In the Mix at King

Typically, when we have the good fortune to visit restaurants to take photographs and interview the owners, it’s during the day on a Monday, or in that brief pocket of time after the swell of lunch and before the controlled chaos of dinner begins, which is understandable. We’ll likely (definitely) get in the way, so when Jess Shadbolt and Annie Shi, the friends and founders (along with Claire de Boer) of King, on the corner of 6th Ave and King St in New York, invited us to see them in action during a full service, we said, “Yes, definitely! We’ll try not to get in the way.”

Coming towards its 10th year, a lifetime in restaurant terms, King has perfected an easygoing Mediterranean meets Lower Manhattan appeal. There’s a wine-tasting dinner happening in one room, and friends getting stuck into magnums of house rosé under the shaded awning out the front; waiters carry plates stacked with Italian salads, swordfish crudo, pork chops and whole sea bass. Jess dips between the pass and through the dining room, while Annie greets guests and jumps behind the bar when needed. It’s a thrill to watch it all happen. 

A King cookbook is releasing later this year, while both Jess and Annie juggle other side projects. Annie has recently opened a Chinatown wine bar called Lei, while the pair both oversee a pasta and wine bar called Jupiter at the Rockefeller Center. It’s a busy time. 

Below we spoke to the pair about their background, restaurant philosophy, the secret to longevity and what makes a perfect martini.

Drake’s: Can you talk a bit about your backgrounds in food and restaurants? How did you get into the industry?

Annie: I was working in finance but moonlighting on the weekends at The Clove Club, first in their kitchen and then in front of house. I had always known that I loved restaurants and wanted to get into it, but didn't know how to make that jump until I met Jess and Clare. 

Jess: After a quick jaunt in beauty PR at L’Oreal, I found myself as the assistant to Ruth Rogers and Rose Grey at The River Cafe. Five Years later, and after three months at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, I returned to the RC as a cook. I loved seeing the rhythm of the restaurant from both the perspective of the back and front of house, and I learned so much by witnessing how thoughtful operators run their restaurants.  I'm so grateful for that experience. 

Drake’s: How did you both meet?

Jess: Annie came to the RC for a solo lunch one day. I was impressed by her ability to eat a large chunk of the menu by herself and thought that that kind of hungry curiosity would stand us in good stead in our partnership! 

Drake’s: What made you want to open a restaurant together?

Annie: We always wanted to open a restaurant. We always shared a very similar vision and conviction around what the food and hospitality would look like. The food was the same food that Jess grew up cooking and eating both at home and at the Caff, and I wanted to be able to host guests as if it were our dining room at home. 

Drake’s: What were the early challenges behind opening King? Was there anything that surprised you about starting a restaurant in New York?

Jess: Everything was a challenge! We were new to the city, so had very few contacts. We didn't know where to buy the best fish, or who to buy the best spices from. No one knew who we were, so finding a team was a struggle, but crucially we had zero cash and had never opened a restaurant before, so every day was a fight! 

Annie's dad built the tables, Clare's mum designed the bar on the back of an envelope, and I laid the tiles in the kitchen, it was very much a boot-strapped project, but having to start out that way has taught us so much in the long-run.

Drake’s: Are there any signature dishes that have been there from the start?

Annie: On the food side, our carta di musica and panisse have been on the menu since day one. Ditto the King Chocolate Cake. On the wine side, we have had Domaine Hauvette on our wine list since we opened. One of our favourite wine makers from the south of France.

Jess: People get very cross if ever the panisse is not on the menu.

Drake’s: What’s the secret to making a perfect martini? 

Jess: Having the confidence and tenacity to make a second!

Annie: An ice cold glass and a whisper of vermouth.

Drake’s: Can you talk a bit about how you juggle your other projects alongside King? 

Jess: We are only able to approach new projects because of our team. Their passion and commitment to our restaurants allow us the space to do more while staying connected. Angeles - our chef at King - has been with us for eight years, and I feel very lucky that she leads our kitchen and I get to collaborate and work with her every day.

Drake’s: What other restaurants, either in NYC or around the world, do you enjoy visiting when you’re not working? 

Annie: My favourite wine bar in the world is Cantina Isola in Milan. The energy is palpable and I love how it spills out into the rest of Chinatown. Nothing beats sipping on some wine while you wait for your dumplings to be ready. 

Jess: Sometimes there is nothing better than a pint of Adnams and a bag of fish and chips on the beach when I am back in Suffolk in the UK. We are so lucky in NYC and London to have access to such fantastic restaurants and bars, that when I get the chance, it's a treat to keep it very simple! 

Drake’s: Is there anything you’d do differently if you could go back to when you first opened? Any advice that you’d offer? 

Jess: It’s hard to look back and think about what we would do differently as we wouldn't be where we are without the crazy ride! But you can never know enough, you can never meet enough people, you can never ask too many questions. That’s the great thing about this industry, there is always something else to learn. 

Annie: I believe everything always happens the way it's meant to happen. My advice is that opening a restaurant is a lifetime commitment - it takes constant love and attention like any living breathing organism - so think carefully before you take the leap!