Mon 3rd Aug 2015 - D&D London unveils details of German Gymnasium dining destination at King’s Cross D&D London unveils details of German Gymnasium dining destination at King’s Cross: D&D London have unveiled details of the cafés, restaurants and bars it will open at the German Gymnasium, the newly renovated former grade II-listed gymnasium in King’s Cross, in November. The new 447-cover complex will comprise a ground floor grand cafe, an outdoor terrace, a restaurant, bars and private dining spaces. The decor will be a contemporary take on the grand cafes and brasseries of Central Europe. Influenced by the building’s original purpose, playful gymnasium details will filter through the overall design. Gold mesh screens inspired by Victorian detailing and fencing masks will feature, while original fixtures such as climbing hooks will be retained in the ceiling of the triple height space. German-born executive chef Bjoern Wassmuth, formerly kitchen director at Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, will create broad-ranging grand cafe and brasserie menus featuring some classic Mittel-European dishes as a nod to the site’s German heritage. The dining areas will combine one of King’s Cross’ largest al fresco terraces, a patisserie counter, an all-day grand café serving breakfast through to dinner, a first-floor restaurant and the Meister Bar, playing Berlin beats until 1am. The head sommelier Virgile Degrez has curated a list that will take wine lovers on a virtual tasting tour along the Danube vineyards, showcasing niche German, Austrian and Hungarian labels as well as a selection of bottles from Eastern Europe. David Loewi, managing director of D&D London, said: “While developing the food and drink concepts, we have respected the history of the site. Germany is well established for its wine yet its cuisine is often underrepresented in London. We aim to help change this and Bjoern’s menus will feature some delicious dishes from Germany and its surrounding countries.” Des Gunewardena, chairman and chief executive of D&D London, added: “We’ve watched and admired King’s Cross coming to life in recent years and are so excited to finally becoming part of it this November. When I first saw the German Gymnasium building stripped out, revealing the interior with its 57 ft floor-to-ceiling heights, I had the same spine tingling feeling I had when I first saw Quaglino’s as a hole in the ground 25 years ago. We love this building and its history. It deserves an exciting life in the 21st century and we are going to do our best to give it that.” A preview video about the restaurant opening, featuring Gunewardena, Loewi, and Wassmuth, can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVsoIKuTLdU