Open City Presents Accelerate Debates: London Eats Itself Wed 29 May

A new restaurant opening can be the spear tip of whole-scale regeneration – an urban intervention carefully curated to pump up property prices. But a restaurant can also be a bulwark of resistance, a bastion of reassurance amid dizzying change.

With restaurants across the borough closing and a tidal wave of regeneration sloshing through Whitechapel fuelled by property speculation and rising rents, exploring the intersection between architecture and food culture has never been more timely.

For this Open City Accelerate Debate, Jonathan Nunn, editor of the food newsletter Vittles and London Feeds Itself, is joined by special guests to explore the challenges facing food cultures in the capital with a particular focus on Whitechapel, Brick Lane and the area surrounding Rich Mix.

Special guests:
Saif Osmani – Member of the Save Brick Lane Campaign
Lucy Dearlove – Audio producer and the host of the food podcast Lecker
Shahed Saleem – Founder of Makespace Architects and design studio leader at University of Westminster School of Architecture
More guests TBC

Hosts:
Jasmin Yeo – Architectural worker + Writer
Siraaj Mitha – Architect + Director of Accelerate

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