Eat, drink, sleep, repeat: The best restaurants in Florence March 20, 2025 Last week began with a wonderfully long lunch in Bluebird Chelsea with Mirabeau founder Stephen Cronk and his chief exec Richard Larkin. Everyone in the drinks business loves these guys, but I take credit for introducing the Batman and Robin of Provencal rose to each other back in 2017. In Bluebird, the restaurant atmosphere was [...]
Eat, drink, sleep, repeat: The best gastropubs in London March 6, 2025 The past week has been one of celebrations. Gordon Ramsay opened his 22 Bishopsgate venue, where I enjoyed caviar and Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir as Nick Grimshaw played tunes and GQ’s Worst Dressed Man of 2018, Joe Wicks, danced with Angela Hartnett and other ‘A-listers’. I enjoyed an amazing St David’s Day dinner at Quaglino’s [...]
Eat, drink, sleep, repeat: The best steak in London February 28, 2025 When I joined Gaucho as CEO in 2019, I embarked on a five year programme to re-imagine the brand; making it accessible and attractive to a more diverse demographic. We already sold the best steak in London so I achieved much of this through design, an innovative international wine list, and our catering at a [...]
Martin Williams to take over as D&D London boss, now rebranded Evolv February 27, 2025 Former Gaucho boss Martin Williams is to take over as chief exec of D&D London, one of the biggest high-end restaurant groups in the UK. The move will see him take charge of brands including Coq d’Argent, Bluebird, German Gymnasium, Quaglino’s and Angler, which holds a Michelin star. Williams said: “I am delighted to be [...]
Eat, drink, sleep, repeat: Martin Williams’ own Michelin guide February 20, 2025 There are birthday parties, and then there are A list celebrity parties, complete with The Box style live entertainment and lashings of champagne. Music producer and celebrity booker Azim Majid has been a friend since 2015 when we first hosted his birthday at M in Threadneedle Street and have continued to do so most years [...]
Eat, drink, sleep, repeat: The best places to avoid Dry January January 16, 2025 Every January, I hang my head in shame. As a business leader who has spent almost three decades championing the finest beverages and hospitality, I must admit I am in no small part responsible for the abomination which is Seedlip, the crown jewel of the no alcohol movement, forced down your throat each “Dry January”. [...]
Martin Williams: A wine-lover’s guide to London restaurants January 9, 2025 Having enjoyed many of the finest restaurants across the globe and my fair share of city breaks since leaving Gaucho and M in October, I can confirm that London’s restaurant scene continues to deliver in silver-plated spades and remains the gastronomic capital city, in terms of both diversity of offering and quality. As we enter [...]
Restaurant review: M by Martin Williams on Threadneedle Walk January 27, 2015 It’s a brave man who first ate an oyster, they say, but it’s a braver man who opens a restaurant in the Square Mile. The normal laws of gastronomic physics don’t apply here. The food scene moves slowly, governed by ritual, force of habit and sheer bloody-mindedness. The trends and fads of Shoreditch and Mayfair [...]