a blank slate that ends up being both a blessing and a curse. “I love my restaurant – very beautiful, but stressful.” Instead of working with the project manager, she does most of the logistics and ends up dealing with a lot of work. “It’s very stressful to work and deal with contractors.”
By chance, the Deco Café opens in the middle of the lock. During the launch, Tobias was unable to delay contracts after Covid-19 hit rate. It debuted in November 2020, just as the UK’s second lockdown was set. “It’s really heartbreaking,” Tobias said. “We have to open as a deli and sell sandwiches, which is not my dream. I feel ‘this isn’t what it should be.'”
Once the Deco Café was able to invite diners inside, it felt like a sigh of relief. Tobias remembers yesterday’s first menu: steamed Brill with fennel butter sauce, beef burginion, root vegetables and Lancashire cheese pie, steamed ginger pudding and mayonnaise. The latter is a classic French product that remains on the menu. She has been sticking with the dish since then, describing it as “widely European.” Most of the ingredients arrive every day, from small organic farms.
“My food is really simple, and I’m proud of simplicity, but that means the quality of the ingredient has to be amazing,” she explained. “Because if it’s not amazing, then the food is never amazing. Our job is to get the best effect from the ingredient and treat it carefully. When the food is simple, small details matter because you can’t hide anything.”
Sometimes Tobias takes on her semi-herited legacy with Eastern European style dedication or encourages her chefs to capture her semi-heritage from countries such as Poland and Slovakia to make some suggestions. “What I work from Margot is that I really like the others who contribute to the menu,” she said. “It makes everyone happy and dedicated and then they have a little ownership on the menu as well.”
Hospitality can be a tough industry and Tobias always wants her team to be happy. Besides food, what she proudestly is the positive culture she raised in decorating a cafe. “I think we’re very sustainable in this way,” she said. “I often find myself saying something, ‘I’m lucky to have a great experience in the kitchen.’ I think that should be standard.” She knows the importance of mental health and always has time to take care of personal issues. “The first thing I said is that no one has to solve the problem, but they can, if they want to,” she said.
Although Deco Café is approaching its fifth birthday, the restaurant is still flying under the radar. Because of common, it does not have a large buzzing opening and therefore grows slowly and stably. Tobias wants to be as consistent as possible and keep the standards high, but it is crucial to maintain a good work-life balance.
“Sometimes there is a part of me like, ‘Okay, I might create another one [restaurant],'” she admitted. “But it’s really horrible to open a restaurant. This is the worst thing in the world. And I actually started to strike a certain balance. So I have to remind myself that maybe I can be satisfied with it. ”
Sometimes, Tobias is worried that she has put restrictions on herself in the restaurant. Can she add ham and eggs to the menu? She knows she sets a specific tone in decorating a café, but fostering a specific concept also means being flexible when necessary.
“I don’t think you can afford to be too stubborn,” Tobias said. “If I feel like it hurts the business, then I’ll pivot. You have to be responsible. But as long as people like it, I want to stick to my vision.”
