Gourmet

Gourmet

The Complete French Cooking Course

A Culinary Education in One Magnificent Volume

At 696 pages and close to 30 centimetres tall, The Complete French Cooking Course is not a cookbook to balance beside the hob. It is a culinary monument, the kind of volume that demands a clear stretch of worktop, a sturdy shelf and ideally, several years of use. Produced by Ferrandi Paris, the professional school founded in 1920, the book approaches French cooking properly, that is, as a discipline to be learnt in the correct order. Its 143 recipes are supported by 147 illustrated techniques and more than 1,300 photographs, moving from equipment, ingredient seasonality and foundational sauces to fish filleting, meat cuts, mushroom identification and technically demanding preparations such as potato soufflé. Unlike other cookbooks, here one should follow the the structure, because it is set out to explain why things work and how competence is built. The timing of this volume is also quite spot on. French food is firmly back in the conversation. Recent restaurant coverage has traced a return to bistros, brasseries and recognisable classics in Paris, London and New York, with diners again responding to proper sauces, pâté...

Gourmet

Zuma Saint-Tropez

A Glamorous Dinner Before Legendary Partying

Zuma and Hôtel Byblos were always going to get on. Both are international names with nothing left to prove; both understand that luxury is much more enjoyable when it loosens its tie. Byblos has been part of Saint-Tropez mythology since 1967, born from founder Jean-Prosper Gay-Para’s admiration for the late Brigitte Bardot, the screen icon […]

Gourmet

Above The Eternal City

Sunset Aperitivo at Hotel d’Inghilterra

High above the heat and clamour of Rome, Terrazza Romana offers a welcome pocket of calm. Crowning Hotel d’Inghilterra, the beautifully designed rooftop bar feels pleasantly removed from the busy streets below, while remaining unmistakably part of the Eternal City. Recently reopened for the season, the terrace looks across Rome’s rooftops towards Villa Medici, San […]

Gourmet

A Night at Kamara Soho

Low Lights, Mediterranean Craft and 1990s Hip-hop

Soho has no shortage of bars competing for attention, but Kamara distinguishes itself through an unusual combination of Mediterranean craft, low lighting and a soundtrack of 1990s hip-hop. Located on Poland Street, the bar sits in one of the busiest parts of central London. Given the constant footfall madnessoutside [review written during the 2026 FIFA […]

Gourmet

Cut Out at 45 Park Lane

Fish & Chips the Mayfair Way

The great British chippy is a symbol of British food, al fresco dining and the best of summer. No seaside holiday is complete without a fish supper. Now, 45 Park Lane has reimagined the classic takeaway as a rather more exquisite dining experience. Guests can eat at Cut Out, the hotel’s seasonal terrace pop-up, or […]

Gourmet, Toys

Time & Terroir

Luxury Watch and Wine Pairings for Collectors

Luxury watch and wine pairings are not simply about taste. For collectors, both worlds reward patience, precision, provenance and craft. In haute horlogerie and fine wine, value is often found in what cannot be rushed: a hand-finished movement, a carefully aged vintage, a rare clone of a grape, or a house style refined over generations. […]

Gourmet

Al Fresco Dining at Claro London

Eastern Mediterranean Cooking Finds its Summer Rhythm in St James’s

Al fresco dining is one of the little pleasures of summer. As the days get longer and the temperatures rise, London’s terraces, courtyards and rooftops bloom, drawing the city outdoors for long lunches, early suppers and those golden-hour dinners that make even a working week feel like a holiday. In St James’s, a short walk […]

Gourmet

Raise the Bar

A Father’s Day Edit with Spirit

Father’s Day calls for something with a little more thought than the usual last-minute bottle. Whether he leans towards a finely made gin, a serious Italian red, a crisp white for summer lunches or Champagne with real occasion value, this edit brings together drinks with personality, provenance and refinement. PIO CESARE Barolo 2021 & Barolo […]

Gourmet

Fashion Becomes Tea at The Kensington

Couture, Cakes and a Touch of Surrealism

Created to coincide with the V&A’s Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, Fashion Becomes Tea takes one of London’s most civilised rituals and gives it a surrealist wink. The hotel is only minutes from the museum, which makes the experience feel like a delicious postscript to the exhibition itself. The V&A’s show is the first UK exhibition […]

Gourmet

Orion by Alex Webb

MasterChef Flair Arrives in Wimbledon

Tucked along the Ridgway in Wimbledon Village, MasterChef winner Alex Webb has opened Orion. As you walk in, the room is immediately calming – cool tones, clean lines and tables laid with quiet precision. We were instantly greeted by the lovely host and manager, Alice. We were swiftly brought a glass of Champagne and tuna […]

Gourmet

El Cortijo Santa María 1962

Outstanding Andalusian Produce with a Touch of French Glamour

Part of the SO/Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort at the western end of Costa del Sol, El Cortijo Santa María pays homage to the eponymous traditional rural farmhouse, which many aristocrats and wealthy landowners once had – and some still do – in Andalusia. The name is not arbitrary. The restaurant occupies an original cortijo that […]

Gourmet

Coq d’Argent

French Classics Above the City Skyline

Perched above No.1 Poultry, Coq d’Argent has long held one of the most enviable positions in the City, with sweeping views over the Bank of England and the surrounding skyline. It operates year-round as a destination in its own right, thanks to its heated terraces, manicured rooftop garden and lively bar, all anchored by a […]