It takes a certain kind of drive to open four restaurants in as many years, but for Amy Corbin and Patrick Williams, the husband and wife duo behind the Kudu “Collective” in Peckham as the group is known, each opening gave the next one purpose.
“We thought ‘why not!’ and decided to take on another challenge,” they tell The Independent. With four restaurants and counting, something tells me their efforts have paid off.
I catch five minutes with the busy couple to discuss the signature dishes every newcomer should try, why they picked Peckham for their empire, and the pros and cons of going into business with your significant other.
There’s Kudu, Smokey Kudu, Curious Kudu and Kudu Grill… can you talk us through the nuances between them and inspirations behind them?
Kudu was our first site. We wanted a small neighbourhood restaurant near to where we lived that served really good food to showcase Patrick’s South African roots and we opened that in 2018. After that, we realised what was missing was a spot to have a pre- or post-dinner drink, so in January 2020 we launched Smokey Kudu, our cocktail bar. It’s only a two minute walk from Kudu and it’s where we serve our favourite South African inspired drinks and sharing platters! Curious Kudu came about in 2020 when we found out the previous tenants were leaving and they asked us if we wanted to take over their lease. We thought “why not!” and decided to take on another challenge. During lockdown we changed the concept of the site a little and decided to use it as a private dining room – Kudu can only accommodate tables up to six. We also use the space as an art gallery during the day. Finally, during the second lockdown, we found the perfect site for our grill concept and along came Kudu Grill, our South African-inspired Braai restaurant.
What are some signature dishes newcomers to the restaurants and the cuisine should try?
At Kudu it’s our Kudu bread with melted seafood or bacon butter and the onglet with hispi cabbage, enoki mushrooms, and truffled potato mousse. At Kudu Grill, the dry-aged T-bone with beer-pickled onion and treacle bordelaise and the whole black bream with the butter roti.
There are only a handful of South African restaurants in London, and Kudu is perhaps one of the most well-known. What are some myths you think people believe about the cuisine?
South Africans are the hardest people to please. I think people sometimes think of South African food as large portions and very meat-heavy, but we have a very different approach to South African cuisine. I think Patrick’s food can be defined as modern European with South African influences.
Kudu Grill is known for its open fire cooking. What advice would you give to someone giving that a try at home?
The best advice for braaiing at home is to use good quality wood and good quality cuts from a local butcher.
When you opened your first restaurant, Peckham wasn’t especially known for its dining scene – I used to live there long before Kudu! Why did you choose it to start your empire? And has it paid off?
We wanted to open a neighbourhood restaurant and we always loved the vibe in Peckham. We liked how it was still mostly independent businesses and filled with locals who really supported the places around them. I guess it’s paid off for us. We love running our restaurants in Peckham, being a part of a thriving community and being able to walk from one site to the other is definitely a plus!
Patrick – how did your childhood growing up in South Africa influence the menu? Are there any dishes you serve now that you were particularly fond of back home?
The two main influences on my cooking in the early days were from my dad, who would always have a braai on the weekends and cook for us, and my mum, who knew her way around every spice imaginable. I grew up in Durban, which had a big Indian community, so we used to go together to the market to buy the spices she needed for her recipes.
You’ve had a string of positive and high profile reviews and have received a Michelin Bib Gourmand, all within just a few years of opening. How does that feel?
We’re incredibly grateful and love knowing that people enjoy our food. It makes all the hard work everyone’s put into the restaurants worthwhile. We never take it for granted, though, you have to keep driving forward and always count your blessings.
You both have backgrounds in hospitality but handle different parts of the business and have different strengths: what are the pros and cons of working together as a couple? Do you balance each other out? I’m not sure I could work so closely with my other half!
It took some time to adjust to our new work/life balance when we opened Kudu. At the start we were actually living above the restaurant so that definitely added some extra tension and stress. Some days we wouldn’t even leave the building! I think we’ve both grown to know and appreciate each other’s strengths and different roles in the business. We have learnt to work together as a great team and as husband and wife.
How do you balance keeping it authentically South African and sourcing from local, British producers?
Because South Africa is a melting pot of cultures, the food scene is quite diverse and that makes it really adaptable to using different produce. The UK has some of the best in toward and we work with some great British suppliers.
And for something a little lighter: you can only use five ingredients, but they can be from any part of the world. What are they and what are you making?
Patrick’s dad’s chicken curry: rice, chicken, cream, garam masala and tinned apples. Unforgettable!
