The Italian job: My favourite places in London to gorge on pasta Life&Style The greatest restaurateur of my generation was Russell Norman, the founder of both Polpo and Brutto. Exuding charm and charisma, he immediately lit up a room; shining brighter than most Hollywood A-listers. Omnipresent at his Smithfield restaurant Brutto, he would recognise every guest by name, carefully choosing where to seat each to ensure everyone enjoyed [...]
The most romantic restaurants in the City Life&Style I’ve never met the intrepid Mr Gordon Ramsay, yet our lives have been semi-entwined for over two decades. During his initial peak in the noughties, as I began my own career, I recall my first experience dining in his The Londoner restaurant in NYC, where a maitre d’ complete with Dick Van Dyke accent greeted [...]
7 incredible places for food and wine in South Africa A culinary cruise around South Africa, with our restaurant columnist Martin Williams As a restaurateur, January is the perfect time of year to take a holiday; exhausted from the efforts put in to maximise Christmas business. As an entrepreneur with M, and whilst leading Gaucho, it’s a period when, after setting objectives for the months [...]
Why January is the month for steak-loving carnivores like me January 24, 2025 Martin Williams: Eat, drink, sleep, repeat – our new columnist’s guide to the best epicurean spots in London. This week: Why January is the best month for red meat, especially steak As we all tire of festive white meats, January brings out the red meat-loving carnivore in me. Steak Tartar satisfies this. The capital’s most [...]
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 [...]