Back Market's Refurbished Restaurant opens in London for a (very) limited run

Have you ever found yourself secretly craving a spoonful of Angel Delight or reminiscing about childhood treats? Back Market’s exclusive research has revealed you’re not alone. In fact, 70% of Brits have fond memories of nostalgic foods they no longer eat.

To breathe life back into these old favourites, we teamed up with Kirk Haworth, renowned plant-based sustainable chef of London’s hottest newly opened restaurant, Plates London, and Doug McMaster, founder of the world’s first zero-waste restaurant Silo, to launch an exclusive ‘Refurbished Restaurant’.

 The Great British Menu winner reimagined 6 bespoke dishes, made using refurbished equipment and inspired by the most nostalgic foods as voted for by 2,000 Brits.

“As a chef, I’m always inspired by the stories that food can tell, and the nostalgia we feel around our favourite childhood meals is incredibly powerful” Haworth explained. “For the Refurbished Restaurant, we’re reviving these classic dishes using sustainable, plant-based ingredients and Back Market’s refurbished kitchen equipment to reimagine these dishes and breathe new life into them!”

These dishes are prepared using Back Market devices, including a Mini Oven, an Ice Cream Maker, a Juicer, and Precision Scales.

“It’s all about honouring the past while embracing a more sustainable future - and making it fun and delicious along the way” Haworth added. “From creating a homage to the classic flavours of Angel Delight to reinventing fish fingers, we’re recreating these iconic meals with a fresh perspective that highlights the importance of both circularity and flavour - in the kitchen and beyond."

“For many years, major players within the culinary space have championed food waste reduction, leading to a notable shift in consumer attitudes when it comes to our cooking habits,” Luke Forshaw, Back Market’s UK Head of Brand & Marketing said of the partnership. “We want to take the nation on the same educational path for tech waste, championing refurbished technology and its positive impact on the planet. We’re thrilled to be working with Kirk and the incredible team at Plates London, and are so excited to see the menu come to life!”

Back Market’s research found that 4 in 10 (44 percent) say that taste is the most nostalgic of all the senses, and that food has a unique ability to evoke childhood nostalgia, with a staggering 95 percent of Brits agreeing that certain foods can instantly transport them back in time. In fact, 7 in 10 (70 percent) agree that eating such foods triggers more nostalgia than looking through old photos.

The much-loved retro dessert, Angel Delight (36 percent) topped the list as the most nostalgic, closely followed by jelly and ice cream (30 percent), Mr Whippy ice cream (30 percent), fish and chips from the local chippy (29 percent), fish fingers (28 percent), dippy egg and soldiers (27 percent) and Salt & Shake crisps (27 percent.) Arctic Roll (25 percent) and custard (25 percent) also scored highly on the nostalgia scale.