Displaying posts tagged with 'london'

Marcus Wareing returns as a judge and mentor for the North West heat of the Great British Menu (details here). We spoke to him about the show, his own restaurants and his tips for young chefs hoping to open their own restaurants.

Marcus Wareing with Simon Rogan on Great British Menu

What do you think of Great British Menu this year?

The brief this year is very interesting. Every year for the last six series there have been very clear guidelines and objectives for the chefs. For example one year you had to go and source all the ingredients from a particular country estate. This year, being about the Olympics, the makers have said it is about being the best, about pushing the boundaries and pushing yourself as a person. So it is like saying to the chefs “do whatever you like with no guidelines” – they’ve opened the floodgates for chefs to do a lot of very interesting things and to push boundaries by using some very interesting techniques and skills, but I also think you’ll see some disasters along the way. It is really sorting the men from the boys, it’s a really clever, interesting way of doing it.

It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the four chefs that get through. The Olympics are not going to come to London again in our lifetime, it is the only chance the athletes will get to do this in their own country and it is the same for the chefs.

It is probably both one of the toughest challenges and one of the best banquets they could ever cook for.

At the end of Series 1, You cooked for the Queen at her 80th Birthday – how was that?

That’ll take some beating. Again it’s a one off, it was very special. I was so privileged to be part of that.

Marcus Wareing with Johnnie Mountain on Great British Menu

Do you think the Great British Menu is an indicator of where the industry is right now?

I think it is. I think there are a lot of TV shows that are good indicators of where cookery is in this country. Even amateurs are pushing boundaries beyond the norm in some of the other shows. I think Great British Menu reflects the way chefs are pushing themselves and the lack of boundaries they have around them now.

It also demonstrates the scenario we are all in where Twitter, Facebook and blogging are putting your creations out there on the web instantly.

In that respect, it must be a very different world these days.

I remember when chefs used to put menus out – not that many years ago – and it would takes weeks or months before anybody discovered anything; or a new style of cooking would take years to become popular even though a cook had been doing it ages. I think with instant access to this information it puts a huge amount of pressure on us as chefs to perform.

It used to be that when somebody had a bad meal in a restaurant they’d tell four of five of their friends who would tell their families – they would maybe reach 20 people. Now, people can put “sat in this restaurant having a bad time, good not great…” on their Twitter account and be reaching a few hundred or thousand people depending on how many followers they have within seconds. It has never been like that before, and it is scary.

What advice would you give to somebody wanting to open their own restaurant?

Don’t open a restaurant just yet!

My advice to young chefs is don’t open a restaurant until you are 100% ready for a life changing experience – in more ways than one. If you are not ready, then you will fail – there is no doubt about that.

If are under pressure from not being creative enough, if you are under pressure because nobody works for you, if you are under pressure because your wife doesn’t like you working too many hours, if you are under pressure because you can’t buy great plates or better produce – if you can’t take pressure full stop, don’t do it.

Never jump into it. You have to be realistic and say “this is where I am today, this is where I am going and this is how big the gap is in between those two things”. Listen to the people with experience, listen to the people who have made it and the people you have met along the way. Don’t go and work for somebody who doesn’t inspire you or who is never in their own kitchen – work in the places that are going to count towards your education and absorb everything that they have to offer. When you want to move on, don’t just walk out of the door – speak to them and ask them where they think it is best for you to go. You are going to have to work 18 hours a day, give or six days a week.

You are going to have to work for fifteen years before you get your stars and your stripes – it is a marathon not a 100 metre sprint. I trained for years, I was 25 when I opened my first kitchen as Head Chef with my partner Gordon [Ramsay]. In this world right now, a 25 year old opening a kitchen? I’d give him less than 18 months in this economy. Money is tight and people are looking for bargains, staff are looking for more money and less hours – it’s a serious job. Without experience you are going to be in a very dangerous position.

Do you think it is often the lack of business experience that lets people down?

That’s the funny thing, a chef that has no business experience is a chef that will never really own his business… that is a chef who will have a business man, accountant or somebody else behind the scenes pulling the strings. If you don’t have access to the bank account, you are not the owner!

Tell us a bit about your restaurants.

Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley has been my creation ever since I have been a head chef, from L’Oranger through opening that to opening and owning part of Petrus for ten years to now, on my own at Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley – it is the combination of my whole career. The cuisine is food of the moment – incredibly seasonal. It is very modern in the style in which we cook and the way the food is dressed. There are elements of French classical cooking in the methods, but I believe that is true of most styles of cooking.

The Gilbert Scott is very much a relaxed environment. It is comfort food – the food we all enjoy. It is a big menu – bold, brash, seasonal dishes, very British with some great ideas from the past brought into our modern world.

Channel 5 series The Restaurant Inspector returns tonight for a second series with Fernando Peire, director at London’s iconic The Ivy restaurant, visiting six ailing restaurants and offering them advice to help turn their businesses around.

Restaurants featuring in this year’s show include Piccadilly Spice (formerly The Maharaja Tandoori) in Soho, Iggs in Edinburgh, Zanzibar Restaurant in Sheffield (previously known as UK Mama) and The Black Lion Inn in Halland, near Lewes (previously known as Tarragon).

We spoke to Fernando ahead of the show:

With the current economic climate, do you think diners are becoming more discerning?

I think that many people are being more careful with their money but not everyone. There are still some big spenders out there, especially in London. I do think that people are more and more discerning about service, however, and expect to be treated well and served with a smile by people who know what they are doing. Good hospitality and service is what sets restaurants apart.

What are the most common problems you find with restaurants?

Owners who are out of touch with the marketplace and too ego-driven; prices too high; menus too long; a lack of thought in the layout and style of the place; owners lacking in self-awareness and empathy.

What would be your advice be to anyone starting out in the restaurant business today?

Only invest your own money if you have had the experience of making money for someone else. Then apply the same rules. Investigate your market and look at the competition before you decide what to do. Try to look at your offer from the perspective of potential customers. Listen to your customers and get to know them. Employ only staff who enjoy making other people happy.

First impressions count – what would make you walk away from a restaurant without even going through the door?

If the place looks dirty, if there is someone standing outside trying to drag you in, any mention in the window of awards, if I look through the window and see a napkin on a table in the shape of a dying swan, any mention of “foam” on the menu… So many things!

Where is good to eat right now?

I like simple places with tasty food. Old favourites:

Yalla Yalla for Lebanese mid-afternoon, 500 for Italian on a Sunday, Busaba Eathai for Thai-Asian any time; Joe Allen for after-theatre burger and burgundy; Centre Point Sushi for raw fish lunch; Cote for Steak & Chips before theatre; the Riding House Cafe for breakfast; and The Running Footman for a cheap Mayfair lunch.

The Wirral saw the opening of Brooklyn’s Restaurant at Marine Point on 2nd December. Owned by US-born restaurateur Keith Gurney, owner of the Tavern Co. Restaurants in nearby Liverpool, this New York themed restaurant provides diners with a real opportunity to take a small bite out of the Big Apple. As one would expect there is plenty of choice on the American inspired menu with pasta, pizza, a selection of grills and steaks as well as twelve different burgers. An alternative menu available between midday and 6pm also provides a choice of sandwiches and a range of “light bites”. Based at the Marine Point leisure development in New Brighton the restaurant overlooks the Marine Lake giving diners a feast for their eyes as well as their stomachs. Diners in other parts of the country may also get to experience Brooklyn’s as Keith is anticipating to turn it into a chain of restaurants.

Located on the first floor of the N20 building, N20 Restaurant & Bar describes itself as “a chic and exquisitely prepared dining experience”. Opened on 5th December by a trio of entrepreneurs, this venue is split into two main areas. Diners seeking modern European and British cuisine are able to select dishes such as goat’s cheese and beetroot ‘galette’ (£8), pressed chicken and duck terrine (£9) and assiette of duck (£21) from the a la carte menu, which also boasts a selection of 19 British cheeses for diners to create their own cheeseboards. The restaurant has a standard tasting menu (£75 per person) as well as seasonal Christmas and New Year menus (ranging between £40 and £95). Additionally private dining facilities for up to 300 people are offered. For a post-dinner drink head to the cocktail bar where you can choose to have it long, crushed, frozen, martini, or non alcoholic.

Spanish chef Jose Pizarro launched Pizarro, on London’s Bermondsey Street on 5th December. This follows the resounding success of José, a tapas and sherry bar opened earlier this year and located on the same street. The restaurant was opened with an aim to serve more substantial dishes in a more formal environment; however the dishes can still be shared between diners. Chef José finds inspiration from locally sourced ingredients, as well as traditional Spanish foodstuffs and his roots, and this is reflected throughout the menu. There are private dining facilities for 12 people, and the main restaurant seats up to 40 people with a no reservations policy in place. However, for those who just require a snack or less formal menu, small tapas dishes are also served at the front of the restaurant along a bar.

The Delaunay, launched on 5th December, is the long anticipated follow up to The Wolseley. On the corner of Aldwych and Drury Lane, this all day restaurant seats up to 150 people and is a short walk from Covent Garden. Arriving at The Delaunay first thing you can choose from a full English breakfast; freshly made pastries; a vast range of eggs as well as a more continental menu, served until 11.30am. Brunch is available on weekends and combines classic breakfast dishes with a full lunch menu. An all day a la carte menu is also available and serves modern European classics including a range of wieners, schnitzels, entrees such as Chucroute a l’Alsacienne (£16), Spatchcock Poussin (£14.25) and a “plat du jour” priced at £18.50 is served every day of the week. The Counter, a more casual way of dining with eat in and take out options available, will be opening soon.

Harrogate’s Empire Theatre has been given a new lease of life as Nick Rahman opened Cardamom Black on 1st December following extensive refurbishment. Nick is owner and manager of the restaurant and has brought his wealth of experience of Kashmiri restaurants into the business, resulting in an establishment serving high-end South Asian cuisine. As well as a main dining area offering dishes made from locally sourced ingredients, there is also an iced fish bar displaying fresh seafood available for consumption and a separate area dedicated to serving dishes from a grazing menu. Whilst diners feast on the restaurant’s edible offerings they can also feast their eyes and ears on the live entertainment, taking place on selected evenings on the grand stage area.

This week saw the much anticipated opening of Russell Norman’s latest eatery, Mishkin’s – described by the restaurateur as “a kind of Jewish deli with cocktails”. Group head chef Tom Oldroyd has created a menu reminiscent of the Jewish owned cafés of East London and delis found in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The menu is split in to four sections – sandwiches, meatballs, all day brunch and all day supper – along with a selection of sides, salads and puddings. Already receiving praise are the meatloaf which conceals a runny-yoked egg, the Reuben sandwich and cod cheek popcorn. Unlike other restaurants in the group, Mishkin’s accepts bookings.

Further south, Ed Wilson and Oli Barker (behind Terrirors and Brawn) have opened a third bar and restaurant, Soif in Battersea. Soif follows a similar format to the duo’s previous openings with a daily changing menu of small plates alongside a selection of carefully sourced charcuterie. There is a 150-bin wine list with a heavy bias towards natural wines. A fourth restaurant in the group is expected to open at St. Martin’s in early 2012.

Also in London, 34 restaurant – the latest offering from Caprice Holdings (Le Caprice, Scott’s and The Ivy amongst others) opened on Grosvenor Square. The menu here focuses on steaks – with rare-breed meat being brought in from across the UK and as far afield as Argentina and Australia. The kitchen will be lead by head chef Paul Brown who has worked with Caprice Holdings for many years. There is a sizeable wine list of around 130 bottles with a around a fifth of them being available by the glass.

Today also sees the opening of the country’s biggest restaurant, the 1000 seat “all you can eat” buffet restaurant, Za Za Bazaar in Bristol. The restaurant features six counters serving food from around the world, with every continent represented on the menus. Prices vary according to the time of the visit but are between £7 (weekday lunchtimes) and £16 (weekend evenings). The owners plan to open another seven of the “super restaurants” across the UK in the next 18 months.

This week has been a busy week for celebrity-owned restaurant openings; usually surrounded by hype and publicity – but some of this week’s were decidedly mute with no opening date announced in advance.

The Westbury Hotel’s restaurant, formerly Artisan, reopened on Saturday as Alyn Williams at the Westbury. The 45 cover restaurant serves a menu inspired by contemporary French cuisine, cooked using British ingredients. It is the chef’s first restaurant with his own name above the door, having previously been head chef at the two Michelin starred Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley.

Across town, the first of Jamie Oliver’s Union Jacks restaurants opened quietly in the new Central St Giles development on Wednesday. The new chain is a collaboration with American chef Chris Bianco, and serves the pairs’ own take on pizza – flatbreads topped with British sourced ingredients baked in a wood-fired oven. Puddings are inspired by British classics, with arctic roll and sticky treacle tart alongside some out of the ordinary ice cream flavours such as “bramble ripple eton mess” and “snickers bar”.

In Kent, Chef Omar Allibhoy had continued his mission to bring “proper Spanish food to the UK” with a second branch of Tapas Revolution opening in the Bluewater Shopping Centre just a year after their first at the Westfield shopping centre. The restaurant features an open plan kitchen surrounded by a 30 meter long pewter bar which allows diners to watch as the chefs preparing the food. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

On Monday, Australian chef Bill Granger, who moved to London in 2009 opened his first UK restaurant. Granger & Co. on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill is the sixth restaurant for the self taught chef (with three each in Australia and Japan) and comes following a long search for as suitable UK site. In keeping with his cafés abroad, Granger and Co. will provide an informal setting for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Despite the opening not being announced, locals were quick to discover the café and Granger was left seeking additional waiters by the end of the week to keep up with demand.

Further south, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall opened River Cottage Canteen and Deli in Plymouth on Tuesday. The restaurant is situated in a Grade I listed former brewhouse, itself converted from naval use. Head chef Joe Draper will stay true to the River Cottage way by creating a menu from seasonal, locally sourced produce, taking advantage restaurant’s coastal location to incorporate plenty of seafood in the menus. As well as the restaurant, a deli area will offer a selection of locally grown and produced food for customers to take home.

Opening soon

Caprice Holdings latest opening,  34 on Grosvenor Square will open on the 24th. The menu will centre around steaks, cooked on the kitchen’s custom-made parrilla grill and will also feature fish and game.

Details are also starting to emerge for The Delaunay, the latest London opening from Rex Restaurant’s team Chris Corbin and Jeremy King. The Delaunay will follow a similar format to the pair’s Picadilly restaurant The Wolseley with a menu “inspired by the great cafés of Europe”.

Outside London, Sheffield pub The Millhouses has also been developed after closing earlier this year. It will reopen serving a locally sourced menu alongside cask ales and fine wines on November 24th.

Mishkin’s in Covent Garden opens for previews from Friday 25th November.

Johnnie Mountain, competitor in the North West heat of Great British Menu 2011 and owner of The English Pig in Farringdon, presented his second solo venture to the public on 7th November 2011. The Atrium, once owned by Antony Worrall Thompson, has undergone major renovation this year though the establishment’s name has been retained. The restaurant is split into two separate dining areas with a central kitchen area where Johnnie and his team can see and be seen. The main atrium is occupied by a fine dining restaurant offering a set two course lunchtime menu priced at £25, and a four course dinner menu at £40. Meanwhile a bar and brasserie serving lighter dishes including soups, burgers, pastas and salads is also open to diners in a separate area.

Also in London, MEATLiquor opened its doors on 7th November, four days ahead of schedule. The West End site is the first permanent (and stationary) venue for The Meatwagon team and follows the resounding successes of #meateasy, a pop up restaurant in New Cross, and a mobile burger van visiting popular haunts in south east London. The American-themed menu is largely based on the burgers which made chef, Yianni Papoutsis, so popular in previous ventures. There is also a selection of other dishes including dirty fried chicken, kurrywurst and devilled eggs. Of course, cocktail experts and previous collaborators Soul Shakers also remain to provide customers with a post-dinner cocktail from their unique drinks menu.

Anthony’s Restaurant Ltd already has three Leeds based establishments under their belt. However endless planning recently came to fruition and there is now a fourth restaurant in town in the shape of Rib Shakk. Located in Leeds Corn Exchange, Rib Shakk opened at 11:11am on 11th November (a combination of numbers considered extremely lucky by some). American head chef Billy Bob and his team are responsible for creating food suitable to be served in the pit style barbecue surroundings. Diners can choose from four mopping sauces to go alongside their beef or pork ribs. Burgers are served containing meat taken straight from the rib, and the combo platters allow the opportunity for diners to sample various offerings on the menu. To spice up your dinner experience (in more ways than one) Rib Shakk also offers the “Wall of Flames” challenge.

Opening soon

Mishkin’s, self-described as “a kind of jewish deli with cocktails” is due to open in London’s west end at the end of November. This will be the fifth London based restaurant venture for Russell Norman and Richard Beatty. You can follow the restaurant’s progress on Twitter @MishkinsWC2. Meanwhile, Australian chef Bill Granger will be making his UK debut in West London’s Notting Hill later this month. The restaurant, rumoured to be called “Granger & Co”, is expected to have a similar format to that of his existing Mediterranean and Asian restaurants in Australia and Japan.