British Museum boss Nicholas Cullinan carouses at The River Café and hits the micat Jihwaya

JIHWAJA HAS EXCELLENT KOREAN CHICKEN AND SOUND-PROOFED KARAOKE BOOTHS, SO NO ONE CAN HEAR ME SCREAM

- NICK CLARK

Home is...

Bloomsbury with my husband Mattias. We have friends in the area like Tracey Emin, Erdem Moralıoğlu and Philip Joseph, which is lovely. We moved there this summer, and right around the corner from the halls of residence where I lived when I first moved to London 25 years ago to study — so I’ve come full circle!

Where do you stay in London?

I haven’t stayed in many hotels in London, but I did stay at The Londoner hotel in June 2023, around the reopening of the National Portrait Gallery, where I was director until this year. I was there all hours of the day, and that made it a lot more civilised — especially their pool and the views across the London skyline.

Where was your first flat?

In Borough with university friends in 2001 — it began my love affair with south London.

What was your first job?

Boots Opticians on Kensington High Street every Saturday and Sunday while I studied at the Courtauld (and seven days a week during holidays). It paid for my degrees and was one of several part-time jobs while I studied, working front of house at the National Portrait Gallery, which was a great way to start.

Where would you recommend for a first date?

The British Museum of course; where else can you can go around the world on your first date?

Which shops do you rely on?