Diary: new chef, ‘boring’ galleries, perfect smiles, a podcast, and non-contact boxing for Parkinson’s

Rovi at 59 Wells Street, one of the small chain of restaurants by Yotam Ottolenghi, has appointed Andy Frantzeskos as the new head chef. Frantzeskos is keen on regenerative farming practices and minimising waste and has a new menu that embraces these principles. He takes over from Neil Campbell, who has moved up to executive chef of the restaurant group.

Across the road, property developer Great Portland Estates has bought 19-23 Wells Street from British Land for £19mn. GPE intends to convert the 19,182 sq ft building to a “fully managed” workspace.

Underrepresented artists from across the world could see their work exhibited at Hope 93, a new gallery at 54 Eastcastle Street. “I love an underdog,” Aki Abiola, the owner and ex-banker, told the Independent. Abiola previously spent five years on the Tate’s acquisition committee, where he advised on which underrepresented African artists to exhibit.

Woolff Gallery at 89 Charlotte Street is holding a farewell retrospective exhibition of city landscapes by David Wheeler (1959-2019) until 8 November. The gallery will continue to show its represented artists downstairs throughout the exhibition.

Wild Life, an exhibition by Alan Stanners is at Brooke Benington gallery, 76 Cleveland Street, until 16 November.

“Galleries have become such boring, alien, elitist, and unfriendly white boxes that nobody wants to visit any more,” says Ghislain Pascal who has recently opened his own, called BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! at 30c Warren Street. The Gallery Cafe is a “must-see new queer London location” to visit, shop and “just hang out”.

A collection of artworks — known as the Radev Collection — that was once kept in a Fitzrovia townhouse is on display at Charleston in Lewes. There’s a feature about it in the Grauniad.

There were perfect smiles all round at the opening this month of Dental Spa London, 83 Charlotte Street this month. Several sports stars and Olympians were present including British sprinter Jeanette Kwakye, and British middleweight boxer Denzel Bentley.

Charity Parkinson’s UK is also fan of boxing, albeit the non-contact variety. Sessions are being run by trained Parkinson’s coaches from the Hawley Amateur Boxing Club and anyone living with a long term health condition is welcome to take part, every Friday from 2.15pm to 3pm at Camden Boxing Club, Hawley Wharf, 47 Kentish Town Road, London NW1 8NX.

Maverick Theatre Company celebrates 30 years of stage and other events and has “gone back to our slightly impulsive roots,” says founder Nick Hennegan who is also known for his literary walks around Fitzrovia. While growing up on a council estate in Birmingham he wrote a story at school called “George Holmes and the 7 Dimensions”. The book appeared recently and you can listen to it on a regular podcast on www.BohemianBritain.com.