An East London Turkish Delight

Where shall we start? Hmm – homemade baklava? The scent and taste of orange blossom and we’re transported to a Turkish bazaar without stepping foot outside of First Option Studio!

The wonderful crew from Outline Productions who had been filming in Turkey, needed a space to create a Turkish kitchen in London to complete their television series ‘Allegra McEvedy’s Turkish Delight’. First Option Studio provided just the right backdrop.

Furnished with colourful drapes and ornate crockery brought back from the souk, they transformed the space. For a week the place was afloat with pomegranates, quinces and rose water rounding off the essence of Turkey. Although the main kitchen was used for presenting and filming, the prep kitchen downstairs was put to great use in creating Allegra’s (here’s one I made earlier!) magical dishes such as ‘poached quinces’ and ‘burnt rice pudding with figs’.  -so good we’re going to have to try making them ourselves!

It’s hard to believe that only a few weeks prior to this, Starcrossed films were busy shooting a feature film, the precise details of which we’re sworn to secrecy. Although perhaps we can say that a hilarious bedroom scene was involved!

Sweaty Betty also used the space to great effect to show off their multi-coloured current collection for the serious fitness fanatic! Stills photography in the main studio captured the vibrancy and variety of the clothing range.

To round off our latest news it is a pleasure to have welcomed both Nigel Slater and Nigella Lawson into our studio today. They are filming a BBC Four documentary on good old fashioned sweets!

One of the great things about hiring out a location space is all the lovely people we meet. Whether it’s just a day shoot or a few weeks, it’s as if they become an extension of the First Option Studio family! We hope that everyone to pass through the doors is made to feel at home.