Fortnum & Mason: home of extravagant wicker hampers, a famous food hall, a signature Eau de Nil shade of blue-green and now a brand new food and drink studio. Taking over the third floor of the historic flagship department store in Piccadilly, the purpose-built interactive space will feature a production kitchen where over 100 of Fortnum’s chefs will test and showcase the brand’s recipes in front of customers (hello scotch eggs and beef wellingtons). There will also be a programme of events hosted by both emerging and renowned local and international chefs and experts in the food and drink world. The plan is to create an experiential hub, where customers can join in workshops and supper clubs, taste-test the results of live cooking demonstrations or listen to lively discussions at launches.

If you need further enticement, Amalthea will be there. That’s the name of Fortnum’s copper vacuum still that will produce brand-new small batches of their ‘Made in Piccadilly’ London Dry Gin and Pink Gin in partnership with The Craft Distilling Business. In addition to being able to personalise your bottle, there’ll be distillers on hand to give you the full sensory experience of the botanicals being used. Look out for special seasonal options too, as the distillery gets underway.

There’s also a new space for bespoke hamper creation and a new Cook Shop for all your utensils, cookware and ingredients needs, as well as a dedicated bookshop and library.

And for the sceptical who think it’s a bit of in-house floor reshuffling under a rebrand, Fortnum’s have released detailed information about the sustainable materials used in the third-floor reconstruction, ranging from Foresso Timber Terrazzo retail shelving using wood waste products to the Volar Bio Leather vegan stools made with renewable, plant-based materials.

We’ll see you stroking the hamper fixtures made from recycled oyster shells while taste-testing the gin.