Despite spending most of my time building restaurants and being a self-professed ‘foodie’, when friends ask me where they should book their next meal in London, I often draw a blank. In an era of restaurants coming and going faster than seasonal fashion, the ever-expanding list of places one carries in their pocket can seem impossible to manage. Working through mine would require eating out twice a day for the rest of my life – a rather nice thought, though a terrifying prospect for my wallet…and my waistline.

The Pass, as the name suggests, is a paper that shines a heat lamp on London’s food scene, looking at restaurants old, new and downright delicious. It is written by those on the coal face of hospitality; an industry that often requires a leap of faith to enter and a deep-rooted love to endure. The irony of introducing more content into the market is not lost on me; my aim is to refine your media-driven bucket list.

We all know that hype is necessary. With so much on offer, new openings need good PR to get the tables turning – but too much often leads to long queues, disappointing experiences and overegged appraisals. The animalistic competitiveness of each restaurant vying for their fifteen seconds of scroll time means that London has been robbed of honest restaurant reviews…and I don’t blame them for playing the game. Who would take a 10-year lease on premises when media fanfare may only last a year? It makes sense to chase a short, sharp hit of hype. But whilst the wining and dining of PR agents, influencers, and journalists is essential, it can leave the general public suspecting that they are not getting the same treatment. When you finally do manage to secure a table at ‘the next big thing’ how often do you find your experience doesn’t quite match that of the glistening review that led you there?

At The Pass, authenticity is key. It’s a window into the opinions and little black books of those who know best, with each of our writers chosen for their expertise and innate passion for food. We have a brilliant cross-section of selected journalists, chefs, restaurant owners, food influencers – and of course, the odd publican – now at your disposal to recommend that special date spot you really need for next Thursday. Our editor, Catie Collins, is a human Wikipedia of restaurants, and the combination of her creativity, knowledge and quick wit helps to ensure that the content we put out is independent, honest – and always with a sprinkle of entertainment.

The Pass will focus on the places we think are truly amazing; if it’s not up to scratch, we won’t feature it, and if it still has us drooling long after the bill has been settled, we absolutely will. This is a place you can fall in love with owners whose identities are intertwined with their menus, cut through the hype to save a 70-minute slog to that slice shop that really wasn’t worth the trek, or find out whether the rise in supper clubs is more than just a fad.

I am an old romantic, hence the madness of print in a digital age, but I hope this paper becomes your central port of call to find out about the places that matter, from people who matter, once a quarter.

Here goes.