When I said I was meeting Ken Hom, a younger colleague said “oh, isn’t he the guy who invented the wok?” Well, I guess he did, in a way, by putting a flat bottom on it in 1986, so we could use it on our UK stoves. Now at least one in seven people in Britain […]
Dans Le Noir? put on Michelin starred dinner for 10th anniversary
February 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Dans le Noir?, the celebrated dining-in-the-dark restaurant staffed by blind people, is celebrating its 10th anniversary and decade of successful charitable ventures. A gastronomic dinner for 50 of youth homelessness charity Centrepoint’s vulnerable 16-25 year-olds has been put together by Michelin-star chef and London head chef, John Houel – with the focus on heightened flavours. The menu is always […]
Restaurant Review: Chinese Cricket Club London
February 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Confucius says don’t judge a book by its cover – nor a restaurant, as is the case with Chinese Cricket Club in the Crowne Plaza, Blackfriars, London. That it doubles as the hotel’s breakfast room will give you some idea of the decor – a soulless dark brown. So come such a special night as […]
Get Closer To The Music and Other Fans with SecondScreen
February 3, 2016 by Leave a Comment
So there you are at a concert, everybody’s fiddling with their phones, streaming, tweeting, posting – all over the place. SecondScreen have developed an app that can link us all up together, at the one point in time, on the same platform just when wanted to be connected. Imagine that – one communal digital space capturing all the buzz and excitement […]
Fat Tuesday with Kansas Smitty’s House Band
January 27, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Saints and sinners bring your beads and get loose at The Vaults for Mardi Gras on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th February 2016. For Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Pancake Day – whatever you call it, a New Orleans-inspired party is being hatched riverside on the South Bank. Live music from The Kansas Smitty’s House Band will lead […]
Pancake Day at Rabbit Chelsea
January 15, 2016 by Leave a Comment
To celebrate one of my favourite days of the year, Pancake Day, Rabbit restaurant will be going flipping mad. Head Chef Oliver Gladwin will be showing us how its done by launching and, hopefully, catching the pancakes at the pass in front of diners. What’s more, Rabbit will be asking those who think they can, to come […]
Lexus SUV landing at 5th Floor Harvey Nichols
December 29, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Harvey Nichols are hosting a special Winter Garden on the Fifth Floor Roof Terrace in Knightsbridge from now to the end of January to mark the launch of the sleek new Lexus RX luxury SUV. There’s a limited edition Japanese-themed cocktail and snack menu inspired by omotenashi – the Japanese principles of welcoming hospitality. I am looking forward to […]
FOOD REVIEW: Alan Yau’s Park Chinois
December 28, 2015 by 1 Comment
You can smell the money, walking in here – both the fit out and the wealth of the diners. For a fact we were sat next to a billionaire, whose dining companion’s glittering high heels would have been visible from space. If you are smart – and we were – you can get away with […]
Festive canapés from Bake Off Flora Shedden and ao.com
December 16, 2015 by 1 Comment
The wonderfully sweet Flora Shedden shares some festive canapé tips here courtesy of the AO.com lifestyle hub of no-nonsense reviews, content and video round-ups of the things that make life great. Meeting Flora makes life great, too. So it was nice to have a coffee – from a large, shiny machine – obviously, and chat to the 19-year-old who wowed us for nine weeks on […]
Something’s Gotta Give! Archer Street is the place to be in Soho
December 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Archer Street just turned four! Can you believe it? I’ve been a fan since it first burst onto the Soho scene with live, loud show stoppers from the big musicals. It’s stayed Soho’s most sophisticated cocktail bar – with personality. You are in for a great night here. Between sips of well-made cocktails a waiter or waitress […]
