Husband and wife team Samantha and Samuel Clark worked at River Café before opening Moro in 1997. But between those two events they went on a road trip that took them from Spain to the Saharan desert via Morocco. It was a research trip to learn about the food and cooking techniques left behind by the Moors, the Arabs who ruled most of Spain for 700 years from the 8th century AD. In 2010 they opened a sister restaurant next door, Morito, offering tapas and a no-bookings policy.
London has changed a fair bit since Moro arrived on the scene. “The quality and diversity of London restaurants is now so rich and vast” says Clark. There is a lot more competition, but it’s currently one of the great gastronomic capitals of the world, thanks in part to its multiculturalism and th revival of great British cuisine. We are very spoilt.”
What is the most challenging part of opening a restaurant? “Providing you have a clear vision and talent in both the kitchen and floor, and of course business acumen, one has every chance of survival. For us the main challenges we faced when we opened Moro were sorting systems, and sourcing and training good staff. As Moro was our first venture it took almost two years for those systems to be put in place and to feel properly established.”
The Clarks are strict about where their ingredients come from. “All our meat is organic or free range and we buy direct from the farmers. Our fish is landed from small boats off the English coast. Our menu is dictated by the seasons and changes completely every three weeks.” Is it easy enough for the average consumer to make informed decisions on food provenance, or does there need to be more awareness? “I think nowadays there is enough choice and awareness with regards to good quality and ethically sound ingredients; but it could always improve. It also just depends where you shop. We don’t shout about it on our menu but it is at the very core of our philosophy and approach to cooking. “
At home the Clarks cook different cuisines, mostly recipes from southern India, the Szechuan province or Italy. As her last meal Clark would eat tomato bruschetta with anchovy, chilli and new season olive oil, a favourite of the late Rose Gray, part owner of the River Café.