London, July 03: A West End style restaurant called “The Clink” has opened up inside Her Majesty’s Prison High Down.
Diners can eat a two-course meal at the prison restaurant in Sutton, Surrey, for six pounds, reports The Telegraph.
Food consists of the freshest ingredients, much from the prison garden. However, diners have to make do with plastic cutlery for security reasons.
The chefs, waiters and kitchen porters are all inmates - who could be behind bars for murder or grievous bodily harm.
The Clink is the brainchild of Alberto Crisci, a former chef at Mirabelle, a French restaurant in Mayfair, London, which used to be owned by Marco Pierre White.
Crisci, who moved on to become High Down’s catering manager, said the idea was to rehabilitate prisoners and give them the skills to obtain jobs on release.
He stressed discipline was tougher than anything seen on a show like Hell’s Kitchen.
He told the Daily Mirror: “Prisoners only have to step out of line once and they are out. This is a real restaurant. I expect them to do exactly what I ask them to do.”
Wine is served – but strictly controlled for fear it goes missing. Mains include griddled minute steak, with sauce bearnaise, served with chips and a herb salad, or breast of chicken with pepperonata served with radicchio. This fare is available for 4.50 pounds, while ordering a desert costs 1.50 pounds.
ANI
First Published: Friday, July 03, 2009, 18:44