Introducing Bunka
A trio of foodies announce an exciting series of pop-ups. STEVEN SHORT investigates.
The world of hospitality is not going through a particularly sunny patch right now (hard to get good staff, soaring rates, cost of living, Brexit, etc) so it’s great to hear that we are set for a summer of exciting pop-ups and residences around Hastings and St Leonards.
Working together as Bunka, chef Joshua Levy, street food pioneer Celia Farrar and operations expert Tad MacDonald are bringing years of food and restaurant expertise to Boatyard at Heist, Sleeper Store and The Beacon on selected dates throughout June, July and August. “We went through loads of name options,” says Celia. “Bunka is Japanese for ‘culture’.”
Bunka menus take in Italian and French, thanks to Josh, who was previously at the award-winning Eight Bells pub in Jevington and at Light at Eastbourne’s Towner. Then there are Asian influences – Celia started Europe’s first poké street food stall in London and has also written a book about Hawaiian-inspired sushi bowls. Highlights from the summer menus they will be showcasing include red curry sausage flatbread, aged Bavette steak with grilled chilli relish, hand-torn noodles and aubergine karaage with mission Chinese spice and dipping sauce – vegans are well catered for at all venues with separate menu offerings.
Celia and Tad relocated to Hastings from London after the pandemic – they both have parents here – and always intended to set up their own business when the time was right. While Joshua was working in Eastbourne and Polegate, Tad has worked as operations manager at Heist, Boatyard and Farmyard in St Leonards, so it’s safe to say the trio have a good idea of what locals want, what works and what doesn’t.
They are also unfazed by working across different locations and with different menus – “Our menu options are diverse, and we can change it depending on the kitchen, and the market,” says Tad. “Sleeper is going to be takeaway Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwiches), while at the Beacon there’s a great outdoor oven so we’ll focus more on flatbreads and that kind of thing.”
“We’ve done a lot of street food and events, so we know it’s going to be tough,” says Celia, “but we’re used to it so it’s not too scary, going into new sites and new kitchens. Also it’ll be easier because there are three of us.”
“We hope we’re offering something a little different to what’s available at the moment, certainly from a food perspective,” adds Tad. “We’re really passionate about food but also about service and going the extra mile for our customers.”
A summer of moving around town, getting to know different locations, kitchens and locals is also great research into what and where the perfect permanent home would be – the trio’s ultimate ambition. Watch this space.
Bunka will be at Boatyard in Heist on Mondays and Tuesdays throughout June, July and August and at Sleeper Store and The Beacon, as well as at Journeys Wine Bar in Eastbourne at various points throughout the summer. Follow
@bunkarestaurant for updates, sample menus and schedules.
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