Calum Franklin, the culinary visionary widely celebrated for elevating the humble British pastry to an art form, has officially entered a new chapter in his career. The former executive head chef of the Rosewood London’s Holborn Dining Room has launched “House of Pies,” a new venture aimed at bringing high-end, chef-driven pastry craft to the mass market.
Teaming up with former Sketch executive chef Hervé Deville and senior sous chef Paul Shearing, formerly of the Michelin-starred Bibendum, Franklin is looking to redefine the standards of stadium and corporate food service. The business, which has been in development for the past year, focuses on supplying premium, hand-crafted pies to major event spaces, hospitality venues, and corporate brands across the UK.
## A Tech-Forward Approach to Traditional Craft
While the core of House of Pies remains rooted in traditional craftsmanship and high-quality seasonal ingredients, the scalability of such an operation in the modern age relies heavily on digital integration. As Franklin and his team look to disrupt the stadium food sector—an area often criticized for lacking culinary innovation—they are leveraging modern supply chain management and digital food-tech solutions to ensure consistency across large-scale logistics.
Modern culinary businesses are increasingly turning to AI-driven demand forecasting and data analytics to optimize ingredient procurement and reduce food waste. For a company like House of Pies, which balances artisanal, complex recipes with high-volume demand, cloud-based inventory software and real-time logistics tracking are essential. These technological frameworks allow the team to maintain the same rigorous quality standards in a massive stadium environment as they once did in the controlled kitchen of the Holborn Dining Room.
## Redefining the Stadium Experience
The signature menu highlights the ambitious nature of the brand, moving far beyond the traditional steak-and-ale offering. The launch lineup includes bold, global-inspired flavors such as pork birria served with a rich queso sauce, as well as a sophisticated vegetarian option featuring dauphinoise potato, caramelized onion, and Comté.
This shift toward “gourmet-on-the-go” is part of a broader trend in the hospitality industry where technology meets comfort food. By partnering with stadiums and corporate venues, Franklin is effectively utilizing digital procurement platforms that allow large-scale vendors to integrate high-quality artisan products into their existing service models. This digital transition enables venues to offer a better fan experience, utilizing data to track consumer preferences and peak demand times, ensuring that every pie served reaches the customer at the peak of freshness.
## From the Pie Room to the Future
Franklin’s reputation was solidified during his tenure at Holborn Dining Room, where he launched “The Pie Room” in 2018. His career, which has seen stops at The Ivy and Aurora, reached a new milestone in December 2025 when he partnered with Pip Lacey to launch a dedicated pie restaurant at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in London. This followed a high-profile exit from a partnership with Harrods, signaling a desire for greater creative independence.
As Franklin moves forward with House of Pies, the industry will be watching closely to see how effectively he can scale his meticulous standards. The integration of modern culinary technology—ranging from sophisticated production techniques that mimic the precision of machine learning to digital-first marketing strategies—positions the trio to tap into a growing market of consumers who are no longer willing to settle for substandard “stadium food.”
By bridging the gap between fine dining expertise and high-volume commercial needs, House of Pies is not just serving pastry; it is deploying a scalable model that relies on the marriage of culinary heritage and the efficiency of the modern digital marketplace. Whether in a luxury corporate box or a packed football stadium, the team’s mission remains clear: to prove that excellence can—and should—be accessible to everyone.
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