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: Best Japanese restaurants in London March 12, 2025 Last week I was busy spending time dining charitably with sporting heroes. It began by sending Shawsey off on his ‘Legends of Telemark’ mission (he raises funds for MND) with a lunch where beautiful beef wellingtons reigned. It took place in the company of former Scottish international, Ryan Wilson at the Black Lamb in Wimbledon [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
The Italian job: My favourite places in London to gorge on pasta February 13, 2025 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 February 6, 2025 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 January 30, 2025 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”. [...]
