Lunches in luxury: Michelin-starred chefs’ London hotel restaurants bring a new elegance to dining
Marcus Wareing in Knightsbridge, Jean-Georges Vongerichten in Mayfair and Alain Ducasse in Park Lane serve extraordinary meals in opulent surroundings, and at prices which represent remarkably good value
Hong Kong diners take for granted that some of the city’s best fine dining is in top hotels, but Londoners are not so accustomed to dining out in five-star surroundings. Three restaurants, led by renowned Michelin-starred chefs, are helping to change that.
Ascending the marble steps of The Berkeley Hotel, under a canopy of festive lights, there’s an air of moneyed relaxation which typifies this ultra-exclusive corner of Knightsbridge.
British chef Marcus Wareing’s eponymous restaurant is supremely elegant, as dark Chesterfield leather sofas sit alongside substantial tables with crisp white linen. There are crystal decanters, exquisite wood panelling and displays of fresh flowers, while a selection of ancient brandies looks terrifyingly expensive.
It is surprising, then, that a three-course lunch menu complete with bread, amuse-bouches and petits fours – in a restaurant awarded two Michelin stars – is available for £55 (US$76). Wareing says the city’s restaurant scene has changed for better. “The quality of food at more accessible price points, across all sectors, has skyrocketed. Eating out isn’t just about fine dining any more and that’s a fantastic development.”
Bradley Cooper and Marcus Wareing on cooking up a storm for the big screen
The judge of the British edition of MasterChef has an eagle eye and can be withering in his critique of professionals and amateurs alike. That comes, in part, from his exacting training under French legends Daniel Boulud and Guy Savoy, a foundation which he continues to recognise today.