Check out this new Spitalfields restaurant inspired by French comfort food

The good news is, you don’t have to cross the Channel to get a taste of the City of Love.

Chris: …it’s presented on a trolley, then you order it by the inch. You just say ‘when’, then we pour rum all over it.

C: As kids we’d drive down to Spain for holidays, going through France. Mum and Dad would stop at roadside ‘relais’ — little hostelries which were mainly for lorry drivers — and they didn’t speak a word of French, so there was a lot of pointing at menus and bravely trying things.

J: Later, we were classically trained in French cuisine at the Savoy and the Ritz, but we still love little bistrots — informal places with paper tablecloths, Duralex wine glasses… you can still find great ones in Paris, often run by chefs who’ve worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant who now cooks with cheaper ingredients, but the same level of skill.

C: I think we were open for all of 11 days before we had to shut again. But we’ve spent the past few weeks training with the staff and liaising with our regular suppliers who’ve been getting back up and running.

Ultimately, we can’t wait to get back to doing what we love, which is looking after people.

J: We might have to kiss everyone who comes through the door initially!

C: You’ll find seasonal ingredients like English asparagus, peas, broad beans, Jersey royals… we also have a wood-fired oven outside on our terrace so we’ll be grilling the catch of the day. We’ve got fresh-brewed Pilsner from Prague and wines on tap.

J:Now all we need to do is pray for sunshine!

The best bit? The 2ft long metal skewers, which will make you feel like a fancy fencer.

Located by Hyde Park, just order in advance then collect your hamper full of exquisite sandwiches (such as egg and black truffle, and braised black leg chicken with asparagus), dainty cakes (from pear tart to chocolate gateau), scones, cream and jam, and Champagne.

From Friday 30 April, you can order a South Pacific BBQ feast from Caravan chef Matt Burgess; Lobster and Crab from sketch’s former exec chef Herve Deville; a Southeast Asian feast from Sticky Mango’s Peter Lloyd; and an Indian BBQ feast from Parminder Singh (of former London haunt, Indian Accent).