My favourite restaurant with… Emma Duggan, senior head chef at the Whitechapel Gallery

From octopus and black pudding with quail's egg to monkfish with roast bone marrow, Emma Duggan tells us what she likes eating out in London
Victoria Stewart23 May 2013

Emma Duggan, 45, is the senior head chef at Smart Hospitality’s Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room. After originally working with Angela Hartnett in the kitchen at Cambridge’s Blue Boar, she has since been associated with top chefs Mark Askew, Clare Smyth and Diego Cardoso. In May 2008 Duggan became head chef at Gordon Ramsey’s Foxtrot restaurant before eventually joining Angela Hartnett once again in January 2011 to open Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room. She lives with her partner in Crouch End.

Why? Because I like the relaxedness of it. I like the food. I love the fact you can sit at the bar watching chefs doing their stuff. It’s a good fun place.

What do you eat? I always have the octopus and the black pudding with fried quail’s egg.

Who do you take? I’d just go with friends.

Find it: 54 Frith Street, W1D (barrafina.co.uk)

Why? If I wanted to go upmarket – which doesn’t happen very often – it would have to be here. The food is amazing and I get spoilt when I go there.

What do you eat? The monkfish with the roast bone marrow really stands out. Unlike most upmarket restaurants it doesn’t have that stuffiness. The staff members are really forthcoming. I know them anyway but I can tell from watching them with other people. They’re delightful and quite laid back. And it’s just a nice atmosphere in there – it’s relaxed.

Who do you take? I’ve been with friends and family.

Find it: 20 Queen Street, W1J (muranolondon.com)

Why? A friend of mine is one of the partners there. It’s a Monday to Friday operation and she is just one of the best cooks I’ve ever met. She cooks from the heart. she’s born with it – she’s a real natural and she just cooks lovely food.

What do you eat? It’s really seasonal. It’s very British but with Italian and French thrown in there.

Who do you take? I mostly go with my partner. We work together so we get the day off together and head down there and have a relaxed lunch. And I’ll often take my dog for a walk too. It’s an absolute bargain of a place. I keep telling them to put their prices up!

Find it: 27 - 31 Clerkenwell Close, EC1R (theclerkenwellkitchen.co.uk)

Emma Duggan's Feasting Menu (£35pp includes half a carafe of wine) is available to try on June 7 at The Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX; whitechapelgallery.org/dining-room

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