Company of Cooks and the Royal Opera House have agreed to extend their partnership for another five years.
The renewal, valued at £130 million over the contract term, was awarded to Company of Cooks without a tender process.
Company of Cooks, part of the CH&Co group, will continue to run the Royal Opera House’s bars, restaurants and cafés, and will also manage its collaboration with chef Angela Hartnett.
Located on the fifth floor with views over Covent Garden, Hartnett’s Michelin-starred concept — Cicoria and its all-day terrace, Bar Cicoria — opened in September, offering an Italy-inspired menu served from morning through evening.
Rob Fredrickson, Company of Cooks’ managing director, said: “We’ve achieved a lot together with the Royal Opera House team over the years, including opening the fifth-floor restaurant to the public for the very first time, but we always said there was more to come. We’re really looking forward to realising our ambitions as we consolidate and build on our successes and establish the Royal Opera House as a food and drink destination of choice for both theatre-goers and the public.”
He added that there is “immense excitement surrounding the Angela Hartnett partnership and the opportunities the opening of Cicoria brings,” expressing hope that the collaboration will draw more first-time visitors to the globally renowned cultural venue.
Sophie Wybrew-Bond, Royal Ballet and Opera’s chief commercial officer, said: “The launch of Cicoria and Bar Cicoria with Angela Hartnett has set a new benchmark for what’s possible in our spaces, and we’re excited to continue working together to refresh more of our bars and restaurants.”