Most of the projects we (my partner Konstantinos and I) are commissioned to do together focus primarily on other people’s labels and brands, so After School Special was a rare opportunity for me, in that it was a project of my own that I could develop at every stage.
People around me know that I have a very particular aesthetic, and so to be able to build a brand from the beginning really excites me. When Angela and I came up with the idea of an American-style underground restaurant, I knew immediately how it should look and feel. Having recently spent two consecutives summers in New York and a holiday in Miami, I have begun to adopt an American kitsch style that Angela may or may not appreciate. Pink flamingos and collector toys line my shelves as if I just another Floridian grandma; I'm drawn to Ralph Lauren knits and flannels.
As Europeans, I think we're prone to having a very myopic view of what American cuisine/culture is all about. My knowledge of American food didn't extend beyond McDoanlds Fries and shakes, especially having grown up watching Roseanne. But when I actually stepped foot in the US, my perception changed. What I was pleasantly surprised by was just how approachable and simple American food was (not to mention affordable!). It wasn't flamboyant or fancy, it wasn't fast food either; it was simply, as the British would say, my cup of tea.
For the reasons stated above, I'm more than willing to get my hands dirty in something quite foreign and new. I think we go beyond all the foodie fuss and aim to provide just honest, healthy (as healthy as soul food could get) food in hearty portions. In London, where you rarely spend less than £20 on a meal out at an overcrowded and mediocre restaurant, I think a little American inventiveness is just what's needed at the moment.
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