Literary Lunch with Clare Finney

Location: Christopher Wren Dining Room, Ye Olde Watling Pub, 29 Watling Road, London EC4M 9BR

Join us for our next Literary Lunch at the historic Ye Olde Watling pub where we will hear from food author Clare Finney.

Clare Finney is an award-winning journalist, author and cheese lover, born and based in London – though she spent much of her childhood in her grandparent’s seaside hotel, watching her grandmother cooking. She is the happy recipient of two Fortnum and Mason awards: one for her food writing and one for her debut book, The Female Chef. Finney’s writing appears in the UK’s leading publications including the Guardian, The Times, The Independent, delicious. magazine, Foodism and the Evening Standard, among many other titles. Her second book, Hungry Heart was shortlisted for the Jane Grigson Trust Award for first time writers of books about food and drink and was The Times Food Book of the Year 2023.

In Hungry Heart, Clare investigates the role that food plays in modern society, exploring how eating unites us in varied ways throughout our lives. Packed with transformative stories from the heart, this book is bound to entertain. Hungry Heart is a feast. It's an honest, heart-warming account of humans breaking bread together and what that really means.

Liveryman, Kate Howell, is a communications advisor and NED, specialising in food, communities and markets. For 12 years, she was Director of Communications and Engagement at Borough Market, where she was responsible for building the market’s worldwide brand, developing its printed, digital and in-person communications, increasing engagement, and ensuring that the thoughts of the institution were regularly heard through the national and international media. She helped shape the responses to some extremely challenging circumstances, including the 2017 terrorist attack, Brexit and the Covid pandemic, as well as playing a key role in overhauling the strategic development of London’s oldest market.She sits on the boards of The Mayor of London’s Markets ’Board and the London Chapter of Les Dames Escoffier, a philanthropic organisation supporting women in hospitality.

The cost of this lunchtime event, which starts at 1.00pm, is just £35 and includes a traditional two-course lunch, as well as the after-lunch interview with Clare Finney and Kate Howell.

We are restricted to 35 attendees, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Books will also be available to preorder and get signed on the day!