In our regular series, we ask famous chefs and personalities to tell us all about 'their London'. From top tips on where to dine in the city, to their personal haunts ranging from bakeries to book shops, we’ve got the inside track on London’s premier spots from the people who know it best.
The latest in a long line of French chefs who have made an indelible mark on the London dining scene, Claude Bosi feels like part of the capital’s fabric by now. Like the Roux brothers and Pierre Koffman before him, Bosi was born in France and remains fiercely committed to its cuisine, while simultaneously embracing Britain and its produce with an open heart. You can find Two-MICHELIN-Star evidence of it at both Brooklands and Bibendum – the latter housed inside the former HQ of yours truly – alongside the well-priced Lyonnaise classics of Josephine and the fresh seafood at his Oyster Bar. Here, the chef talks us through some of the many places he has fallen in love with over his glittering London career.
What’s your go-to restaurant in London when you want to celebrate?
CORE by Clare Smyth, Row on 5 by Jason Atherton and The Ritz are all very special. It’s been such a big year for John Williams MBE [at The Ritz] and there’s nothing quite like dining in that room with the pianist on the go, everyone dressed to the nines.Are there any London restaurants you feel a personal connection to?
We got married at St. JOHN Smithfield so we have a date there at least once a year, if not more – I love that place.
As one of the most famous French chefs in the UK, where would you recommend for the best French food in London?
Without sounding like a broken record, I would go to The Ritz – I think John Williams and his team do an amazing job. The crêpe suzette there has to be one of the most loved and memorable dishes in London.Where do you go for a quick bite?
Soif in Clapham or Kaosarn in Brixton. Honestly, after service or a big week, myself and Lucy are just looking for something easy and laid-back. We can drink a bottle of wine, they’re open late in the week and they always have a table somewhere for us.
Do you have a favourite London hotel?
Maybe I’m biased as we take up the top floor, but I think what The Peninsula have done is brilliant. I love the views from almost every angle of the building, and when we visit Paris, our room [at The Peninsula Paris] looks over the Eiffel Tower.Find your hotel
Most of your restaurants are based in Chelsea. What do you love so much about the neighbourhood?
I love restaurants that can feel like part of the neighbourhood, the community – it is what my parents had in Lyon, and that’s what I’ve tried to emulate with Josephine Chelsea and our new site in Marylebone. Marylebone is already feeling like home to us, and with the alfresco seating and bar area at the oyster kiosk that we’ve been able to have with that site, it’s got an amazing European feel.
If you had one day to show an out-of-towner around London, where would you take them?
I think the open bus and a beautiful sunny day is great. As someone born outside of London, I never get sick of the city views, the architecture of St. Paul’s in particular – and the best way to take them in is from the top of a double-decker.How do you like to spend your free time in London?
Easy – with my wife and my kids…Hero Image: Chef Claude Bosi and his restaurant Bibendum, located in the former headquarters of The MICHELIN Guide. © Sam Harris (L), Food Story Boy/Claude Bosi at Bibendum (R)
