The Ivy restaurant and private room are re-open, following a five month refurbishment, designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio. “Non-negotiables” such as the harlequin stained glass windows, green leather banquettes, wood, mirrors, great art and kind lighting are all incorporated in a way reminiscent of the past but apt for the 21st century. Note-worthy are the fantastic central dining bar, the new entrance and the sumptuous loos. Chef Gary Lee has created a balanced seasonal menu, still featuring Ivy classics, but accounting for today’s tastes, incorporating more Asian dishes, salads and vegetables, and the advent of a “sea and shells” section. Director Fernando Peire continues to lead a strong and experienced team to deliver the same excellent service for which The Ivy has become well known over the years. To book a table click below or call The Ivy team on 020 7836 4751.

To celebrate The Ivy is sharing this lovely summer supper recipe from Executive Chef, Gary Lee.

Crispy Duck and Watermelon Salad with Toasted Cashews

For the duck & marinade

For the marinade, mix all the ingredients together. Put the duck legs into a shallow bowl and cover with the marinade, ensuring that each part of duck is well coated (use your hands to do this!). Cover with Clingfilm and put into the fridge overnight.

The next day, take the duck out of the fridge and put into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cover with the chicken stock and simmer gently for an hour and a half. Check to see if the meat is tender and comes away from the bone easily. If it doesn’t, cook for a little longer. Remove the duck from the stock and set aside to cool. When cool, remove the skin and discard. Then, remove the meat from the bones into flakes and keep to one side.

For the sauce

For the sauce, put the lemongrass, lime leaves and ginger into a pestle & mortar and bash until juices are extracted and the ingredients are crushed. Put the mirin, soy and hoisin into a saucepan and onto a low heat. Add the honey and maltose and stir gently until the maltose has melted. Be careful not to boil. Sieve the liquid, squeezing all the flavour from the ingredients and put into another saucepan. Put a tablespoon of corn flour into a cup and add some cold water, mixing into a paste. Pour the paste into the saucepan and put back onto a gentle heat. Stir until it thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Coat the duck pieces with tempura flour and shake off any excess. Pour 6cm of sunflower oil into a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan or a deep fat fryer. Heat to 160°C. If using a saucepan, please be careful as the oil will be very hot. Fry the duck pieces in small batches until golden brown. Remove with tongs and place onto kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil. Once all the duck is cooked, put into a large bowl and mix with the sauce until it is nicely coated.

For the salad

To toast the cashews and sesame, put a large frying pan onto the lowest heat possible and add the cashews. You have to keep turning these and watching them, because they burn really easily. After about 5 minutes, add the sesame seeds. Toast until golden brown and remove from the heat. Scatter the watercress on 4 individual plates and arrange the watermelon and spring onions on top. Add the crisp, braised duck and finish with the toasted seeds and cashews and coriander leaves. You can drizzle on more sauce if necessary.

For the most inspiring dining recommendations, consult with The Luxury Restaurant Guide

– See more at: http://recipes.caprice-holdings.co.uk/recipes/crispy-duck-and-watermelon-salad-with-toasted-cashews/#sthash.v5MgLEtz.dpuf

Chef James Dugan has come home – in more ways than one. The newly appointed Executive Head Chef at Four Seasons Hampshire is both rejoining the Four Seasons family, having spent an early part of his career at Four Seasons Park Lane, and returning to his native county as a Hampshire resident.

The Luxury Restaurant Guide sent our very willing Mrs Robinson over to Dogmersfield Park to meet Chef Dugan and try out his new menu.

I consider myself very lucky to live just down the road from the beautiful Dogmersfield Park – home of Four Seasons Hampshire for the last 10 years. The appointment of a new chef with such provenance has had us locals and Four Seasons fans alike tantalized in expectation. It was with taste buds twitching in anticipation that Mr R and I drove the short hop and entered the stunning entrance with charming new flower meadow on our way to meet Chef James Dugan and sample his new menu.

Q & A

Chef Dugan met us in Bar 1086 (so named as it was the year of the first mention of Dogmersfield Park in the Doomsday Book) and my first question was about the wonderfully creative concoctions on the cocktail menu titled ‘Garden-to-Glass’. Chef Dugan explained,

“Four Seasons have been championing the concept of Field to Fork and it seemed natural to include the drinks menu – particularly as we also have our beer brewed locally. 1086 Craft Beer has an aroma of freshly cut grass and oranges and you’ll find it used in many of the dishes on the menu. The cocktails use produce from the estate including honey from our hives.”

I went on to ask,

You’ve re-joined Four Seasons after being away for a stint – is it the ethos of the group you like so much?

“Not only the ethos, but Hampshire Four Seasons 400 acre property gives you unlimited culinary options limited only by your imagination; bee’s, cattle & chickens are only the beginning, the cheeses, furthering livestock and foraging the grounds are next… “

Are you working towards a Michelin star after your success with 36 on the Quay and Lindsay House?

“Not at all, first and foremost we are cooking for the guest, cooking with great produce and ingredients, not to say it wouldn’t be nice to receive a Star…”

How different is cooking at Four Seasons Hampshire than Four Seasons Park Lane?

“We have a strong focus on British ingredients and building upon the ‘Field to Fork’ concept foundations…”

Talk us through the ‘Field To Fork’ concept which FS Hampshire is promoting.

“The Field to Fork concept is about us working closely with our district farmers utilising the best local ingredients, minimising the carbon footprint and writing the story as we go, expanding upon our livestock needs and chefs garden, educating the guests and chefs through this journey, ultimately building an experience.”

Any top tips for which produce is particularly good this season?

“My favourite has always been British green jumbo asparagus and poached hens eggs. The eggs our own hens produce (the Dorking or Old Sussex) are great flavoured eggs with rich coloured yolks.”


What do you consider to be your signature dish?

“Roast Native Cod – salt baked turnip puree – wild garlic – smoked dumplings (more of this later!)

Who has been you biggest inspiration?

“Chef Chris Oakes, the chef to gain the first Michelin star at the Castle hotel in Taunton in Somerset. I had the pleasure of working with him at the Stafford Hotel London and he inspired me to focus on British ingredients and the importance of our heritage dishes.”

What are your favourite places to dine yourself?

” 36 on the Quay (Emsworth) – The Waterside Inn (Bray) – The Bell  (Aston Clinton)”

What is your favourite dish to cook at home?

“Lasagne or Shepherds pie.”

What do you do to relax outside of cooking?

“I’ve not yet learned to slow down, but in the summer it has to be taking the family wakeboarding, BBQ’s or walking the dog in the forest. In winter it has to be snowboarding, eating hearty foods – Steak ‘n’ Kidney pudding.”

Where do you see yourself in five years?

“To be honest this is a very new exciting chapter in my life with a long journey ahead so ask me this in 4 years…”

Chef Dugan’s passion for this new challenge is palpable and he is ably assisted in the kitchen by head chefs Vincenzo Raffone (who Chef Dugan worked with at Cafe Royal) and Lee Young (formerly Fat Duck). Chef also hinted at some exciting refurb working coming soon to the restaurant, bar and terrace area – watch this space. In the meantime after an indulgent conversation ranging through various chefs, restaurants, hotels (and daughters!) we thanked Chef Dugan and made our way through to Seasons – nothing like talking about food to make you ravenous!

Review

Having enjoyed several visits to Four Seasons Hampshire including breakfast, afternoon tea, drinks on the terrace and several trips to the spa, what always strikes me is the wonderful staff who are so deserving of a mention. I spend (quite) a lot of time in five star properties (lucky ol me) and the team at Four Seasons never fails to impress me. They are just so, well, lovely. Friendly, welcoming, educated, well informed and most of all they are proud and delighted that they are there –  and you are there. Visiting is a shared experience of joy between staff and guest and the lovely duo who served us (Slavick and Vaclava) were no different.

Vaclava recommended the chicken wings and oh how right she was. I am more starter than pudding and this was starter heaven.

Chicken Wings – Ale Glazed, Poached Egg, Smoked English Pancetta, Watercress, Smoked Chicken Jus (£16)

What to eat first – the chicken or the egg? Served with little squares of firm onion the combinations of flavour and texture on this dish were absolute perfection. The 1086 ale lent the chicken an orangy glaze and the smoked pancetta deepened the taste, with the incredible richness of the yolk adding a savoury custard which bound it all together. When I return, I will reorder.

Followers of this blog may remember that Mr R loves scallops and can never pass them up on a menu.

Orkney Scallops – Gentleman Relish, Brown Shrimps, Sea Vegetables,  Endive, Cobnut Praline (£20)

It looked amazing and Mr R effused – apparently the strong shrimp flavour ‘buttressed’ the fluffy scallops and the rich, creamy comforting praline was ‘organoleptically pleasing’.

Slavick recommended a lemony light Sancerre which was a great choice and also worked very well with my main course.

I continued with Chef Dugan’s signature dish:

Roast Cod – Crab, Turnip Puree, Smoked Dumplings, Wild Garlic Oil (£26)

I am a lover of salt so this suited my palate very well – the crispy salty skin and firm flesh blended with the slightly bitter puree and then the salt kicked in again from the bed of samphire along with crispy crab flakes. It also looked beautiful with the garlic oil swirling around the fish in a sea of green and orange.

Mr R was very much enjoying the red wine Slavick had recommended as a perfect accompaniment to his lamb main course – ‘Iconoclast’ from the Napa Valley, made exclusively for Four Seasons.

Cornish Lamb – Confit Shoulder, Lamb Rack, Fennel Purée, Onion Textures (£34)

The lamb rack was ‘perfectly pink’ but it was the confit shoulder that was his star standout of the dish which he said was ‘sublime’ alongside the slick of fennel puree.

Chef Dugan admitted to his cooking being perhaps ‘overly complicated’ in his early years. This is accomplished cooking, honed after years of watching, experimenting, trying and simplifying so all of the ingredients on the plate are relevant and exceptional.

After a respectable rest we had a peruse of the Dessert menu and once again took Vaclava’s recommendation:

1086 Ale Chocolate Fondant – Ale Caramel, Burnt Milk Ice Cream (£14)

This was my second dish which used the Ale – we were warned they were fond of it! How versatile it is though. This dish was a curious mix of adult and childish flavours – ale and caramel working although they shouldn’t?

and Mr R chose

British Cheese – A Selection of Artisan Cheese ‘Cut Tableside’ (£14)

This was my only disappointment (although it wasn’t my dish) and was simply that the cheeses were served pre-cut on a slate – rather than wheeled up on a big trolley for him to choose. This did not detract from Mr R’s enjoyment but I rather like the theatre of a large cheese board that’s all. He particularly enjoyed the Barkham Blue and the Waterloo and left the Cerney (goats cheese) for me to polish off.

Curious to try a different wine I chose a Caldas White Port Alces de Sousa to drink with my pudding (and Mr R’s Cheese) which was a new experience for me but one I highly recommend.

Coffee was complimented with petit fours. Our joint favourite was the delicious orange blossom fudge – creamy, light, melty with a teeny crunch – utterly divine.

The air was rich with the smell of lavender as we made our way back to the car clutching our bottle of 1086 Ale (we needed to try it actually out of a glass as it were – it has marvellous honey notes).

Chef Dugan has a huge playground to flex his culinary muscles in – I’m fairly sure he is going to take this ball and run with it until someone stops him – but with 400 acres to play with let them try!

Mr and Mrs Robinson were guest of Four Seasons Hampshire.

Luxury Restaurant Club Offer savings would have amounted to £62.00 on this bill.

Members dine complimentary when enjoying breakfast or dinner in Seasons Monday to Friday and for lunch in The Bistro Monday to Friday and afternoon tea in the library Monday to Friday. For more details click here.

For details of how to join The Luxury Restaurant Club for just £95.00 inc. please click here.

Master of fish, Nathan Outlaw appears to be following in the very large footsteps of fellow sea lover Rick Stein. In the same way Padstow has been renamed Padstein, Outlaw appears to be colonising the delightful fishing port of Port Issac just over the estuary – could it soon be known as Port Outlaw?!

With four restaurant under his belt now (Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Outlaw’s at St Enodoc Hotel, The Mariners Rock and Outlaw’s at The Capital Hotel) Outlaw has appeared on Great British Menu and is a popular face on Saturday Kitchen.

This is a wonderful omelette recipe chock-full of delicious crab meat, potatoes, and cheddar cheese. Nathan Outlaw‘s crab omelette is a fabulous savoury brunch or light lunch option that goes well with salad leaves or even soup.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil
• 1 medium onion
• 200g of waxy potato
• 6 large eggs
• 50g of brown crab meat
• 200g of white crab meat
• 3 tbsp of chives
• black pepper to season
• salt to season
• 100g of cheddar, grated
• 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil
• mixed salad leaves

Method

To begin the omelette, heat 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil in a small, high-sided pan. Once hot, add the chopped onion and sliced potatoes

Stir the onions and potatoes gently for 5 minutes until they begin to soften. While they are cooking, break the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them lightly.

Once the onions and potatoes are softened, transfer them into a large bowl and leave to cool slightly. Add the eggs, crab meat, grated cheddar and chives, then season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Put the frying pan back on the heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil. When the pan is hot, add the mixture to the pan and and turn the heat down to its lowest setting immediately.

Periodically draw the edge of the omelette in gently with a spatula, as this will give it a nice, rounded edge. When there is virtually no liquid egg left on the surface of the omelette, turn it over to cook on the other side for 2 minutes more.

Turn the heat off and leave the omelette for a further 5 minutes to settle. It should be cooked through but still moist in the centre. Serve hot or cold, cut into wedges, with a mixed leaf salad.

Our thanks to http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/crab-cheddar-chive-omelette-recipe for this recipe.

For similar restaurants to Nathan Outlaw’s but with club offers please consider:

London:

Restaurant

(Savings based on two people enjoying 3 courses)

It’s beetroot season which means you’ll see the little purple darlings turning up in your organic veg boxes in their droves. Many people are averse to beetroot having only experienced crinkle like slices steeped in overpowering vinegar which is a shame has fresh beetroot has much to commend it. We have turned to Israeli master of vegetables, Yotam Ottolenghi for a way to release the best beetroot has to offer.

Candy beetroot with lentils and yuzu

The aptly named candy beetroot is as sweet as candy and its flesh is made up of beautiful, alternating red and white rings. To take advantage of this, you can slice it thinly and use raw in salads – once cooked it turns a uniform mellow pink. If you can’t find it, use golden or normal red beet instead (or a ­combination of all three). Yuzu is a citrus fruit originating from east Asia. Its zest and juice are used to add a fresh aroma to various Japanese dishes, including soups. I’d describe the flavour as a combination of lime and mandarin. You can get the juice and powdered dried skin from Japanese specialists – try mountfuji.co.uk. If you are unable to get your hands on it, don’t worry – just use a bit of lime juice instead. Serves four.

Ingredients

750g candy (or other) beetroot
225g Puy lentils
1-2 tbsp yuzu juice, to taste
50ml olive oil, plus extra to finish
Salt and black pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp maple syrup
1½ tbsp lemon juice
40g watercress
40g baby chard leaves
1 tsp yuzu powder (optional)

Method

Put the beetroots in a large saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and cook on a gentle simmer for about an hour, adding boiling water as needed. To check that they are cooked, stick a knife into the largest beet: it should go in smoothly. Lift the beetroots from the water and leave to cool (they’ll keep in the fridge for a day or two). Peel and halve the beetroots, and cut into wedges 1cm thick at the base.

Put the lentils in a small saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until al dente. Drain, transfer to a bowl and, while they’re still hot, stir in a tablespoon each of yuzu juice and olive oil. Season and set aside to cool (the lentils can now also be kept in the fridge for a couple of days).

To put the salad together, mix the remaining yuzu juice and oil into the lentils, then add the beetroot, onion, maple syrup and lemon juice. Toss gently and taste for seasoning. Transfer to a shallow bowl and dot with watercress and chard. Finish with a sprinkle of powdered yuzu, if you have it, and a drizzle of oil.

Yotam Ottolenghi is chef/patron of Ottolenghi.

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Apple season is in full swing and this spiced apple crumble recipe from Marcus Wareing features the beautiful combination of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in the crumble mix. The buttery shortbread base this crumble is served on is simple to make and matches the tartness of Granny Smith apples quite well. Serve the spiced apple crumble slice with ice cream, as shown here, or with custard, if you prefer.

Ingredients

Apples

• 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 100g of caster sugar

Shortbread base

• 75g of unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 40g of caster sugar
• 2 tbsp of semi skimmed milk
• 75g of plain flour
• 50g of wholemeal flour
• 25g of wheatgerm
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Crumble

• 50g of oats, rolled
• 40g of wholemeal flour
• 50g of walnuts, chopped
• 15g of wheatgerm
• 1 pinch of salt
• 50g of caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 nutmeg, freshly grated
• 60g of unsalted butter

To plate

• 1 tub of vanilla ice cream

Method

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Recipe courtesy of www.greatbritishchefs.com

Four-time Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper is about to hit the big screen playing a chef who, despite a dangerous lifestyle that left him out of control, drags himself back from the brink to pursue three Michelin stars. Amanda Afiya from industry magazine The Caterer speaks to Marcus Wareing about his input into the script of Burnt, and on having to get hot-headed in his role as consultant chef. 

See exclusive offer at Marcus at end of article!

Tell me about the back story to Burnt – you’ve actually had quite a long association with this film.

About seven years ago, when I was still at Pétrus, I had a phone call from a scriptwriter called Steven Knight [who wrote the film Locke and the BBC Two series Peaky Blinders], saying he was writing the storyline for a movie about a chef. He came to meet me and we just hit it off. He asked interesting questions about the dark side of the industry. He was interested in my link with five-star hotels, restaurants that I had worked at during my training, working with Gordon [Ramsay], all the restaurants that I had grown up with, Marco Pierre White and the many other stories – pre-social media, you know… conversations over a glass of wine or dinner. He found them incredibly fascinating.

So what happened next?

Steven would disappear for months and then come back. Eventually, I was sent a proper script. I read it and found it really interesting but slightly shallow, so we met up some more. We would talk and talk: “tell me about this”, “what happened here?”, “why do you do this?”, “why do we do what we do?” So it wasn’t just stories, it was about how I got to where I am, why I worked all those hours, why I jumped ship from a five-star hotel to go and work in the three-Michelin-starred kitchen of Le Gavroche, why I worked with Gordon Ramsay under those circumstances. And what emerged was a persona – a chef.

Then one day I got a call from Steven’s PA, saying Steven would like to come to the chef’s table and bring the person he is considering for the role. By then I was at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, and it happened to be Keanu Reeves. So Steven brought Keanu and for the first time you see a real Hollywood actor sitting in front of you, asking about your world, watching the kitchen. And that was it. Never saw or heard from them again, and I thought nothing of it.

But it took a new turn?

Yes, five years in at the Berkeley and I got another phone call about an updated script of Steven’s. It had developed so much more, but again he disappeared and it was only a year-and-a-half ago that Katie [Marshall, Wareing’s PR] said: “Right, Marcus, this opportunity has come up for you to consult on a movie.” She had no idea that I already had a connection with this crazy movie.

I arrived at the restaurant and she said: “Come on, you’re late.” I walked into the room and there’s 12 people around the table. It was pretty intimidating and I didn’t realise it was the director, the producers and the art director.

My first question was “Who’s making the movie?” A man said, “Harvey Weinstein is making it, he’s paying for it, it’s going to happen. I’m John Wells, the director.” And who is playing the chef? “It’s Bradley Cooper.” At that point, I was like: “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The Weinstein Company and John Wells [who directed August: Osage County and ER] – these are people who have no idea how kitchens work, how to design them, how to make them smell right, what equipment to buy. But John explained exactly what he was looking for and what he wanted. I happened to have Chantelle [Nicholson, group operations director for Marcus Wareing Restaurants] sat next to me and I just rolled off what they would need if they were going to create a kitchen. I think that’s what sold it – what we could deliver.

How much of your time did it require?

A lot.

Was there a financial decision to do it?

No, I did it because I felt very close to the script. As a restaurateur, consulting is fantastic – and it’s bloody good money – but when you’re running your own restaurants the return is far greater than any consultancy that I’ve come across. Being part of MasterChef and being part of this movie was about being part of another world of excellence.

Have you seen the film? Are you pleased?

Yes. You’ll watch the movie and you’ll recognise a lot. You’ll never be able to pinpoint it to anyone, because it’s not just me talking about food, they talked to a lot of other people too.

Is it an authentic representation of our industry?

Nope. In some ways it’s not about our industry, it’s all about one man. You won’t like what you see, necessarily. You’ll see frustrations and you’ll see glimpses of the industry.

So what message do you hope this film sends to people?

As a young chef, I switched on the TV and I was inspired by people on a couple of TV shows – Take Six Cooks and MasterChef with Loyd Grossman. Albert Roux, Michel Roux, Nico Ladenis – they inspired me to become a chef and to go to London. What I want from this movie is that, even though it is Bradley Cooper – who is a cool guy, by the way – there are a lot of young people out there who need to be inspired by an industry and I think this man and this movie can inspire a lot of young people.

Set the scene of the movie for us.

Adam Jones is a man who has gone to the top. When you get to the top it becomes very lonely and segregated and you rely on your family to support you. When you are segregated with no family, you become Adam Jones – and you just self-destruct and go to drink and drugs.

The movie starts with him shucking oysters. He had left London, he had left Paris, he was almost at the pinnacle of his career, and he went away to shuck oysters to go and find himself. Through shucking those oysters, he was getting himself together mentally to take on winning three Michelin stars. He came back to London to take on this restaurant scene, but he had screwed a lot of people over. He then approached his old people – it would be like me approaching Gordon for help. There’s a hotel owner who owns a restaurant that he had screwed over, and then the story progresses.

Is he British or American?

He’s American.

So why does he choose London?

That was where he was trained, and then he went to Paris. And everywhere he has been, he has screwed over a lot of people. In the movie, he finds his soulmate and he also finds himself. Here’s a chef that is almost Marco-like, in a way, and like Anthony Bourdain. He beats himself up.

You can’t tell me if he gets his three stars?

It’s actually not about that. It’s more about him.

Tell me more about your role.

So from our point of view, we had to do kitchen design, menu design, food design, food training, and teaching the core actors to cook and act like chefs. But the real skill is how top actors like Bradley and Sienna Miller can come into your world and watch you, talk to you, listen to you and then be you. They can cook, they can sauté, they can stand like a chef, they can talk like a chef, they can act like a chef. They wear whites like a chef and it blows your mind. Sienna Miller, for me, did more cooking than most. She’s gung ho – talk about a get up and go attitude: “Teach me to fillet, teach me to cook. How do I hold my spoon? What do I say?

In Silver Linings Playbook Bradley Cooper plays a bipolar sufferer, and the character in the film you have described sounds obsessive.

Yes. He has got a nemesis: this guy in London who has three Michelin stars; he’s almost El Bulli-like. He is like everyone who has a bee in their bonnet about a certain person – that headache that annoys you and frustrates you because maybe he or she has got more than you, or because he or she is more successful.

But, of course, this chef has three Michelin stars and his kitchen is very cold and scientific, and Jones doesn’t understand it. He doesn’t understand why you would need to look at food under a microscope. It drives him crazy.

There are so many cookery programmes on television, including MasterChef: The Professionals, and yet everyone is crying out saying there is a skills crisis. Do you really think this film could help fill the skills gap?

Yes, I do. This not a movie for the industry, though. This is a movie for theatre-goers and people who like to watch films at home, so you are reaching out to a whole new group of people. This is for everyone to watch, so there are some storylines there because it is Hollywood. It is purely entertainment, but it will entice people to come and look at the industry and think: “Yeah, that’s pretty rock and roll.”

I think parents are asking themselves if they want their children to come into the industry because of how bloody hard it is. How do you win over mum and dad?

Well, I have got a message for parents, young people and the industry, which is that the pay is shit at the bottom and there are long hours everywhere. If you want to work nine to five or even seven-hour days, then yes, you can go and find a job. But this industry isn’t on its knees, and it is certainly isn’t harder than any other. It is all about the ability to get out of bed in the morning and do something with your life.

I have three children, aged 13, 10 and eight, and if my kids want to come into my industry – tattoos, piercings, drugs, drink, rock and roll, sex, the whole nine yards – then that is out there anyway. Mums and dads need to get a grip and stop pussy-footing around what is one of the most exciting industries in the world and not worry about all these details.

What did they ask you to do on set – did they want you to survey the scene and say “That guy is not holding his knife properly”?

I had to set the scenes. The script would say that the service has gone wrong, the manager has done XYZ, and the scene is a kitchen bollocking. So my job as the consultant was to create the scene of it being 8.30pm on a Friday night with a full restaurant where Adam Jones is kicking off. That is hard work when it’s 7.30am, there’s no make-up artist to make everyone look dirty, a stone-cold studio, no cooked food, nothing boiling, nothing dirty – just a load of actors and a camera man.

So what did you do?

I had to go in there like a chef de cuisine – pissed off – and create this scene. I probably ruffled some feathers because they couldn’t understand the importance of eight, nine, 10 chefs looking like they had just done 14 hours and they were just about to push through the next five. How do I get them to look that way? How do I get them to all feel they have been in work all day long? Bearing in mind that only the key people were actors – the rest were stand-ins or young chefs. It was bloody hard work.

So did you actually play it out yourself?

Yes, and it was quite weird. I had to get the stove on and people asked me: “Why do you have to do that? It makes the set hot, Marcus.” I don’t give a shit. Get the stoves hot, get the stoves dirty, get the food cooking, get the pans boiling. There was a point where I went back behind the scenes and I looked at the camera and thought, “Bloody hell, everyone has got perfect white jackets. The kitchen looks a shithole, but everyone is clean.” So we had to crumple their jackets and sweat them up. Interestingly, as the film went on, they got more and more demoralised by me because they got tired, pissed off and bored. But as the filming went on, they started to look like chefs.

There was one scene where Bradley had to destroy the kitchen – give the whole kitchen the bollocking of all bollockings – and he said “Can you show me how you would do it?” I had to put my Marcus/Gordon head on and I went in and I absolutely annihilated the whole kitchen. I had to put myself back into the early Pétrus days when I was a lowly soldier on my own, trying to find who I was, in order to make this actor feel inspired.

I thought, “How am I going to do this in this cold environment?” But by this time the whole place had heated up and the gas was blasting. We had this beautiful stove and four or five ‘chefs’, and I said, “Right guys, we are now in service.” I got them all cooking and I went for it. And I picked holes in everything they were doing and I tore shreds out of them all. I went round the whole stove twice, with Bradley standing next to me. I have kicked many kitchens to pieces in my life, but I went into a place I haven’t been for a long, long time. I became the character I used to be. It was weird – it was reliving my youth. But I wanted to do it.

I then just left it with him. He said, “That’s it, thank you” and I went to stand behind the director. I watched this scene and it was mind-blowing – it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I was just envious. I just wanted to be in that room, with this chef. It was like being back with Gordon. It was quite surreal. It was at that point that I discovered this incredible respect for how an actor can take your world and just replicate it. Try and work that one out in your head – you are watching a Hollywood superstar go through this thing that you have just done and you have been doing all of your life and he just plays it out. It was like going back in time.

It’s pretty raw, isn’t it? It opened deep wounds.

It’s true. I opened old wounds to become a character. I think that is what actors do. Bradley had just finished American Sniper, so he was all pumped in the kitchen. It was military. And his voice, Jesus Christ!

It’s been very interesting watching you on MasterChef over the years, seeing you come in as a guest chef or being involved in a dinner, and latterly you have become more nurturing. With each episode you seem to have softened.

But my old character is evil and that is why I feel so close to this movie, because it took me to a place I haven’t been for a long time. Do I miss that character? Of course I do. I like that character a lot. But I have a wife and three children now and that is why I can’t be that character any more. Because that character for me was probably the best character of all, because I believe that is what I was. As you get older, unfortunately, you can’t be that person any more. The world and the industry won’t allow you to be.

Did the chefs look scared when you gave them that bollocking during filming?

Yes. I hammered them. I made a point of saying we are now going to do this and this is how it is in a real kitchen, whether I was prodding them, pushing them, whether I grabbed them, whether I was nose to nose with them. I could find fault with everything. Whether it was lumpy pomme purée or a dirty stove. Your cloth’s not right, your board’s not clean. Whether it would just be looking at me the wrong way, or the body language being wrong. I am not happy, we are in service, you should show positivity. Whatever it may be – I will find it in you and I will pull you to pieces because I am the head chef and it is my kitchen. I will do to you whatever I like and if you don’t like it, then get out of my life and out of my kitchen.

That ability to identify weaknesses in people – does that go back to your boxing career?

Yes – find a fault to beat them. I think the hardest thing for me was being a team player. Being an individual was why boxing was always my sport. I have just moved house and the key point of my house is my boxing bags and my gym. I run my company very differently to others in my position and I inspire people to manage themselves and to manage their managers. I watch my company and the business develop and grow without me. I’m 45 and I have new goals in the next five, 10 and 15 years. To be able to enjoy my career without being tied to a cooker thinking, “Do I really want to win three Michelin stars?”

Is there still a tiny bit of you that thinks, what if?

I don’t, actually.

But there could be a new era at the Berkeley now you have head chef Mark Froydenlund who can inject something more into it?

What would it do for me, though?

It would tick something, I guess?

The box has been ticked – two boxes have been ticked, but the last box has a cross. And because that cross is in there, in my head, it makes me come to terms with it. Could I have achieved three stars? I think yes, I could have. But I am too business – money – and family-driven to look at food under a microscope and to be part of a world that maybe I am not good enough for.

I think the film will inspire a generation. If there is something new that young people could latch onto; to see an idol, like I saw many idols in my youth. Do I think that Bradley Cooper can energise a generation of people through this movie? I would say the answer is, without a doubt, yes. I think that the person isn’t what mum and dad would like to see, but I think there is a level of coolness about him. I think he shows a person who can come back from something and fight, and I think we need role models – good, bad and ugly – and I think that he, for me, and his character, could regenerate things. We’ve all followed chefs. Now let’s see what an actor can do with our industry.

Burnt will be in cinemas from 6 November.

Original article appeared in The Caterer magazine here.

Member Offer – See the magic up close for yourself!

Luxury Restaurant Guide Members and their guests are invited to enjoy a tour of the kitchen at Marcus Wareing’s restaurant Marcus and a glass of Champagne when booking lunch from the a la carte or tasting menu from Monday to Thursday. Click here for more details.

Not a member? Join today for just £95 for full annual membership – find out more.

The Sunday Times Food List 2015-2016 is the publications bi-annual guide to the finest 200 restaurants in Britain.

The list represents the view of the food loving general public instead of the usual anonymous inspectors in guides such as Michelin or AA.  It is compiled in association with the Harden’s Guide using 9,000 genuine reports from diners who had been asked to rate the places they have visited.

All restaurants are detailed on Luxury Restaurant Guide with many providing exclusive club member savings. See www.luxuryrestaurantguide for details. To become a Club Member and enjoy savings and rewards when dining out at destination restaurants, view our join page here or call +44 (0) 1276 850581. The  Luxury Restaurant Guide list the full Sunday Times List, Michelin and AA Rosette awarded restaurants (3 AA Rosette stars and above).

Download Luxury Restaurant Guide’s FREE App from  or  today to find your nearest top listed restaurant to your location.

The Top 100 Sunday Times Best Restaurants in Britain are:

1. Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, Nottingham (up from 6th)
2. Midsummer House, Cambridge (up from 21st)
3. L’Enclume, Cartmel (same position)
4. Casamia, Bristol (new entry)
5. Restaurant Martin Wishart (up from 11th)
6. Gidleigh Park, Newton Abbot (up from 9th)
7. Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons (down from 2nd)
8. The Ledbury, London, (down from 4th)
9. The Araki, London (new entry)
10. Harry’s Place, Grantham (down from 8th)
11. Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Issac (new entry)
12. Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Auchterardar (up from 43rd)
13. One-o-One, London (up from 17th)
14. Restaurant Story, London (up from 77th)
15. The Waterside Inn, Bray (down from 10th)
16. Kitchen Table, London (up from 20th)
17. Raby Hunt, Darlington (up from 26th)
18. Le Gavroche, London (down from 16th)
19. Marianne, London (up from 48th)
20. L’Ortolan, Reading (up from 46th)
21. Yorke Arms, Pateley Bridge (down from 19th)
22. Fraiche, Birkenhead (down from 1st)
23. 21212, Edinburgh (same position)
24. Hedone, London (up from 30th)
25. Hambleton Hall, Oakham (up from 40th)*
26. The Peat Inn, St Andrews (up from 55th)*
27. Winteringham Fields, Winteringham (new entry) *
28. The Black Swan at Oldstead, York (new entry)
29. Llangoed Hall, Brecon (new entry)
30. The French, Manchester (up from 61st)
31. The Fat Duck, Bray (down from 29th)
32. Hibiscus, London (up from 97th)
33. The Clove Club, London (up from 92nd)
34. The Kitchin, Edinburgh (up from 67th)
35. Drake’s Restaurant, Ripley (down from 31st) *
36. Pied at Terre, London (down from 28th) *
37. Matt Gillan at The Pass, Lower Beeding (down from 12th)
38. Mr Underhill’s at Dinham Weir, Ludlow (down from 5th)
39. Amberley Castle, Arundel (new entry)
40. Texture, London (up from 73rd)
41. The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By, Dunvegan (up from 85th)
42. The Square, London (down from 35th)
43. The Five Fields, London (down from 39th)
44. Fera at Claridge’s, London (down from 25th)
45. The Dining Room at Whatley Manor Hotel, Malmesbury (down from 41st)
46. Rasoi, London (down from 7th)
47. Yashin, London (new entry)
48. The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Marlborough (up from 53rd)
49. Bohemia, Jersey (up from 74th)
50. The Boat House, Bangor (new entry)
51. Andre Garrett at Cliveden, Taplow (same position)
52. Fischer’s Baslow Hall, Baslow (up from 54th)
53. Petrus, London (down from 34th)
54. Purnell’s Birmingham (up from 69th)
55. The Greenhouse, London (down from 41st)
56. Box Tree, Illkley (new entry)
57. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London (up from 87th)
58. Michael Wignall at The Latymer, Bagshot (down from 27th)
59. Ametsa with Arzak Instruction, London (new entry)
60. The Neptune Restaurant with Rooms, Hunstanton (down from 32nd)
61. Roux at Parliament Square, London (new entry)
62. Typing Room, London (new entry)
63. Northcote, Blackburn (down from 24th)
64. Stovell’s Chobham (new entry)
65. Menu Gordon Jones, Bath (new entry)
66. Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor, Chester (down from 14th)
67. Sushi Tetsu, London (up from 83rd)
68. Koffmann’s London (down from 47th)
69. Hakkasan, Mayfair, London (new entry)
70. Cotto, Cambridge (new entry)
71. Sketch (Lecture Room and Library), London (re-entry)*
72. Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Dorchester (new entry)
73. The Artichoke, Amersham (down from 62nd)
74. The River Cafe, London (up from 89th)
75. Applecross Inn, Wester Ross (new entry)
76. Zuma, London (down from 37th)
77. Hunan, London (up from 86th)
78. James Martin, Manchester (new entry)
79. Roger Hickman’s Restaurant, Norwich (new entry)
80. Yauatcha, London (new entry)
81. HKK, London (down from 78th)
82. Chez Bruce, London (down from 79th)
83. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London (up from 84th)
84. Kai Mayfair, London (down from 22nd)
85. Roka Mayfair, London (down from 56th)
86. Lavenham Great House Restaurant, Lavenham (new entry)
87. Seven Park Place by William Drabble, London (down from 60th)*
88. Amaya, London (down from 70th)
89. Adam’s, Birmingham (new entry)
90. Wilton’s, London (down from 64th)
91. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, London (down from 59th)
92. Lords of The Manor, Cheltenham (re-entry)
93. Verveine, Milford On Sea (new entry)
94. Dinings, London (new entry) *
95. Walnut Tree Inn, Abergavenny (new entry)
96. Wedgewood, Edinburgh (new entry)
97. The Lickfold Inn, Petworth
98. Marcus, London (down from 81st)*
99. Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill, London *
100. Benares, London (down from 58th) *

www.luxuryrestaurantguide.com

See: www.designrestaurants.com for more details

The season is indeed upon us and we are delighted to bring you our guide to festive dining in the lead up to Christmas. Whether you are looking for the traditional or the experimental, the sumptuous or the sophisticated, our guide has it all covered. And the best bit? Member cards are accepted on all of these menus right up to Christmas week!

1. Lainston House, Nr. Winchester, Hampshire

Christmas is such a magical time of the year at Lainston House – the charming 17th Century country house is elegantly framed by welcoming stone archways and overlooks a most impressive view down the mile long avenue of lime trees – perfect with a sprinkling of snow!

Example festive seasonal menu (£26 for 2 courses, £32.50 for 3 courses)

Starter: Smoked Salmon with Pickled Beetroot, Watercress and Lime

Main Course: Roast Chicken with Celeriac, Roast Cabbage and Rhubarb

Dessert: Orange and Chocolate, Mandarin Sorbet, Crumble

Full menu link here. Details of the club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

2. The Palm Court at The Langham, Regent Street, London

Palm Court in The Langham is the sparkling centrepiece of this historic location and famed as the birthplace of the afternoon tea tradition.  The lounge has just undergone a stunning refurbishment that we could resist to showcasing.  As variation, why not consider a seasonal festive tea.  The presentation is super cute and includes a selection of over 30 tea blends.

Example festive afternoon tea (£49 per person, £59 per person with Champagne):

Selection of festive savouries including Roast Bronze Turkey, celery and mustard mayonnaise.

Scones & Preserves including Apple and Cranberry jam

Pasteries including Festive chocolate yule log, Christmas bauble

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (10% reduction off afternoon tea) here.  Dinner also available for member reduction.

3. Colette’s at The Grove, Chandler’s Cross, Hertfordshire

Take a trip to The Grove, as Queen Victoria used to, for a festive break with all the trimmings.  Escape, as she regularly did, for a refined time at this leading hotel known as London’s Country Estate.  At the heart of the 18th Century mansion house is Colette’s Restaurant where a marvellous menu is cooked up by the National Chef of the Year, Russell Bateman.

Two festive menus on offer: Haiku £65 for 3 course a la carte available Tuesday to Thursday or the Special £35 for 3 course menu available on following dates: Tuesday 1st, Wednesday 9th December, Tuesday 15th December, Tuesday 22nd December and Wednesday 23rd December.

Menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

4. Huttusa Restaurant, Berwick Lodge, Bristol

Enjoy the magical tradition and warm welcome at Berwick Lodge with its comfy sofas and roaring fire. This country retreat has a rich history and boasts an excellent restaurant.

Example festive menu (£30 for 3 course lunch Monday-Thursday, £35 Friday and Saturday): 

Starter: Lamb Belly, Beetroot, Anchovy, Black Olive Caramel, Goats Curd

Main Course: Bronze Turkey Breast and Leg, Apricot and Sage Stuffing, Crispy Potatoes, Sprouts, Chestnuts, Bacon and Cranberry Sauce OR Sea Trout
Verjus Butter, Golden Raisins, Smoked Pancetta, Kale, Violet Potatoes

Dessert: Chocolate and Chestnut Mille-Feuille, Orange and White Chocolate Sorbet

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (20% off food bill) here.

5. Gravetye Manor, Nr. East Grinstead, Sussex

Gravetye is a glorious, unspoilt Elizabethan Manor House dating from 1598. Furnished with antiquities, squeaking floors and log fires, it can best be described as a quintessential English home with 17 bedrooms if you fancy a stopover. And of course this year it celebrated a Michelin star.  Get all sparkly here.

Example festive menu (£65 for 3 course lunch Monday to Saturday)

Starter: Glazed “Tart” of Pig Cheek and Penny Bun roasted celeriac and pear sorbet

Main course: Roasted Breast and Confit Thigh of Guinea Fowl cauliflower, English truffle, pak choi, potato and thyme pressing and mead sauce OR Pine Smoked Haunch of Local Venison Crown Prince pumpkin, kale, granola and game jus 

Dessert: Raspberry Crumble Soufflé clotted cream ice cream, raspberry and mint compote

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

6. Luton Hoo, Luton, Bedfordshire

Lose yourself behind the magnificent facade of the Mansion House and enjoy the grandeur of a bygone age. The ultra-elegant Wernher Restaurant provides a truly spectacular backdrop reminiscent of the Palace of Versailles.

Example festive menu (Wernher Restaurant £30 for 3 course lunch Wednesday to Sunday)

Starter: Potted Pink Shrimp and Crayfish with Bloody Mary Dressing, Avocado, Citrus Salsa and Wholemeal Toast

Main course: Traditional Norfolk Bronze Turkey Roast Potatoes, Sage and Onion Stuffing, Chipolatas in Pancetta, Seasonal Vegetables and Roast Pan Juices OR Pumpkin and Basil Fondant with Wilted Greens, Root Vegetables, Salsify Chips and Truffle Cream (v)

Dessert: Traditional Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce and Clotted Cream

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

7. André Garrett at Cliveden, Taplow, Berkshire

Cliveden provides a magical and very special backdrop for Christmas entertaining.  From the giant Nordmann fir in the Great Hall, abundant decorations all around the house to the roaring fires, matched in warmth by the hospitality of their staff, Cliveden is certainly one of the finest choices around.

Example festive a la carte menu (£72.50 for 3 course a la carte)

Starter: English Rose Veal and Porthilly Oyster Tartare, Exmoor Caviar, Dashi, Nasturtium, Sourdough Melba

Main Course: Roasted Yorkshire Red Leg Partridge, Parsley Root, Salsify, Muscat, Walnut Crumble

Dessert: Homemade mincemeat tart white chocolate crumble, muscovado ice cream 

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary from the festive a la carte menu) here.

8. Estate Grill, Great Fosters, Egham, Surrey

Great Fosters at Christmas is full of romance and luxury.  Beautifully decked in Christmas decorations throughout, share in the Grade I listed hotel’s rich heritage with some of the best festive dining around in its elegant Estate Grill.

Example festive menu (£32 for 3 course lunch Monday to Saturday and £37 on Sunday)

Starter: Confit Salmon, Choucroute, Vanilla and Cranberry Dressing

Main course: Traditional Roast Turkey, Chestnut Stuffing, 
Chipolata, Caramelised Sprouts and Cranberry Sauce OR Roast Fillet of Cod, Sarladaise, Cucumber Emulsion, Brown Shrimp

Dessert: Christmas Pudding, Cherry Compote and Brandy Sauce

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

9. Restaurant Coworth Park, Coworth Park, Ascot, Berkshire

Head to the relaxed elegance of Coworth, part of the world exclusive Dorchester Collection. Glamorous yet comfortable the exquisite cuisine of Restaurant Coworth Park showcases a modern outlook on classical British dishes.

Example festive menu (£35 for 3 course lunch- includes glass of house wine, tea, coffee and hand made chocolates)

Starter: Trio of Scottish salmon

Main course: Ballotine of turkey with roasted root vegetables, potatoes and chestnuts OR Pan seared halibut, crab potato cake and shellfish nage

Dessert: Dark chocolate, cherry and kirsch yule log

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member receives 10% reduction from food and beverage bill) here.

10.  Aviator Hotel, Farnborough

For sheer style and sophistication this year look no further than The Aviator By Tag. Inspired by classic Vogue and Vanity Fair magazine covers and the famous photographers of our time, Aviator will transform into a month-long glittering celebration fuelled with glamour, style and sophistication.

Example festive menu (£29.50 for 3-course lunch):

Starter – Confit duck ragout with cauliflower velouté and black truffle shavings

Main Course – Roast breast of turkey with ballotine turkey leg stuffed with cranberry & chestnuts, bread & cranberry sauce and ‘all the trimmings’ OR Filet of stone bass with polenta gnocchi, celeriac purée and mussels

Dessert – Prune & Armagnac rice pudding with raisin shortbread

Full menu link here Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here

11. Chewton Glen, New Forest, Hampshire

There is something very, very grand and very Christmas about this famous 5 AA Red Star destination.  Chewton Glen knows just how to do Christmas – relaxed, stylish, innovative and bags of fun, it has been a purveyor of some of the very best Xmas’s since the 60’s.  Festive menus have lots of choices.

Example festive menu (£37 for 3 courses lunch, £60 for 5 course dinner)

Starter: Celeriac, Parsnip & Apple Soup with Blue Cheese Beignets

Main Course: Roast New Forest ‘Wrolstad’ Bronze Turkey with Traditional Trimmings & Roasted Vegetables

Desserts: Warm Chocolate Mousse, Tonka Bean Ice Cream & Salted Nuts

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (10% off food and beverage) here.

12. Seaham Hall, Byron’s Bar & Grill, County Durham

Seaham Hall comes into its own at this time of year.  A perfect sanctuary for snug winter days or evenings and a cosy getaway from those winter blues. The Byron’s Bar & Grill in the mansion house offers a scrumptious destination to bring in Christmas.

Example festive menu (£30 for 3 course lunch Monday – Friday)

Starter: Goosnargh duck pressing with spiced brioche and apricot

Main course: Traditional roast Bronze turkey with chestnut stuffing, chipolata sausage, button sprouts and cranberry sauce OR Slow cooked blade beef with smoted potato puree and sweet carrot

Dessert: Christmas pudding, cherry compote and brandy sauce

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member receives 20% reduction from food bill) here.

13. Greywalls, Chez Roux, Muirfield, Edinburgh

Not just a golfers Christmas paradise with its views over the 9th and 18th holes of the famous greens of Muirfield, but also a diners.  Home to Chez Rouz and the recent winner of Best Fine Dining Restaurant East Lothian 2015 accolade, Greywalls is a stylish, tranquil retreat full of Edwardian splendour and Scottish hospitality.  Perfect to get you feeling relaxed and full of winter cheer.

Example festive menu available from 1st December (£28.50 for a 3 course lunch, £31.50 for a three course dinner)

Starter: Braised Ox-Tail in Crepinette with Smoked Bone Marrow and Dandelion Salad

Main Course: Breast of Borders Pheasant and mini pie, with Dauphinoise Potato and Broccoli, Light Pheasant Jus with Tarragon Oil

Dessert: Homemade Christmas Pudding, Brandy Sauce

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (15% from total food and beverage bill) here.

14. Dukes London – THIRTY SIX by Nigel Mendham

With long-established traditions and fantastic trimmings, Dukes lends itself perfectly to this time of year.  As a holder of the World’s Ultimate Service award, attention to detail and exacting standards are evident.  Join in the celebratory fun with the finest 3 AA Rosette food in Thirty Six restaurant.

Example festive set menu available from 1st December (£42 for 3 course lunch to include a welcome glass of Prosecco, £49 for dinner to include a welcome glass of Prosecco)

Starter: Rabbit with Apple, Celeriac, Mustard Seed, Raisin  

Main Course: Pheasant with Confit Swede, Charred Sprouts, Rillet, Winter Leaves

Dessert: Rice Pudding with Caramelised Pineapple, Coconut Ice, Macadamia Nut and Coriander

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (members and guests receive a glass of wine) here.

15. The Spread Eagle, Midhurst, West Sussex

For that special time of year where better to spend a classic Christmas than this very special building dating back to 1430.  Characterised by roaring log-fires, oak-panelled rooms and ancient timbers in the heart of the medieval market town of Midhurst, book to dine here to unlock fond memories of bygone Christmas’s past.

Example set festive lunch menu (£19.50 for 2 courses, £23 for 3 courses

Starter: Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Smoked Salmon Cream

Main Course: Traditional Roast Turkey with Rosemary Potatoes, Bacon Chipolatas, Cheshnut Stuffing, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Bread Sauce and Cranberry Sauce

Dessert: The Spread Eagle’s Famous Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

16. Hartwell House, Nr. Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

For a grand launch to Christmas we recommend a trip to historic stately home and National Trust treasure of Hartwell House.  Meet in the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere of one of the magnificent drawing rooms with a glass of Prosecco and canapes before enjoying the delicious menus.

Example festive menu from 1st to 23rd December, excluding Sunday (£40 for courses with Prosecco

Starter: Smoked salmon filled with a smoked fish and crab mousse with beetroot caviar

Main Course: Roasted breast of Chiltern Valley pheasant, with sauté Savoy cabbage, pancetta lardons and chestnuts, Hartwell honey glazed carrots, creamed potatoes, rich red wine sauce

Dessert:  Layered Valrhona Azelia and Opyals chocolate mousse on feuilletine biscuit topped with cranberry jelly with poached raspberries and cranberry and raspberry sorbet 

Coffee and mince pies

Full menu link here.   Details of club offer and timings (15% off total food and beverage bill) here.

17. Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club, Nr. Forest Row, Sussex

The magnificent manor house of Ashdown Park Hotel, within its 186 acre estate in the heart of Ashdown Forest, provides the perfect welcoming setting for a traditional and cosy Christmas.  Throughout December the Anderida Restaurant is serving 4 different choices per course of marvellous festive fayre.

Example festive menu from 1st to 23rd December (£27.50 for 3 course lunch Monday to Saturday, Sunday lunch £30, £42.50 for 3 course dinner for Monday to Saturday.

Starter: Hot Smoked Salmon Terrine, Whipped Horseradish, Pickled Apple

Main Course: Traditional Roast Local Turkey, Apricot and Sage Stuffing, Smoked Bacon, Savoy Cabbage, Cranberry and Orange Preserve

Dessert: Steamed Traditional Christmas Pudding, Ginger Ice Cream, Pistachio Crumble

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

18. L’Ortolan, Shinfield, Nr. Reading, Berkshire

Foodies will love this treat in the Michelin-starred L’Ortolan.  The Grade II listed building gets into full party swing for a taste of true luxury, exquisite wines and super-friendly service.  There are plenty of choices for you to indulge in.

Example festive menus (£38 for 3 course lunch, £48 for 6 course festive tasting lunch, £55 for 6 course festive midweek dinner)

Starter: Pan Fried Mackerel, Ponzu Dressed Mackerel, Tartare, Miso

Main Course: Roasted Beef Rump of Beef, Pomme Puree, Textures of Cauliflower, Red Wine Jus

Dessert: Christmas Pudding, Cinnamon & Nutmeg Streusel, Rum Crème Anglaise, Cointreau Sorbet

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (10% from the total food bill) here.

19. Galvin at Windows, London W1

Treat someone special to a memorable pre-Christmas lunch or dinner at the Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows on Park Lane.  With 360-degree views and an exquisite French menu this is a perfect landmark destination.

Example festive menu (£80 for 3 courses from 25 November to 24 December)

Starter: Veloute of Wild Mushroom served with Poached Hen Egg and Potato Cream

Main Course: Braised Ox Cheeks served with Foie Gras, Root Vegetables and Jus Diablo

Dessert: Tarte Tatin of Williams Pear served with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce 

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (members and guests enjoy a glass of Champagne) here.

20. Humphry’s at Stoke Park, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire

And exhale!  Picture yourself relaxing in the warmth of hospitality at Stoke Park, one of the most famous country landmark houses.  This magical destination offers both excellent value for money, incredible service and a five choices per course on a superb festive pre-Christmas menu.

Example festive menu (£36 for 3 courses for lunch or dinner)

Starter: Lobster Bisque with Mini Lobster Ravioli

Main Course: Roast Turkey with Traditional Accompaniments, Seasonal Vegetables and Herb Roasted Potatoes

Dessert: Spiced Citrus Fruit Jelly with Mandarin Sorbet, Citrus Foam and Chocolate Sauce 

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

21. Chinese Cricket Club Restaurant, Crowne Plaza London

Located on the corner of New Bridge Street in Blackfriars, we invite you experience the modern menu of Sichuan specialities created by Executive head chef Ken Wang. For those that prefer an asian twist to their turkey!

Example festive menu (£35 for 4 course lunch)

Starter: Crispy squid in salt and pepper and Crispy Aromatic Duck 

Main course: Diced Turkey with Kung-po sauce

Dessert: Traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce

Full menu link here. Details of club offer and timings (member receives 20% reduction from food bill) here.

22.  The Riverside Restaurant at The Compleat Angler, Marlow, Buckinghamshire

Add some sparkle to your season at the Compleat Angler.  Its setting overlooking the Marlow Weir is hugely impressive both night and day.  Atmospheric, intimate and memorable, this newly revamped restaurant is a perfect stop for Santa.

Example festive menu (£25 for 2 course lunch, £28.50 for 3 course lunch, £39.50 for 2 course dinner and £45.50 for 3 course dinner)

Starter: Burnt Honey and Parsnip Soup

Main Course: Roast British Turkey with Sage and Onion Stuffing, Roast Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, Pigs in Blankets and Bread Sauce

Dessert: ‘Hot Chocolate’ Mousse and Vanilla Marshmallow

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

23. Belmond British Pullman, London to various locations

Step on board Belmond British Pullman – sister train to the Venice Simpson-Orient Express, and experience fine dining on a luxury train with ever changing views. This is the ultimate Christmas dining experience where from the moment you join the train you will be transported to a world of pure indulgence. Take a seat in one of the vintage 1920’s carriages for a stylish trip gliding through stunning scenery.  Expect glamour, fine dining and fun on Belmond British Pullman.

Festive trips from £370 includes round trip from London Victoria, table top magicians, 5 course lunch with Champagne and half a bottle of wine per person.

Full details here.  Details of club offer and timings (10% off for bookings prior to 31 December 2015) here.

24. Rudding Park, Harrogate, North Yorkshire

With crisp winter mornings, roaring log fires and carols in the Chapel, Rudding Park is a magical place to experience Christmas – check out their fun Christmas photography.  Award-winning Rudding Park is one of the most beautiful Harrogate hotels and voted the Best UK Hotel outside London by TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2015.  Take a trip to The Clocktower Restaurant for a healthy dose of merriment.

Example festive menu from 1st to 23 December (£44 for 3 courses, or prebook for discounted prices £26 for lunch Monday to Thursday or £31.50 for Friday, £37 over weekend.  £36.50 for dinner Sunday to Thursday and £42.50 for Friday and Saturday).  Choices of 4 dishes per course.

Starter: Confit Duck, Tangerine & Cumin Jam and Watercress Salad

Main Course: Pork Fillet, Serrano Ham, Honey Roast Baby Parsnips, Pommes Puree, Crispy Kale

Dessert: Clementine Panna Cotta, Cranberry Compote, Orange and Walnut Brittle

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (member dines complimentary) here.

25.  Paris House, Woburn Park, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire

Enjoy an unforgettable festive culinary journey at Phil Fanning’s divine Paris House with his seasonal six course tasting menu.  Bursting with delightful produce and all highlighted with Christmas extravagance, this Michelin restaurant is set in a 22 acre deer park – guaranteed to get you in the spirit.

Six course festive lunch tasting menu £52 per person includes:

Starter: Duck Liver, Pumpkin, Grape and Kombu

Main course: Lobster, Cockles, Braised Red Cabbage and Soured Beetroot

Dessert: Tiramisu, Coffee, Chocolate and Frangelico

Full menu link here.  Details of club offer and timings (members enjoy a 25% reduction) here.

Not a member? Join the Luxury Restaurant Club today to take advantage of these amazing Christmas offers – or why not buy a membership as a present? Find out more at www.luxuryrestaurantguide.com.

Christmas dinner may be the highlight of your festive food journey but who doesn’t love the scrumptious flavours of the season combined with old favourites? Transform those cling-filmed dishes in the fridge with these inspring ideas from Angela Hartnett.

Bubble and Squeak

Serves four
200g chopped cooked brussels sprouts, or leftover cabbage
300g leftover roast potatoes
Salt and pepper
Flour for dusting
2tbsp groundnut oil for frying

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Crush the roast potatoes and mix well with the chopped sprouts (or cabbage). The starch in the potatoes will hold the mixture together. Season well and, if you like, add a touch of dried chilli, or chopped, cooked bacon. Mould into six patties, dust in flour and leave to one side.

Heat some groundnut oil in a non-stick frying pan and then add the patties. Cook on each side for two minutes until golden brown. Place on a baking tray and finish in the oven, until they’re totally heated through – this should take three to four minutes. (Check by sticking in a knife and making sure the blade comes out hot.)

Thai Turkey Salad

Serves four

400g leftover turkey
4 spring onions, sliced
6-8 radishes, sliced
200g Chinese cabbage, shredded
½tsp chopped chilli
1tsp chopped ginger
2 cloves of garlic
4tbsp rice wine vinegar
2tsp fish sauce
2tbsp olive oil
2tsp fresh coriander, chopped
2tsp fresh mint, chopped
1tsp fresh basil, chopped

Slice the turkey into strips and place in a large bowl. Add the spring onions, radishes and cabbage. Blend the garlic, ginger and chilli in a pestle and mortar, then place in a bowl and add the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce and olive oil. Mix well and check the seasoning before adding to the turkey mix. Sprinkle in the chopped herbs and mix well. Check seasoning again, and serve.

Christmas Pudding Ice-Cream

Serves four
500g vanilla ice-cream
250g cooked Christmas pudding, crumbled

Place your serving bowls in the freezer. Meanwhile, in another bowl, break down the ice cream until it softens a little. Add the crumbled pudding and mix well.

Transfer to the frozen serving bowls and place in the freezer until ready to serve.

For more details about Angela Harnett’s restaurant Murano please click here.

The Luxury Restaurant Guide is the best way to discover and book the UK’s finest dining destinations. Download our free app here:

Original article appeared in The Guardian here.

There is ham, egg and chips, and then there is the Paris House Chef’s Table version of Ham, Egg & Chips. This doesn’t even come under the bracket ‘Posh Ham Egg and Chips’ – it takes it to a whole new level! If you fancy a go here are Phil’s step by step instructions.

Ham terrine

Ingredients

• 3 Smoked ham hocks
• 2 Large carrots
• 1 Large onion
• 1 Stick of celery
• 1 Leek
• 2 Sprigs of thyme
• 1 Head of garlic
• 10 Pepper corns
• 25g Clarified butter
• 25g Duck fat
• 30g Dijon mustard
• Pepper
• Sherry vinegar
• 5g Mustard seeds (blanched)
• Parma ham

Method

Soak the ham knuckles in cold running water for 4 hours to remove excess salt.

Put the knuckles into a large pan and bring to the boil.

Skim any impurities off, then add all of the aromates, bring back to the simmer.

Simmer gently for 2-3 hours until the bones pull away from the muscles.

Line a terrine mold with cling film and then slices of Parma ham, with at least 3 cm over hang on each side.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the liquid

Carefully remove the knuckles from the liquid, onto a tray.

Pick all the meat off the bones, removing as much of the fat as possible, try no to break the muscles up too much

Gently fold all the remaining ingredients together in a bowl, seasoning to taste with the sherry vinegar and pepper.

Fill the terrine mould to slightly above the top. Fold the Parma ham over the top to seal the mix in, followed by the cling film.

Press with a heavy weight in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Poached pineapple

Ingredients

• 1 Pineapple
• 500g Water
• 500g Sugar
• 1/2 Red chilli
• 4 Lime leaves
• 10 Coriander seeds
• 2cm Ginger
• 1 Lemon grass
• 5g Coriander stalk

Method

Cut the skin off the pineapple and slice into very thin discs (on a gravity slicer if available). Reserve a few disk for crisps

Bring all the remaining ingredients to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 20 mins

Bring the stock back to the simmer then pour onto the prepared pineapple and allow to cool

Quails Eggs

Ingredients

• 6 Quails eggs

Method

Bring a medium sized pan of water to the boil

Gently place the eggs into the boiling water and cook rapidly for 2mins and 25 secs

Remove from the water and plunge straight into ice water.

Allow to cool then peel the shells, being very careful not to break them.

Pineapple crisps

Ingredients

4 Reserved disks of pineapple

Method

Stamp the core of the pineapple out with a pastry cutter

Use a large cutter to make the disc as round as possible

Lay on to a non stick matt

Dry in a low oven at about 90c until crisp (6-10 hours)

Remove from the matt whilst still hot and allow to cool some where flat.

To Serve

Ingredients

• Candied pineapple chunks
• Purple potato crisps (cooked at 150c until crispy….)
• bacon powder
• vinegarette
• watercress

Method

Remove the terrine from its mould and tightly wrap it in cling film, being careful no to mis-shape it.

Cut a generous slice of terrine and cut into cubes, remove the cling film, put onto a plate and allow to come to room temperature.

Arrange all the remaining ingredients as artistically as you wish and serve immediately

 Executive Chef Owner Phil Fanning

“Michelin Star Chef Phil Fanning is one of the bright young things in the British food scene, he began cooking at an early age and even made an appearance on Junior Masterchef as a finalist in 1997.  His style is distinctly contemporary, without falling into the trap of being modern for the sake of being modern. He tempers his classical French roots with far-reaching ingredients and an eye for theatrical mischief. ” – Great British Chefs

The Restaurant – Paris House, Woburn Park, London Road, Woburn, Milton Keynes, MK17 9QP | 01525 290692 | www.parishouse.co.uk

Club Offer: Members enjoy a 25% reduction from the Tasting Menu when having lunch Wednesday and Thursday and dinner Wednesday. Click here for more details.

Not a member? Why not treat yourself to a year of dining in luxury and enjoy these and other tantalizing offers – all for just £95.00 for 12 months. Find out more here.

The prestigious Goring Hotel in Belgravia has hosted many Royals over the years including most recently The Duchess of Cambridge on the night before her marriage to Prince William. Now this 5-star star hotel, which has been run by four generations of the Goring family since 1910, is home to the incredibly talented chef Shay Cooper. His creative but elegant style of cooking perfectly compliments this most grand of dining rooms. Here he shares for us his recipe for Caramel Poached Pears with Cider and Marscarpone Cream.

Ingredients

• 4 Williams pears (firm but not under ripe)
• 1 lemon
• 300g double cream
• 300g creme fraiche
• 300g mascarpone
• 150g sugar
• 1 litre good quality cider

Method – Poached Pears

1. Peel the pears and scrape the surface with a small knife to ensure a smooth finish
2. Place the 750g of sugar into a heavy based saucepan with a little splash of water and put onto high heat, stirring until you have made a rich dark amber caramel
3. remove the pan from the heat and place into a shallow tray of ice water to prevent the caramel from continuing to cook
4. Add 1 litre of water to the caramel and then place back on to the heat to create a caramel syrup
5. Bring the syrup to the boil and add the pears along with the juice from the lemon. Cook over a gentle heat until the pears are tender, remove from heat and allow to cool in the syrup

Method – Cider Cream

1. Pour the cider into a heavy bottom pan and reduce over a high heat until it becomes a heavy syrup then put to one side
2. Put the double cream into a mixing bowl with the 150g sugar and whip until stiff ribbons are formed
3. Fold the crème fraiche and mascarpone into the whipped cream and add the reduced cider syrup according to taste

To Serve

1. Remove the poached pears from the caramel syrup and drain on some kitchen towel
2. Place the pears onto individual plates and serve alongside a large dollop of the cider cream

 Executive Chef – Shay Cooper

“One of England’s young generation of up-and-coming, ultra-talented chefs with Michelin pedigree, Shay Cooper started cooking as a commis chef in 1997, before he was even out of school. Since then he’s worked at Juniper in Altrincham, Stockcross’s The Vineyard, and was named head chef at the Endsleigh Hotel, gaining three AA rosettes for his efforts there.

More recently, he impressed at The Bingham in Richmond, chalking up another three AA rosettes and his first Michelin star, before moving on to take the role of Executive Chef at London’s Goring Hotel. The Dining Room at The Goring Hotel was subsequently awarded a Michelin star in the 2016 award list – one of only four London restaurants to gain their first star.

Instead of making the whiz-bang, show-off food that one might expect from a young chef bursting with ideas, Cooper has earned praise for his light touch, which allows the ingredients themselves to do the heavy lifting.” Great British Chefs

The Restaurant – The Goring Dining Room | Beeston Place, Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0JW | 0207 396 9000 | www.thegoring.com

Club Offer: 

Members and  guests receive a complimentary glass of Champagne when dining for lunch Sunday to Friday or dinner Sunday to Thursday. Click here for more details.

Not a member? Why not treat yourself to a year of dining in luxury and enjoy these and other tantalizing offers – all for just £95.00 for 12 months. Find out more here.

We were fascinated by this article by the BBC this week and it started much debate in the office. While 3D printing has been around  for few years now its use in the culinary field is just getting started. 

Although some reactions were very negative it brought up an interesting point about the nature of Michelin level food. The highest award-winning restaurants can have around 20 chefs all adding to your one dish – do you really want the food you eat to have been picked over by such a huge team? There is a rumor that one leading Knightsbridge restaurant employs a chef simply to smooth out all of the leaves and flowers used on each plate before it is send out.

Would it not be better that the ‘creative’ element of the dish be performed by a machine instead?

Here is the article – we’d love to know your views!

Paco Perez is experimenting. The chef has won several Michelin stars for his restaurants. At one of them, La Enoteca at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona, he is busy creating a new dish.

He places a plate inside a strange-looking machine that looks a bit like a large microwave oven. He touches the controls, and a few minutes later, removes the plate, which is now decorated with a delicate, flower-like design.

Next he adds more ingredients: caviar, sea-urchins, hollandaise sauce, egg, and a “foam” of carrot. He calls his creation “Sea Coral”. “It’s as if we were on the sea floor,” he explains. “We see a coral with sea urchins on it – then when we eat, we discover all the profundity of the sea and its iodine flavours”.

The centrepiece of the dish, the “coral,” is made of a seafood puree in an intricate design that would have been extremely difficult to produce by hand. But it has been piped on to the plate by a new kind of 3D printer.

Mr Perez is delighted with the results and the capabilities of the machine.

“It’s very interesting what today’s technology is contributing to gastronomy” he says. “Creativity is shaped by what technology can do”.

The machine he is using is called Foodini, and is made by Natural Machines, a new company based only a few miles away from La Enoteca.

Barcelona is certainly a fitting place for a business trying to bring fine dining and technology together. It’s located in Catalonia, a part of Spain renowned for culinary excellence. Celebrated chefs from the region, such as Ferran Adria (who Paco Perez trained and worked with), are famous for pushing the boundaries of gastronomy ever further.

Elaborate designs

Unlike some other food-capable 3D printers, the Foodini device has been designed from the start to be a specialised food-printing machine. It can print with a very wide range of foods, from mashed potato to chocolate. Ingredients are placed in stainless steel capsules, which are reusable.

With suitable ingredients the machine is capable of printing structures several centimetres high, making possible some quite elaborate 3D designs. It is also a so-called “internet of things” appliance – which means that it can be connected to the internet, and recipes and designs can be uploaded from anywhere.

Natural Machines co-founder Lynette Kucsma says they have had a lot of interest from top chefs for two main reasons. One is customisation, enabling the creation of dishes that are just not possible to make by hand.

“The other reason is automation”, she says. “Imagine you need to print breadsticks in the shape of tree branches for a hundred people sitting that evening. Rather than food piping it or doing that by hand, you can automate it with a 3D food printer”.

Growing market

Other chefs apart from Mr Perez are experimenting with this new technique. Mateo Blanch from La Boscana in Lleida in Spain has been working with a 3D printer made by a Dutch firm, By Flow. He told the International Business Times last year that “it has changed the way I work with food…. I am capable of a level of precision that would never have been possible before”.

And in the USA, 3D printer maker 3D Systems has been collaborating with the Culinary Institute of America on some ambitious projects. Suppliers of 3D food printers are optimistic that the devices will soon become common in top professional kitchens.

But for Ms Kucsma the world of haute cuisine is only the start.

She foresees a growing consumer market for 3D printers: “as people see it coming into restaurants and … start becoming familiar with eating 3D printed food and knowing that it’s made with fresh, real ingredients, that’s when the mind change starts to happen” she says. However Ms Kucsma says that there’s an additional feature that could transform the appeal of these products: the ability to cook.

She says that the existing Foodini machine “can heat the individual food capsules to do things like keeping chocolate at a good melting point” – but for future models they are working to add the capacity to cook. Market research suggests that this could really help the products to become mainstream.

Stifling creativity?

Ms Kucsma says the professional market is likely to be less interested in printers that can cook as well as print food, since they have many other means of cooking at their disposal. The main appeal of the machines will be their ability to customise and create dishes never before possible.

But despite all the creative possibilities that makers of these devices say they have to offer, isn’t there a danger that they will instead stifle creativity? If a machine combined with computer software is doing all the work, where is there room for the magic, human touch of the gifted chef?

Mr Perez dismisses such concerns: “In its day, traditional food was the avant garde. The people who cooked it would use a blender, or a microwave, an oven, a heat lamp…You see, tradition is innovation – and always has been. In moving forwards, technology will always be present.”

Original article appeared on BBC News Business by Neil Koenig -link here

Have your say – would you eat food that had been designed and cooked by a 3D printer? Comment below.

The Luxury Restaurant Club – Rewarding Fine Dining

Not a member? Why not treat yourself or a loved one to a year of dining in luxury for just £95.00 – click here to find out more.

‘Hariyali’ literally translates as ‘green/greenery’ and with spring in the air we thought this was a great recipe to share this week.

This dish has actually been on the menu at Trishna since it opened and they never take it off – it is available all year round. Wild black bream, fished off the coast of Hampshire, is marinated in a paste of spinach and spices providing a combination of both the bold and delicate.

Hariyali Bream

Ingredients

• 150g bream fillet pin boned and scaled, skin on
• 1 tbsp baby spinach paste
• 2 chopped Indian chillies
• 2 tbsp coriander paste
• 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
• 2 tsp mustard oil
• Pinch of dry fenugreek leaf
• 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• Pinch of turmeric
• 1 tsp salt

Method

Combine all of above ingredients apart from the bream in a blender to form a smooth glossy marinade. Apply to bream. Leave for a couple of hours. Cook bream in 250 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Tomato Kachumber

Ingredients

• Baby plum tomatoes x 4 cut into 2
• Diced ginger 1 tsp
• Diced spring onion tsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil 1 tsp
• Lime juice 1 tsp

Method

2 tsp tomato pulp ( cook one tomato in the oven for 30 mins or until softened through. Remove the skin and seeds and chop the flesh into a pulp)

Mix all of the above ingredients and serve alongside the bream.

Chef Rohit Ghai

Rohit Ghai is Executive Head Chef of the London-based Indian restaurants of JKS Restaurants, which includes Trishna, Gymkhana and the newly opened Hoppers. Rohit is responsible for menu development and recruitment at the restaurants and successfully manages the teams of up to 40 chefs at each restaurant.

Restaurant: 15- 17 Blandford Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 3DG | 0207 935 5624 Z| www.trishnalondon.com

Gymkhana and Trishna both hold Michelin stars, with Gymkhana becoming the first Indian restaurant to win the BMW Square Meal Restaurant of the Year Award in 2014. Gymkhana was also awarded ‘New Restaurant of the Year’ at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2014, and named the ‘UK’s Best Restaurant’ in the National Restaurant Awards 2014. JKS Restaurants’ newest venture Hoppers in Soho has also opened to critical acclaim, with the Evening Standard’s Fay Maschler awarding it 5/5.

The Luxury Restaurant Club – Rewarding Fine Dining

Not a member? Why not treat yourself or a loved one to a year of dining in luxury for just £95.00 – click here to find out more.

Friday April 8th 2016 will see the opening of a fabulous new informal restaurant, The Astor Grill at the country house hotel in Taplow, Berkshire.

Situated in the former Duke of Westminster stables, which once housed Lord Astor’s most prized fillies it will adopt an equestrian theme in its décor.

The Astor Grill is full of character offering a simple and informal approach to dining at Cliveden. The Astor Grill will be overseen by Executive Chef André Garrett and it focuses on a mixture of classic American and British dishes, many reminiscent of Cliveden’s diverse owners and residents.

It will include such dishes as Astor Grill Cobb Salad, Grilled Rib of Earl of Stonham English Wagyu and Beef Wellington.

The name – The Astor Grill – recalls the Astor family, who owned the house from the early 1900s. William Waldorf Astor, America’s richest citizen, then gave the house to his son and daughter-law, Nancy Astor, in 1906, and Cliveden became a vibrant social hub for guests as diverse as Charlie Chaplin, George Bernard Shaw and Winston Churchill.

The Astor Grill today will be a cosmopolitan venue which is steeped in history. Its romantic setting offers all the style and legendary hospitality that Cliveden is famous for, and it will be the perfect place to escape to enjoy a late brunch, early lunch, or a relaxed supper.

The gilded clocktower will provide a landmark to guests searching out this exciting new addition.

And, as a further treat, Luxury Restaurant Club members receive 10% off total bill when dining Sunday to Thursday dinner – and until the end of April members and their guests will also receive a a complimentary cocktail!  Booking lines are now open so call 01628 607107 and reserve your table.

“There are two things that characterise André Garrett’s cooking for me. The first is balance: every single dish is executed with precise, mutually enhancing harmony. The second is an ability to combine the remarkable with the familiar. Dishes here are special, not because they’re outlandish or bang on trend, but because quality ingredients are cooked flawlessly.”  Elizabeth Carter, Editor, Waitrose Good Food Guide 2015

Club Offer: In The Astor Grill Luxury Restaurant Club members receive 10% off total bill when dining Sunday to Thursday dinner and Monday to Thursday for lunch – and until the end of April members and their guests will also receive a a complimentary cocktail. 

For details of the current member offer at their fine dining restaurant André Garrett at Cliveden please click here.

Cliveden House & Spa | Taplow, Berkshire, SL6 0JF |01628 607107|www.clivedenhouse.co.uk

The Luxury Restaurant Club – Rewarding Fine Dining

Not a member? Why not treat yourself or a loved one to a year of dining in luxury for just £95.00 – click here to find out more.

Marcus Eaves’ roast guinea fowl recipe produces an expertly poised dish. The meat is roasted on the bone and paired with a sweet and warming shallot purée, leeks enhanced with the flavour of liquorice and textural morels. The final dish only uses the breasts, so reserve the legs for soups, stews or salads.

Ingredients

Guinea fowl

• 1 guinea fowl, 1.2kg in weight
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 knob of butter, large
• salt

Shallot purée

• 4 large shallots, peeled an thinly sliced
• 25g of butter
• 100ml of double cream
• salt
• sugar

Braised leeks

• 2 leeks
• 500g of chicken stock
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 liquorice root
• 1 garlic clove
• 150g of butter
• salt

Morels

• 120g of morels
• 320g of butter
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 sprig of thyme
• chicken stock
• salt

Spinach

• 250g of spinach, washed
• 1 knob of butter
• salt
• pepper

Method

Begin by preparing the shallot purée. Slice the shallots and place them in a saucepan over a medium heat with the butter and a pinch of salt and sugar. Place a lid on top and leave to cook on a gentle heat for around 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the shallots are completely soft, drain off the excess butter and pour in the double cream. Simmer gently for a further 5 minutes, then transfer to a blender and blitz until the purée is smooth. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

Stuff the cavity of the guinea fowl with the crushed garlic, rosemary and thyme. Truss the bird using butchers’ string to secure the cavity.

Rub butter all over the skin of the bird and place in a roasting tin. Roast in the hot oven for 35 minutes, or until the leg juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, prepare the braised leeks. Leaving the roots intact, trim a little off the tops and wash the leeks thoroughly in ice water to remove any soil or sand. Bring the chicken stock to the boil and add the thyme, liquorice root, garlic and a pinch of salt.

In a separate pan, lightly caramelise the butter to make a beurre noisette. Add the butter to the stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, place the leeks in the stock and simmer until tender, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Remove the leeks from the stock, cut them in half lengthways and drain on kitchen towel. Place a pan over a high heat and add some oil. Once scorching hot, caramelise the leeks until dark golden brown and set aside.

Once the guinea fowl is cooked, remove from the oven and rest the bird upside down for approximately 25 minutes so that the juices relax back into the meat. Reserve any juices in the roasting tin.

Wash the morels thoroughly in warm water to remove any soil or sand until completely clean.

Preheat a frying pan and add the butter, garlic, thyme and morels. Lightly fry the morels until they start to soften. Remove the excess butter with a spoon or absorbent kitchen paper and glaze the mushrooms in a splash of chicken stock. Season to taste.

In a separate pan, lightly sauté the spinach in a knob of butter, season and keep warm. Before serving, in separate pans reheat the shallot purée, leeks and morels.

Spoon some of the purée onto each plate. Remove the breasts from the bird, carve each in half lengthways and arrange on top of the purée. Place the leeks and morels neatly around each plate and garnish with the baby spinach. Drizzle with the cooking juices and serve immediately.

The Chef: Marcus Eaves

Eaves gained his first Michelin star at just 27-years-old – fourteen months after opening the doors of L’Autre Pied in 2007, in London’s Marylebone. After eight years as Head Chef at Pied a Terre, Marcus is pursuing his passion for local British produce in other ventures.

The Restaurant: Pied a Terre | 34 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 2NH | 0207 636 11788 | www.pied-a-terre.co.uk

Michelin starred Pied a Terre is located in Fitzrovia, the heart of the West End. Since opening its doors in 1991, the restaurant has won some of the highest accolades possible and continues to impress diners with beautifully crafted culinary treats and Michelin star service.

Club Offer: Member (and their dining party) receives a complimentary middle course between starter & main on a la carte menu  when having lunch Monday to Friday and dinner Monday to Saturday. Click here for more details.

The Luxury Restaurant Club – Rewarding Fine Dining

Not a member? Why not treat yourself or a loved one to a year of dining in luxury for just £95.00 – click here to find out more.

Deer meat has been eaten for thousands of years and although once the preserve of the aristocracy it has recently seen a huge increase in popularity.  It’s plentiful, flavoursome and healthy, being low in fat and high in omega 3.  In Suffolk they have different species of wild deer on the doorstep – each has different eating characteristics and at the Great House they like to use Muntjac.  It is Britain’s smallest deer which they source from local farmland.  It has lean sweet meat with a very fine grain, more like lamb than venison, it also has a thick layer of fat over its back which adds to the flavour and keeps it moist. This dish also celebrates Suffolk beetroots, perfect companions!

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 x 150g boned fillet of Muntjac
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
20g salted butter
2 tablespoons heather honey
Juice of 1 lemon
8 baby red beetroots cleaned & roasted
100ml venison stock
Sprigs of chervil or other fresh herb

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200⁰C (Fan 180⁰C).

Trim some fat off the venison fillets. Put the sea salt in an ovenproof frying pan with a knob of butter and set it over a high heat. Place the venison fillets in the pan for 1 minute turning them over to seal on both sides.
Put the fillets in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Once the fillets are cooked, place on a warm plate covering them with another plate upside down.

Remove the fat from the pan and melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of the honey, half the lemon juice and the roasted baby beetroot cut in halves. Place over medium heat for 2 minutes, then remove the beetroots from the pan and set aside.

Put the rest of the honey and lemon juice in the pan with 20ml of water and the venison stock. Let it reduce for 2 minutes.

Slice the venison fillets to your liking and place them on individual plates. Return the beetroots to the pan for 1 minute. Cover the venison fillets with the sauce (or serve the sauce on the side, if you like) and add the beetroots.

Decorate with a sprig of chervil on top or other herb.

The Restaurant 

The Great House has been renown for its food for the past 30 years – Regis Crepy’s cuisine is fabulous, French, contemporary and worthy of the numerous awards and accolades.  Using local produce wherever possible, his approach to cooking has always been consistent – its about colour, balance, contrast allowing the flavours of the quality ingredients to be tasted.

Regis has shared his recipes for a while and to celebrate being in Suffolk for so many years, published a book Bon Appetit that was a best seller in the local Waterstones for its simple, clear do-able recipes.

The Great House is an atmospheric and softly beautiful old house in the pretty village of Lavenham. Built in the 14th century, the lovely Georgian façade was added in the 18th. It has been home to famous collectors, artists and writers and has been a shining light in the world of cuisine since 1985. Enter through a heavy, latched door into the atmospheric restaurant and bar where features include exposed beams and red bricks, plus a huge fireplace. Furnishing is contemporary and smart and the menu is uncompromisingly French and superb.

Club Offer

Members and their guests receive a complimentary glass of House Champagne when having lunch Wednesday to Sunday and dinner Tuesday to Thursday. Click here for more details.

The Luxury Restaurant Club – Rewarding Fine Dining

Not a member? Why not treat yourself or a loved one to a year of dining in luxury for just £95.00 – click here to find out more.

Harry Guy, support and development chef for the Eden Hotel Collection in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, has won the 2016 Roux Scholarship.

The Roux Scholarship is arguably the toughest chef competition in the UK – and it is most definitely highly respected. Now in its 33rd year, the final demands considerable technical ability and a working knowledge of the recipes and styles of Escoffier – plus a level head to stay calm and focused despite being faced with what is largely unfamiliar territory.

Guy beat five other finalists in a highly contested final held at Westminster Kingsway College, London, earlier this month, where they were asked to prepare and serve Norfolk black chicken cooked en croûte, cardoon gratin and tarragon sauce.

The 26-year-old chef, who made it through to the regional finals last year, was battling it out against Martin Carabott of the Royal Automobile Club, London, Ben Champkin from L’Enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria, Scott Dineen of Goldman Sachs (BaxterStorey), London, Paul Matthews from Fieldfisher (Vacherin), London, and Tim Peirson of Kensington Place, Kensington, London.

Commenting on Guy’s win at the 33rd national final, Michel Roux Jr said: “At first sight it could seem like this was a straightforward and simple dish. However there were a lot of potential banana skins and Harry’s dish showed exceptional all round skills.”

Alain Roux added: “Although it may sound simple we chose this dish because it’s technically challenging due to all the component parts. We were looking for suet dough with the perfect bite, chicken with maximum flavour, two well made sauces and correctly prepared soft cardoons. Once assembled the test was to cook the dish properly, without it becoming dry. It’s a pie – nothing more and a chef cooking in the UK should know how to cook a pie!”

Speaking at the awards ceremony Harry Guy said: “I was apprehensive at the start but figured it out ok. I was hoping for meat so that was good and I was happy with what I produced. It means everything to win! To be in close contact with the Roux family is invaluable and will really push my career forward as it establishes you in the industry.”

The six chefs, all under 30 years old had three hours to cook the Escoffier inspired recipe in front of the judges. Pierre Gagnaire, the legendary three star Michelin chef led the judging in a new role as Honorary President of the Judges 2016. First time chairmen of the judges Alain and Michel Jr, were also joined by James Martin, Brian Turner, the first scholar Andrew Fairlie as well as previous winners Simon Hulstone (2003 scholar) and André Garrett (2002 scholar).

Guy’s win was announced at a glittering awards ceremony at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, in front of an audience of prestigious guests, top chefs and leading figures from the world of hospitality. For the first time in the history of the competition the awards ceremony was live streamed via the Roux Scholarship website.

The Eden Hotel Collection chef, who previously worked at L’Enclume, receives £6,000, and an invitation to cook and train under the supervision of a leading chef at a prestigious three star Michelin restaurant anywhere in the world for up to three months.

The Roux Family Legacy on British Fine Dining

It has been said that if the Roux family had not decided to set up home in England back in the 1960’s we would all still be eating over-cooked meat and soggy veg. More than half the Michelin starred British restaurants listed today have chefs that have been trained by the Roux brothers or their protégées.

It was 1967 that Albert and younger brother Michel opened La Gavroche on Lower Sloane Street where it became the first restaurant in Britain to win a Michelin star, then the first to win two and the first to win three in 1982. The Roux Scholarship was set up two years later to help enable up and coming chefs get a head start in the industry.

They went on to open The Waterside Inn in lovely Bray (home of the Michelin star in the UK) the only restaurant outside of France to have held three stars continuously for 30 years.

The two restaurant’s are now run by their son’s, Michel Roux Jnr (Albert’s son) taking over the running of La Gavroche and Alain Roux (Michel’s son) remains at the helm at The Waterside.

Michel Roux (Snr) retired to Switzerland some years ago but Albert continues to run a series of restaurants around the world through his company Chez Roux Limited. Albert and Michel Roux Jr have also recently collaborated  on two jointly branded fine dining restaurant at Inverlochy Castle and Crossbasket Castle, along with Michel Jnr’s daughter, Emily.

Albert says he no longer chases Michelin stars for his restaurants, but instead seeks to “… recreate the kind of restaurant I remember from my home town, offering good and honest country cooking. The kind of place you can go to eat without ringing the bank for permission.”

The Luxury Restaurant Guide is proud to recommend Roux Restaurants and to offer club dining benefits to members.

Chez Roux at the Cromlix, Dunblane, Perthshire, Scotland

Chez Roux Restaurant, overseen by the legendary French Chef Albert Roux and run by award-winning Executive Chef Darin Campbell, is housed in the glass-walled conservatory overlooking the grounds and offers diners a ringside view of the chefs at work in their extensive open kitchen.

Members receive a 15% reduction from the total bill when enjoying lunch all week and dinner Sunday to Thursday. Click here for details.

Chez Roux at The Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course, Kelso, Roxburghshire

Part of the ancestral estate of the Duke of Roxburghe, this is the place to go salmon fishing, shoot grouse or pheasant, play on the hotel’s own 18-hole championship golf course, or just chill out in the beauty salon and enjoy the cuisine in the restaurant run by Albert Roux.

Members receive a 15% reduction from the total bill for lunch and afternoon tea all week and for dinner Sunday to Thursday. Click here for details.

Chez Roux at Rocpool Reserve, Inverness, Scotland

Inverness’ ultra chic and multi award winning boutique hotel in the heart of the city with Albert Roux’s first Chez Roux opened in Scotland.

Member receive a 15% reduction from the total bill when having lunch all week and dinner Sunday to Thursday. Click here for details.

Chez Roux at Greywalls Hotel, Gullane, Scotland

The country house to escape to for a romantic rendezvous or for golfing aficionados for its views over Muirfield greens. Chez Roux opened  boasts French classical cuisine with a flair and lightness, using local produce as much as possible.

Member receive a 15% reduction from the total bill when having lunch all week and dinner Sunday to Thursday. Click here for details.

Chez Roux at Inver Lodge, Lochinver, Scotland

An adored retreat for gourmets for its Chez Roux Restaurant to unwind and relax in with the sheer spectacle of the natural environment offering endless explorations afterwards.

Member receive a 15% reduction from the total bill when having lunch all week and dinner Sunday to Thursday. Click here for details.

Roux at Parliament Square, RICS, Parliament Square, London

Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr is working in collaboration with Restaurant Associates, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, to create a comfortable, exclusive, yet delightfully approachable dining experience in a landmark setting.

Members receive a 10% reduction from the total food bill when having lunch Monday to Friday. Click here for more details.

Roux at the Landau – The Langham, Portland Place, London

The formidable talents of Albert and Michel Roux, Jr. with their new talent Chris King – formerly from Le Gavroche, builds on the restaurant’s acknowledged standards of elegance and seamless service with exceptional new food.

Members receive a 15% reduction from the total food and beverage bill when having lunch Monday to Friday and dinner Monday to Thursday. Click here for more details.

Albert and Michel Roux Jr at Inverlochy Castle, Fort William, Scotland

Dining at ‘Albert and Michel Roux Jr at Inverlochy Castle’ is a culinary experience to savour, with the legendary father and son taking the helm of the kitchen and offering the finest dishes using local produce.

Members receive a 15% reduction from the total food and beverage bill when having lunch all week and dinner Sunday to Thursday. Click here for details.

The Luxury Restaurant Club – Rewarding Fine Dining

Not a member? Why not treat yourself or a loved one to a year of dining in luxury for just £95.00 – click here to find out more.

The classic lemon meringue pie recipe gets updated by Matthew Tomkinson to give it extra wow factor. Lemon cream provides a sumptuous alternative to lemon curd for this pie recipe. Prepare the ice cream and lemon cream ahead of time.

Ingredients

Lemon cream

• 2 lemons, juiced and zested
• 140g of caster sugar
• 425ml of double cream
• 1 bronze gelatine leaf

Lemon meringue pie topping

• 120g of caster sugar
• 1 tbsp of glucose syrup
• water
• 2 egg whites

Biscuit base

• 225g of butter
• 112g of caster sugar
• 340g of plain flour

Basil sorbet

• 50ml of glucose
• 100ml of water
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 20g of basil leaves, finely chopped

Poached oranges

• 2 oranges, peeled

Stock sugar syrup

• caster sugar
• water

Method

To begin this lemon meringue pie recipe, start by making the stock syrup. You will need approximately 240ml of syrup for this recipe.

To make the basil sorbet, purée the basil in a food processor and set aside. Boil the glucose, water and 50ml of the sugar syrup together in a pan. When cool, add the basil and lemon. Churn in an ice cream machine and freeze until ready to use.

To make the biscuit base, preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas mark 4. Cream the butter and the sugar together and add the flour, mixing well until a dough has formed.

Roll the dough into a log the same diameter as the rings you will be setting the lemon cream in. Slice 4 discs from the log and place on a baking tray. Cook for 8 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

To make the lemon cream, first line your moulds with cling film. Boil the lemon juice, cream and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved. Add the gelatine and pass through a fine sieve. Pour the mix into your moulds and set in the fridge.

For the meringue, bring the water, glucose and sugar up to 120°C in pan. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Carefully pour the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites and whisk until cool. Place in a piping bag with a star nozzle.

To make the poached oranges, cut the oranges into segments, making sure to remove all the pith and membrane. Boil 185ml of the sugar syrup in a pan, add the oranges and stir, then take off the heat.

To serve, place a biscuit disc into the middle of a serving plate, top with a turned out lemon cream and then pipe ‘spikes’ of meringue on top.

Glaze the meringue with a blow torch and surround with segments of the poached orange. Finish the lemon meringue pie with a small scoop of the basil sorbet and serve.

The Chef: Matthew Tomkinson

The Restaurant: The Terrace at The Montagu Arms

This Michelin starred restaurant offers fine dining at its best, with a delectable menu designed to capture a delicious and exciting range of flavours, textures and aromas to excite your tastebuds. Situated in The Montagu Arms Hotel, a charming 17th Century house on the Beaulieu estate deep in the New Forest. Located in an area which supplies so much good game and other fine dining staples (even the port is locally sourced), the emphasis here is on familiar combinations of flavours, done extremely well. The atmosphere is both elaborately opulent and comforting in a country house chic way – embroidered fabrics, dark wood paneling, mirrors, and a spectacular terrace dining area.

Club Offer: Members receive a 15% reduction from the total bill when having lunch Wednesday to Saturday and dinner Tuesday to Friday. Click here for details.

Not a member? Why not treat yourself to a year of dining in luxury and enjoy these and other tantalizing offers – all for just £95.00 for 12 months. Find out more here.

One of the fastest growing trends in food is pop-up dining. This fresh approach to dining left the ‘street food’ label behind a few years ago and crossed into luxury dining –  and certainly doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon.

This direction towards ticketed experiences is generating a new kind of ‘Chef Entrepreneur’ whereby they can brand-build without having to commit to an expensive long lease. Take the ambitious MasterChef: The Professionals winner Steven Edwards and his partner Josh Stanzl. Following Edwards win they left their jobs at the prestigious South Lodge Hotel and went on to launch fine dining pop-up business ‘etch.’

The duo’s signature style involves them getting up and personal with the clientèle which they call ‘interactive dining’. They prepare and serve the food in front of the guests explaining the history of the dish and where the ingredients have come from.

Over the past year the boys have hosted pop up restaurants in varying locations, from coffee shops to palaces. Most notably Blenheim Palace, The Bingham Hotel and The Latymer at Pennyhill Park Hotel. Evenings are energised with house music, tasting menu’s, deformalised dining and stripped back service that leaves a lasting impression with their guests.

Food festivals such as Taste London give foodies an incredible opportunity to try out acclaimed Chef’s signature dishes in bite size portions without committing to a full menu. The restaurant festival brand is now world-wide with venues in Perth, Abu Dhabi and Moscow to name just a few.

And awarded Chef’s are keen to take up temporary residency in colleagues kitchens to showcase their work to a new audience.

David McIntyre, executive chef for Wolfgang Puck’s London restaurant, Cut at 45 Park Lane joined the team at Restaurant Coworth Park earlier in the year. His residency was highly anticipated and included many dishes inspired by Wolfgang’s signature dishes including the classic Lobster Cobb Salad.

Zoe Jenkins, general manager at Coworth Park, Ascot said,

“CUT in the Country was a sell-out success, we’ve had lots of regulars asking when they’re coming back.  Our sister hotel 45 Park Lane has another great event coming up on Tuesday, June 28th when Wolfgang Puck will be in London for an exclusive dinner with chef David McIntyre.”

When Heston Blumenthal needed to vacate his premises at The Fat Duck in Bray last year for a refurb of the building he didn’t take a break for the summer. Instead he shipped the brand, himself and his entire team out to Australia for brief residency down-under. Prospective diners had to enter a ballot for a reservation at the Fat Duck Melbourne as over 80,000 people applied for a booking with many calling it ‘the most iconic pop-up in the world’.

And it’s not just restaurants and marquees that are hosting our top talent. Next month see’s the Belmond British Pullman train being taken over by Michelin star Chef Richard Corrigan from the eponymous Corrigan’s of Mayfair. His five-course exclusive feast will be served on board the vintage carriages with each course paired with fine wines and Champagne. Click here for LRC exclusive member rate.

With collaborative dinners, one off events and even installations set to become a fixed part of the restaurant scene, make sure you are checking our new events diary for details of up-coming dates.

Not a member? Why not treat yourself to a year of dining in luxury and enjoy these and other tantalizing offers – all for just £95.00 for 12 months. Find out more here.

For the first time ever an Italian restaurant has claimed top spot of Best Restaurant in the World in the annual The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Chef Massimo Bottura won the coveted award for Modena’s Osteria Francescana. Quirky dishes such as “eel swimming up the Po river” and “tribute to Thelonius Monk” managed to knock previous best restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Spain off the top spot.

Bottura’s creations are heavily influenced by art and music (particularly Jazz) and three elegant rooms that make up the dining space are adorned with high-quality, contemporary artworks. This remains very much a  luxurious fine dining  establishment, but recalibrated for the current era. Bottura also founded ‘Food for Soul’ – a non-profit project earlier this year in a bid to fight hunger and food wastage.

With regards the British contingent, Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner plunged from a prestigious top 10 position (No 7) to No 45 but Brett Graham’s The Ledbury in Notting Hill remains firmly in the Top 20. The resplendent and grand The Clove Club EC1, came in at a very respectable No 26.

The award ceremony was held in New York, also for the first time. The selection is based on the votes submitted by a group of over 1,000 highly influential food experts, writers, chefs and restaurateurs who comprise The Diners Club® World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy.

Here now is the current list:

#1. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
Chef: Massimo Bottura
Last year’s rank: 2

2. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
Chef: Joan Roca

3. Eleven Madison Park, New York City
Chef: Daniel Humm
Last year’s rank: 5

4. Central, Lima
Chef: Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon
Last year’s rank: 4

5. Noma, Copenhagen
Chef: René Redzepi
Last year’s rank: 2

6. Mirazur, Menton, France
Chef: Mauro Colagreco
Last year’s rank: 11

7. Mugaritz, Errenteria, Spain
Chef: Andoni Luis Aduriz
Last year’s rank: 6

8. Narisawa, Tokyo
Chef: Yoshihiro Narisawa
Last year’s rank: 8

9. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
Last year’s rank: 15

10. Asador Etxebarri, Axpe, Spain
Last year’s rank: 13

11. D.O.M., Sao Paolo.

12. Quintonil, Mexico City.

13. Maido, Lima, Peru.

14. The Ledbury, London.

15. Alinea, Chicago.

16. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain.

17. Piazza Duomo, Alba Italy.

18. White Rabbit, Moscow.

19. L’arpege, Paris.

20. Amber, Hong Kong.

21. Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain.

22. Test Kitchen, Cape Town South Africa.

23. Gaggan, Bankgok, Thailand.

24. Le Bernardin, New York City.

25. Pujol, Mexico City. 

26. The Clove Club, London.

27. Saison, San Francisco.

28. Geranium, Copenhagen.

29. Tickets, Barcelona.

30. Astrid y Gaston, Lima, Peru.

31. RyuGin, Tokyo.

32. Restaurant Andre, Singapore.

33. Attica, Melbourne, Australia.

34. Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin.

35. Vendome, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.

36. Borago, Santiago, Chile.

37. Nahm, Bangkok.

38. De Librije, Zwolle, the Netherlands.

39. Le Calandre, Italy.

40. Relae, Copenhagen.

41. Faviken, Sweden.

42. Ultraviolet, Shanghai.

43. Biko, Mexico City.

44. Estela, New York.

45. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London.

46. Combal.Zero, Rivoli, Italy.

47. Schloss Schauenstein, Austria.

48. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocatino Hills, New York.

49. QuiQue Dacosta, Denia, Spain.

50. Septime, Paris.

Not a member? Why not treat yourself to a year of dining in luxury and enjoy tantalizing offers – all for just £95.00 for 12 months. Find out more here.