• London Restaurant Festival: Sunday Lunch Extravaganza

    16 | 08 | 2010

    London Restaurant Festival: Sunday Lunch Extravaganza

    As part of the London Restaurant Festival (4-18 October), one-off event American Express 10-10-10 will see 20 of the UK's top chefs cast aside their creative competitiveness and work side-by-side to create 10 never-eaten-before collaborative Sunday lunch menus. Michael Smith from The Three Chimneys on the Isle of Skye teams up with Jeremy Lee from Blueprint Café in London. To book, call Blueprint Cafe on 020 7378 7031, mention American Express 10-10-10 and that you are an American Express Cardmember.

  • The Glorious Twelfth

    12 | 08 | 2010

    The Glorious Twelfth

    The "huntin', shootin' and fishin'" brigade have dusted down their wellies, pulled on their Barbours as the official game season begins on the Glorious Twelfth. Watch out for red grouse appearing on many of D&D London's restaurants' menus and we've already heard word from Head Chefs Mikko Kataja from Avenue and Peter Weeden from Paternoster Chop House that red grouse will make its much awaited appearance by Friday.

  • The National Chef of the Year, 2010

    12 | 08 | 2010

    The National Chef of the Year, 2010

    Executive Chef Le Pont de la Tour is amongst the semi-finalists of the National Chef of the Year Competition, 2010. Undoubtedly, Lee is a talented chef and can boast working with world renowned chefs: Gordon Ramsay, Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Ducasse and his first Head Chef position was under Marcus Wareing at the Michelin starred Savoy Grill, London. Only four cook-offs stand in the way of the winner, announced later 11 October 2010 at The Restaurant Show.

  • Polo for Heroes: a Huge Success

    22 | 07 | 2010

    Polo for Heroes: a Huge Success

    Head Chef Tristan Welch of Launceston Place and Polo fanatic Clare Dingwall put on a fantastic Polo event for raise money for military charity Help for Heroes. The guests were treated to Asparagus cooked with Somerset truffles and smoked duck salad; Roasted saddle of new season lamb; and finished with Tristan's classic dish of Dark chocolate crumble with Maldon sea salt.

    It was an evening to remember, and with the help of Launceston Place, Polo for Heroes raised over £20,000.

  • The Rising Star of London's Wine Scene

    15 | 07 | 2010

    The Rising Star of London's Wine Scene

    According to a recent piece in City A.M , "the new generation of sommeliers is clever, passionate ... very good looking". For the article City A.M. caught up with Launceston Place's sommelier Mickey Narea, who recently won the US Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for his wine list. Not only is Mickey all the qualities of a new generation sommelier but happens to have a degree in economics from a top US university, turned his back on a high-flying finance position in Chicago, and instead followed his love for wine.

  • The Greatest List on Earth

    01 | 07 | 2010

    The Greatest List on Earth

    Square Meal reveals the contenders for the title of Louis Roederer Wine List of the Year 2010. They locked up half a dozen of the country's top sommeliers in a room with 120 wine lists and asked them to pick their favourites. In the running is Coq d'Argent's wine list where the Bordeaux and Burgundy sections are described as 'to die for' and our favourite comment was it has 'heart as well as bling'.

  • World Cup Round-up

    10 | 06 | 2010

    World Cup Round-up

    With football fever soon to grip the nation, the D&D Events team is able to offer a number of private dining rooms that can be booked with large television screens. Some of the restaurants will also be screening key matches for the general public, including:

    Meza, 100 Wardour Street, W1F 0TN
    Bluebird Café, 350 King's Road, SW3 5UU
    Plateau Beer Terrace, Canada Square, E14 5ER

    Call D&D London Events team on 020 7716 7887 or visit www.danddlondon.com/events

  • Taste of Brazil ... At Skylon

    10 | 06 | 2010

    Taste of Brazil ... At Skylon

    As part of Festival Brazil (19 June - 5 September), Skylon will be playing host to award-winning chef Jose Barattino from the swish Emiliano in Sao Paulo, who will work alongside Head Chef Helena Puolakka from Monday 21st June to Sunday 27th June and again for the weekend beginning 16th July.

    skylonrestaurant.co.uk

  • A Tale of Asparagus Obsession

    10 | 06 | 2010

    A Tale of Asparagus Obsession

    Head Chef Jeremy Lee, behind Blueprint Cafe, has a brilliant tale of asparagus obsession. "I heard about a man who grew his own asparagus", he says in his soft Dundee burr, "and the night before they were ready to harvest, he would set up a tent next door to his beloved stems. As the sun rose the next day, his pan was already on the boil. So he had about five seconds between harvest". You can't get much fresher than that!

    English asparagus won't be around for many more days so head out to Blueprint Café where Jeremy, also an asparagus obsessive, makes the most of the verdant spear in many of his dishes.

    blueprintcafe.co.uk

  • Tatler Awards 2010

    11 | 05 | 2010

    Tatler Awards 2010

    At last night's Tatler Awards 2010 ceremony, Nicolas Clerc, Head Sommelier at Le Pont de la Tour took the title for best wine list and sommelier. Such great news is sure to make Nicolas's Wine Tastings a faster sell-out than usual. Join Nicolas for his next tasting featuring wines from the De Westhof Estate, Robertson, South Africa, on Monday 17th May.