chriskitch: healthy food that won't break your bank
By Emma Wynne
Fed up of spending a fortune on shitty Starbucks’ lattes and Waitrose quinoa salads? Why not head to Chriskitch for a pleasant study break? This cute café in Muswell Hill is becoming increasingly popular with students, who are in search of delicious, healthy food at affordable prices. Emma Wynne speaks to the café’s owner to find out more.
This quirky deli is hidden away from the bustling Broadway, down a leafy stretch surrounded by picturesque Victorian houses. Upon entering, customers are greeted with a mouth-watering display of freshly baked cakes and pastries, and a diverse drinks’ menu, which includes healthy home-made juices. There is a rustic theme created by the rough brickwork, antique furniture and wonderful café displays, and its shabby chic charm and quaint outdoor seating area make it the perfect place for a lunch date, or a sunny afternoon coffee break.
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Owner, Christian Honor, 43, who has worked with Gordon Ramsey and in top restaurants in Egypt and Dubai, says: “Everything we do is crafted, it’s made on the day – we don’t store it like high street coffee chains. We use ingredients which are quite expensive, like lots of nuts and seeds, which are super good for you. We do a blueberry, apple and kale salad, which tastes gorgeous, is bloody healthy for you, and there’s a little bit of skill element to it, which you can’t necessarily replicate at home.”
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Chriskitch opened in 2013 and is run by Honor and his wife, Bibi. Honor says, “I always knew that I wanted to be a chef. I’ve been cooking since I was 16, and I’ve worked in some of the best restaurants in the world, with some of the best chefs. But eventually I decided to do my own thing, now I get to call the shots.”
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Price-wise, Honor explains that a main course with three salads, a coffee and a cake, would cost under £20. Adding that just a main and a coffee would cost about £10.
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“You get a lot of service, hand-roasted coffee, and big meals with expensive ingredients, the hot chocolates are made with real chocolate, the ginger beer is homemade, and we make the berry water ourselves. We provide beautiful, healthy, fresh food, at a pretty good price,” he explains.
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English student, Salome Ginger, says: “I’ve been here a few times as I don’t live far, the food is great and the hot chocolates are amazing. It’s quite a cute place, and a change from the chain coffee shops on the high street. I don’t think it’s expensive, and the quality of the food is really good.”
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Chriskitch’s salads have become a big hit with students: “They absolutely love them,” Honor says. Adding, “I think that salads can be quite cheap for a student, because the big money is in the protein. But we make beautiful salads, and constructively design the salad so it has a profile, and it includes sweet, sour, salty and spicy.
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“Coffee is also popular with students, by default,” he adds, explaining that their coffee is hand-roasted by Martin’s in Muswell Hill. So put down that crappy mug of instant coffee and head straight to Chriskitch for one of their heavenly, foamy cappuccinos.
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Technical theatre student, Antonio Feleti, 20, says, “This is actually my first time here, but I really like the place. I think the food is really great and the café offers something a bit different. It’s really great for the local community. It’s got a nice atmosphere too and it’s quite peaceful compared to the other cafes around here.”
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Honor will be opening a new Chriskitch in Hoxton Market this month. Unlike Muswell Hill, the new café will have an alcohol license, so if you’re around Hoxton and feeling thirsty, then you can grab yourself a beer and sample the delights of the new menu, which will use fresh ingredients from the market.
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He explains that the new café plans to give a 30% discount to every student, adding that, “If they know they have a discount, then they can come in and get some beautiful, fresh food. It’s important that they get at least one good meal a day.”