Barletta to operate Turner Contemporary’s Café
Margate based restaurant Barletta have been appointed as the new contractors for Turner Contemporary’s food and beverage offering. Turner Contemporary’s café space is renowned for its aspect and views which take in Margate’s harbour and main sands. Since 2019, local restaurant concept Barletta have held residencies across Margate, including at Dreamland, Urchin Wines and the Rose in June. Barletta will take over the café space and launch their reimagined café and restaurant offer when the gallery reopens later this year.
Together, the gallery and Barletta are committed to ensuring that the space uses locally sourced produce and works sustainably. Founders of Barletta, Jackson and Natalia bring over 25 years worth of hospitality experience with them gained from Margate, London and New York. For supplier enquiries, please email: jackson@barletta.co.uk or natalia@barletta.co.uk.
The café, and gallery’s Foyle Rooms, will be available to hire from when the gallery reopens for events and weddings which work within government restrictions. Currently, the gallery has availability for events and weddings which can be booked by emailing: hire@turnercontemporary.org.
Turner Contemporary says: “We’re pleased to be working with an ambitious, creative and local company who will bring a fresh approach to the café and are excited to see Barletta’s vision unfold. We will ensure that sustainability is at the heart of the café’s offer. Our café plays a key role in enhancing the visitor experience, driving income for Turner Contemporary, but also creating jobs and supporting local suppliers.”
Barletta says: “We have been lucky to be a part of the iconic Dreamland and we are so excited to now be joining forces with another symbol of Margate. We are really looking forward to bringing that same Barletta energy to the space, with a bit more sophistication than you may have seen from us at our previous venues. Expect a vibrant and seasonally led menu, an elevated pastry and cake offering, great coffee, delicious wine – all with sustainability and fun at its core.”
Notes to editors
Turner Contemporary
Turner Contemporary in Margate is one of the most distinctive galleries in the UK; its impact stretches beyond culture-led regeneration and the showcasing of world-class exhibitions, to pioneering change by making the arts more vital and connected to daily life. Turner Contemporary is a charity, receiving public funding from Kent County Council and Arts Council England. In copy please refer to Turner Contemporary and not ‘The Turner Contemporary’ or ‘The Turner.’
Turner Contemporary’s Cafe
Turner Contemporary runs a shop, café and venue hire business to earn income which helps to support the gallery’s charitable activities as well as investing in local suppliers and generating economic impact more widely. The gallery will celebrate its 10th Anniversary this year; to date, Turner Contemporary has generated over £70million for the Kent economy, through its work with Thanet and Kent based suppliers and secondary spend in other businesses. Find out more: turnercontemporary.org
Barletta
Barletta is a moveable restaurant that started popping down in Margate in 2019. You may
have visited us at one of our many residences; Dreamland, Urchin Wines, Up on the Roof, or our current home at the Rose in June pub near Trinity Square. Our style is good, quality food, alongside personable hospitality. With Mediterranean delights and comforting savoury classics; we want you to eat well and have a good time.
Liverpool born and bred Jackson and New Jersey native Natalia, are the couple behind Barletta. Between us we have over 25 years of hospitality experience, from London to New York.
Barletta is a true expression of our favourite way to dine, with food inspired from our travels, all wrapped up in a big dose of FUN. Find out more: barletta.co.uk
Jackson Berg
Jackson Berg worked his way around Liverpool while studying Food Technology at Liverpool College. At 18, he moved to London, starting out at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, before working his way through kitchens such as St John, Burnt Ends, Quality Chop House, Hoi Polloi and Bistrotheque.
Jackson opened Xiringuito in 2016, a year long pop-up that saw him take his moveable restaurant from Margate to Liverpool. On returning to London, Jackson was Head Chef for the relaunch of Kettners Townhouse under the new ownership of Soho House, and in April 2019, he moved back to Margate to open and operate a residency in Dreamland under the name Barletta with his partner Natalia Ribbe. Following rave reviews, including one from The Times critic Marina O’Laughlin, Barletta moved into Cliftonville’s Urchin Wines for the winter season. Following lockdown Jackson & Natalia opened Barletta on the roof at the old Ziggy’s site and took over the kitchen at the Rose in June pub in Cliftonville. Experience in some of the capital’s most well respected restaurants translate into his accurately produced, relevant but not faddish food.
Natalia Ribbe
Natalia Ribbe is a German/American who moved to London in 2012 after working her way up from bar back to Hospitality Manager in Vienna and New York. While in NYC she worked for Michelin star chef David Bouley, legendary NYC hot spot Le Cirque, Union Square beast Blue Water Grill and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio.
After moving to London she spent two years as Head of Marketing & Events for Village London (Riding House Cafe) before going freelance in 2014 working on several projects including a stint as a tea lady for the Rare Tea Company and event production for Tabasco. In 2016 Ribbe set up L.O.R., a UK- based initiative supporting women who work in the hospitality industry through events and education. From 2014-2019 she was the Restaurant Fundraiser for National Children’s Charity, Magic Breakfast, and in 2019 she set up the restaurant Barletta with her chef/partner Jackson Berg, in Margate.