Yes Chef! A Tale of Threads, Food, and Fortuitous Connections
Who would have thought that a simple invitation to the launch of a French bistro in the heart of Bristol over a decade ago would set us on a path to creating bespoke chef’s whites for friends in hospitality — and founding our own sideline label (or should we say side dish), Mise Supply, crafting attire in collaboration with some of the UK’s most exciting restaurants?
It all began with an old family friend of the Darby’s, Rich Hamblin, who once ran Terence Conran’s Blueprint Café above the Design Museum in Shad Thames. At the same time, I was working around the corner in The Conran Shop buying office. Though our paths didn’t cross then, years later in Bristol, Rich invited me to the launch of Bar Buvette — which soon became the city’s hippest hangout, known for its natural wines and effortless charm.
After several successful years, the Buvette’s beloved owners, Max and Peter, decamped to run Auberge de Chassignolles in the Auvergne. In their wake, former employee Lily and her husband Cosmo opened Marmo in the same location, infusing it with Italian flair while preserving the relaxed atmosphere. It was at Marmo we met Bronte, the energetic and stylish maître d’ who would soon travel the world, find love, and settle in Dartmouth — marrying none other than the head chef of the renowned Seahorse Restaurant.
One day, Bronte rang to ask if we could dress her fiancé — a head chef and skateboarder with a firm aversion to suits, but a surprising fondness for our Darby Suit. We gladly took on the project, and soon found ourselves invited to dine at The Seahorse.
Fast-forward a year, and we found ourselves back in Dartmouth with friends who’d just bought a place there — a perfect excuse to sample Ben’s cooking. Upon entering The Seahorse’s Parisian-style bar, we were warmly greeted by Ben, Bronte, and Ben’s father — the famed fishmonger-turned-restaurateur Mitch Tonks. Mitch complimented my Hamblin chore jacket, a piece we designed in honor of Rich, inspired by the classic bleu de travail.
I assumed Mitch was hinting it could double as chef’s whites. But no — he just wanted one for himself. That said, he did have another idea: he’d been searching for someone to collaborate with on designing his own line of chef’s whites. Would we be interested?
Though new territory, I’ve always had a deep affinity for hospitality — not only because of the many friends I have in the industry, but also because I once lived as an expat in hotels around the world, dining out nightly, and even moonlighting as a maître d’ for a friend’s gastropub in London Docklands.
As luck would have it, an old tailoring colleague of mine — now running a factory — was visiting from India. He happened to be well-versed in crafting chef’s whites and quickly turned Mitch’s ideas into a few samples, which we delivered to The Seahorse.
That first collaboration has since led to new partnerships: we’re now crafting chef’s whites for the legendary French House in Soho, as well as working with Bristol’s much-loved Sonny Stores, thanks to a chance meeting with the owner at a party thrown by none other than the former head chef of Bar Buvette!
Where this all leads, we can’t say. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that hospitality, like tailoring, is an incestuous business — and full of delicious opportunities.