20 questions with founder of The People’s Book Prize Tatiana von Saxe Wilson
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Pursuit and success.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
“Make the best better”.
20 questions with chocolatier Amelia Rope
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Drive and determination.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
Keep it simple, remain focused and go for it.
London restaurants where diners got more than they bargained for
In the first in a series, we tell the stories of five restaurants in Central London where diners sadly got a little more than dinner. All bar Walton’s are still open.
The Steeple Times asks The Palm’s supervisor Ezio Arceri: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
My family and girlfriend.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
“Let’s do it”.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
Who is Kerry Katona? That the average life is just 90 years. People should live longer.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
My family as I am far away from them.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
I’m happy as I am.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
I hope to be saved.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“As soon as possible”.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
I think charity is the bloodline of the community and I support the Red Cross.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
They are useful but they are like the demon in that they are intrusive.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
Friends, family and my girlfriend.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
A 30oz prime USDA New York strip steak from The Palm. I would eat it in the bedroom I had as a teenager.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
It depends on what time you wake up.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
A Negroni.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
When they are unexpected.
Who is the most positive person you know?
My mama.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
I don’t know. I’m a good guy.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
I have a tattoo and I designed it myself. It is full of meanings relating to letters, faces, butterflies, spirals, happy faces, sad faces and jackals. It is about freedom.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
A Mercedes-Benz. I own a left-hand drive C-class with a British plate. I imported it to the UK.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I’m always happy.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
I don’t have one but if I did, pictures of my family.
Ezio Arceri is the supervisor at The Palm, 1 – 3 Pont Street, London, SW1X 9EJ. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7201 0710. Website: http://www.thepalm.com/London
Follow him on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/Arcezioo
Follow The Palm London on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/PalmLondon
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A happy hour with a difference launches at The Palm in London’s Belgravia
Opened in May 2009, The Palm replaced the legendary restaurant Drones of Pont Street. Amongst the original backers of Drones were David Niven Jr. and Sir Roger Moore. Nicky Kerman, a titan of the restaurant world, was another part owner. A later reincarnation was the brainchild of television chef Antony Worrall Thompson. Of the décor of this era, critic Nick Foulkes described it as: “Daphne’s meets The Magic Roundabout with a touch of Swedish sauna”. Next came a lady named Annie Foster Firth and most recently it opened as Marco Pierre White’s Drones in 2001.
A review of Wolfgang Puck’s CUT at 45 Park Lane
Continuing our series of revisiting articles from the blog that preceded The Steeple Times, today we re-publish our review of CUT at 45 Park Lane. We’re delighted to report that it’s just as good today.
Wolfgang Puck once commented that he “learned more from the one restaurant that didn’t work than from all the ones that were successes.” With the opening of his new restaurant, CUT, at The Dorchester Collection’s newest hotel, 45 Park Lane, he certainly proves that he learnt well.
Now magnificently illuminated at night and featuring 24 metal panels by Thierry Despont, this narrow Park Lane building was unoccupied for 13 years until The Dorchester Collection creatively brought it back to life. The building has a fascinating history having been owned in the 1950s by one George Parkin Catchpole, a liquidator, who rented it out “for anything legal.” He is said to have told a group of artists named the Park Lane Group: “When I’m not using it, you can – and I won’t charge you” and they did. They set up a 150-seat theatre and the pianist John Ogdon and the Welsh soprano Dame Gwyneth Jones DBE performed there.
In the 1960s Catchpole sold the building and 45 Park Lane took on a new life as the Playboy Club. Run by Victor Lownes, the casino at the club became the most profitable in the world by 1981 but following a decision to revoke the club’s gambling licence and a row between Lownes and Hugh Hefner, the venue closed.
45 Park Lane is now well and truly back on the map of the international jet-set following this latest refurbishment. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt stayed in September and the opening party was itself attended by Philip Green and his daughter, Chloe, as well as Kate Moss, Jamie Hince, Matt Bellamy and Kate Hudson.
CUT itself is a stylish space that seats 70 guests that is managed by the most personable Loyd Loudy, formerly of the OXO Tower, Hakkasan, China Tang, Shoreditch House and Sartoria. This is a slickly run dining room that has art deco hints and is dominated by Damien Hirst artwork.
When I told a friend that I was going to CUT, he complained that the music there was a “horrible mixture” of 1970s and 1980s rock music chosen by Puck himself. My dining companion, a fan of such tunes as KC and The Sunshine Band’s Come To My Island, was delighted, however, by this prospect and only disappointed that his favourite tune didn’t get an outing. I was hoping for a rendition of the Strawbs’ Part of the Union in honour of, excuse the pun, those protesting about the government’s ongoing economic cuts, but I guess that would hardly have gone down well with the Mayfair hedgies and well heeled hotel guests who flock to this glamorous dining destination.
John Walsh, in his review of CUT for the Independent, describes Wolfgang Puck’s name as being “Mozart-meets-Shakespeare” and this culinary maestro is himself worthy of note. Austrian by birth, Puck began his career at Maxim’s in Paris, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco and the Michelin 3-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence. In the 1970s he moved to the United States and set up his first flagship restaurant, Spago, in 1982 on the Sunset Strip of West Hollywood. Spago became known for its signature dishes of haute cuisine pizzas topped with smoked salmon and caviar and awards galore and a burgeoning restaurant empire followed in the 1990s and 2000s with further openings in LA, Las Vegas and Singapore.
Puck has brought in David McIntyre as executive chef at CUT at 45 Park Lane. Part of his team in Los Angeles for the last 13 years, McIntyre’s career began at the Culinary Institute of America and progressed eventually to a “strong culinary partnership” with Puck first at Spago and then at CUT, Beverly Hills and WP24.
Puck and McIntyre offer a menu that most certainly couldn’t fail to please any meat lover. Though not designed for those on a budget, the focus here is on cuts of beef, be they from Casterbridge in Devon or Creekstone Farms in Arkansas City, Kansas, that are grilled over hard wood and charcoal then finished under a 650 degree broiler.
To start, I began with an Australian wagyū steak sashimi with spicy radishes and a Greek cress (£22). It was truly delicious and the envy of my companion who found his bigeye tuna tartar with wasabi ailoli, ginger, tōgarashi crisps and tosa sauce (£21) just as enjoyable. For those looking for a meatier option the Austrian oxtail bouillon (£9) certainly should appeal and vegetarians could definitely enjoy the roasted baby beetroot salad with goat cheese (£12).
For our main courses we naturally both chose to try out the cuts but those looking for something different could opt for a sautéed dover sole (£45) or a warm lobster club sandwich (£24). Both my 6oz filet mignon (£30) and my companion’s 35 day aged 10oz New York sirloin (£34) melted in the mouth and truly top my list for the best steak of the year. The accompanying Armagnac and green peppercorn sauce was a phenomenal choice and utterly perfect. Though slightly over salted, the French fries with herbs (£5.50) were pleasant and the tempura onion rings (also £5.50) could not be faulted.
To conclude, though somewhat conquered by the feast we’d just enjoyed, we moved on to a light banoffee pie and a delicious chocolate dish that tasted akin to a Kit-Kat with blackberries. Here ended a meal that was most certainly one of the best I’ve enjoyed in 2011.
The wine list is exactly what you’d expect to find in an establishment of this stature. Staring at £7 a glass for whites by the glass and £16 for Laurent Perrier 2002 champagne, key highlights include a Château Petrus 1988 for £4,900 a bottle and a 2009 offering from the estate of Sir Peter Michael at £270 a bottle.
Above the restaurant a striking staircase leads to Bar 45, a chic space serving cocktails and offering bar-dining for 30. Adjoining this is media room with 10 comfortable armchairs and a library. The remainder of the building appropriately consists of 45 stylish rooms and suites that include a most impressive penthouse suite with a wrap-around balcony that offers expansive views across Hyde Park.
Fay Maschler concluded her review of CUT with the words: “Cut and come again.” I’d only add that this is a restaurant that is cuttingly magnificent.
CUT, 45 Park Lane, London, W1K 1PN. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7493 4554. Website: http://www.45parklane.com
Follow CUT on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/WolfgangBuzz
Follow 45 Park Lane at: http://www.twiter.com/45ParkLane