Fine dining critic Andy Hayler tells Elite TV what makes The Ledbury stand out from the crowd and why a table at the restaurant is currently one of London’s trickiest dinner reservations.
Now in its eighth year, Notting Hill’s The Ledbury has evolved over time to become one of London’s most desirable fine dining venues.
With a menu focusing on seasonal ingredients, a uniquely relaxed atmosphere and ambitious young chef Brett Graham at the helm, the restaurant has already achieved two Michelin stars – the first within just 12 months of opening.
It also placed in the top ten of Elite’s Top 100 Restaurants in the World 2013, with high hopes for where it could figure on the list next year.
“There’s hardly a restaurant in London that you could say is obviously better,” says Andy, adding that Head Chef Graham “spends more effort than most” sourcing good quality ingredients, with a game offering that is second to none.
According to the haute cuisine aficionado, one of The Ledbury’s strengths is a menu that combines both tradition and modernity, without feeling the need to surrender to the current molecular gastronomy trend.
“I think the menu strikes a nice balance because it’s not old-fashioned classical, but equally, it’s not wacky, ultra modern ‘potions and lotions’ cooking either,” he explains.
As for where the restaurant might feature in Elite’s Top 100 Restaurants Guide next year, Andy is reluctant to speculate too much: “It’s not really for me to say because that list is quite heavily influenced by customer feedback, but certainly, from a personal perspective, The Ledbury is one of the most consistently good restaurants in the UK, so I would imagine it would do quite well.”
Click on the link above to watch the full interview.