Upstairs: A Podcast with Adam Byatt
This story began over a decade ago, when chef Adam Byatt first commissioned Kristjana S. Williams to create an artwork for Trinity in Clapham. What followed was the beginning of a long-standing creative collaboration built on shared values: craft, generosity, curiosity, and a deep respect for storytelling.
That connection has continued to evolve over the years, most recently through an intimate video podcast in which Kristjana shared some of her most personal food memories. Adam responded by translating those stories into dishes — some rooted in Icelandic tradition, others reinterpreted through his own perspective. Together, they created a dialogue shaped by food, family, memory, and the experiences that bring us back to what it means to be human.
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From Collaboration to Artwork: The Donovan Bar, Brown’s Hotel
From this ongoing creative relationship, a new artwork was commissioned especially for The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel. The piece is firmly anchored in the character of West London — its historic market streets, gateways, and enduring connection to food, trade, and street life.
At the heart of the artwork is the meeting of two chefs: Adam Byatt and Jesse Jenkins. Both have strong ties to this part of the city, yet each brings a distinct energy to their work. These contrasts shape the composition itself. Adam’s influence is reflected in the calm structure, symmetry, and considered details that ground the piece. Jesse’s presence moves through it with speed and rhythm, expressed through sweeping fish forms and a sense of constant motion.
At the heart of the artwork is the meeting of two chefs: Adam Byatt and Jesse Jenkins. Both have strong ties to this part of the city, yet each brings a distinct energy to their work. These contrasts shape the composition itself. Adam’s influence is reflected in the calm structure, symmetry, and considered details that ground the piece. Jesse’s presence moves through it with speed and rhythm, expressed through sweeping fish forms and a sense of constant motion.
A shared history adds another narrative layer. Both chefs once skateboarded, and skateboards enter the artwork from its edges, tracing their separate paths as they converge within the composition. Crabs, shellfish, and bursts of produce reference London’s markets and a shared respect for ingredients, with small discoveries woven throughout for the viewer to uncover over time
Until is ready to for everyone to see at the Donovan bar, have a closer look to some of this incredible collaborations.