Bills restaurant group: five minutes with founder Bill Collison

Founder Bill Collison reveals British seasonal fruit and vegetables as his inspiration behind his restaurant group Bills...
Bills first began life as a greengrocers in Lewes, East Sussex
Sophie Warner22 March 2017

Bills first began as a greengrocers shop in Lewes, East Sussex, before a flood forced founder Bill Collison to start from scratch. Only this time, he added a cafe into the mix and the group was born. Now there are 76 restaurants nationwide.

We talk to Collison about his favourite dish on the menu,his insider tip on what the next foodie trend will be and what the future holds for the group...

The group now has branches all over the country but what inspired you to set up Bills?

I wanted to set up something that really celebrated good British seasonal fruit and vegetables – the taste, colours and shapes, and the stories of the suppliers and growers behind them. Then we turned it all into theatre – both in the shop and also in the dishes we were serving.

As well as a restaurant, Bills is also a food shop

Do you have a favourite dish on the menu?

My go-to breakfast is scrambled eggs on gluten-free bread. It tastes like crumpets – delicious. For lunch, I like the halloumi burger, it’s been on the menu since day one and never fails to hit the spot. And for dinner, either the fish pie or shepherd’s pie. They’re as good as my Mum used to make them, maybe even better!

Tell us one ingredient you're obsessed with in your cooking.

Every season has its champions and I look forward to them all. From rhubarb to beetroot, and asparagus to brussels sprouts, I eat them as much as I can when they are in season.

As a insider to the restaurant world, what should everyone be looking out for as the next foodie trend?

There’s a lot going on around fermenting and pickling at the moment, both for added and different flavours, as well as the health benefits. Vegan food is becoming more and more interesting, with lots of chefs and bloggers coming up with amazing dishes and flavour combinations.

If you were to host a dinner party at home, what would be on the menu?

The key is to keep it simple. Forget about a starter and serve canapés, such as smoked salmon blinis. For the main, make something you can prep the day before, such as a hearty stew. On the day, heat it through and serve with a big fresh salad and some very good bread. For pudding - chocolate brownies and vanilla ice cream.

Bills offers dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner

If you’re short on time, what’s your favourite cooking hack?

If I’m in a hurry to feed the kids, I’ll make a big batch of macaroni cheese, add some bacon, sneak some kale or other vegetables in there, roasted tomatoes across the top. Quick and easy.

London is lucky to have a whole range of cuisine to choose from but do you have a favourite restaurant in the capital?

For special occasions I love River Café. I also like Petersham Nurseries and I’m looking forward to trying Smokestak – I've heard lots of great things about it.

So, what’s next in the pipeline for Bills?

We’re exploring and testing a convenience offer at the moment. We’re also about to launch our loyalty app as well as mobile payment. Plus, there’s lots of menu innovation going on and we’re also updating our restaurant designs. So, we’re pretty busy!