Gourmet

Gourmet

Viki Fuchs

Mad cooking in the heart of the Black Forest

Chef de cuisine Viktoria “Viki” Fuchs is the sixth generation to run the Romantik Hotel and Spielweg restaurant in Germany’s upper Münstertal. But she’s doing it her way – with sister, Kristin; husband, Johannes, and a fresh, Asian twist.

“Wild boar dim sum,” says Viki of the meal guests request most – her signature dish. “I mean, it’s not soooo far away from our Maultaschen,” she adds. Pasta-pockets of Swabian culture, filled with onion and smoked meats. “Normally, they are braised in butter; but we use rice dough and steam them to serve with soy sauce.” That’s Viki on a plate: bright, creative, rooted, cosmopolitan. She combines the best of the Black Forest with flavours from the Far East.

“I’m just carrying on from my father,” is one of JRE-Jeunes Restaurateurs’ youngest, female members’ modest response. “What he did was new.” Karl-Josef, a hunter-chef, took over the Spielweg restaurant in 1986 and quickly forged its reputation for exceptional game-cooking. “He was a pioneer of the ‘regional’ thing,” Viki explains. “He was doing 25 years ago what the Nordic chefs showed 10 or 15…

Gourmet

A Gourmet Weekend

Yoxman returns in 2024

It’s that time of year again for the epicurean treat of Yoxman. Those of you who don’t know what Yoxman is about, read on. Following previous sell out events over the past two years, Yoxman, a one-of-a-kind event promises to deliver a gastronomic four-day treat. Essentially, it’s a long weekend with top chefs delivering Michelin-star […]

Gourmet

Gaia Mayfair

The best of the Med in the heart of Mayfair

Over the millennia, Gaia, the primordial Greek goddess of all life, mother of the Titans and grandmother of the Olympian gods, has inspirited all sorts of artists, from poets to painters and even the odd philosopher. In this case, she moved Russian hospitality entrepreneur, Evgeny Kuzin and British-Nigerian, Chef Izu Ani – the driving forces […]

Gourmet

A Taste of the World

Whiskies from home and afar

A few years ago, it seemed that whisky (or whiskey, I leave it up to you) had lost favour with the public and was only consumed in rarefied circles by rarefied people. But the fact is that nothing could be further from the truth. In the UK, we love whisky and we drink it with […]

Gourmet

The Pantry

Hotel Arts Barcelona, Carrer de la Marina, 08005 Barcelona

When one does a lot of restaurant reviews, disappointment is, sometimes, unavoidable. Other times, one is surprised and finds the most magical places, food and people where least expected. This is the case of The Pantry, the newest restaurant in the Hotel Arts Barcelona. What looks like the back door of a delicatessen selling a […]

Gourmet

The French Art of Living

Chef Paul Stradner at Villa René Lalique

Nestled at the foot of the Vosges du Nord nature park, Villa René Lalique, in Wingen-sur-Moder, France, has become recognised as a unique destination for epicureans. René is a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection and boasts a five-star luxury suite hotel, that offers the opportunity to be emersed in Lalique and enjoy the […]

Gourmet

Delight Your Senses

A new kind of Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea is one of the most classic traditions one can think of in Britain. However, the tradition only dates back to the early 19th century, when the Duchess of Bedford started to serve tea and a few nibbles to her guest in the afternoon. Over the last decades we have seen it evolve and […]

Gourmet

Royal Bubbles

Champagne, The Goring, and the Royal Family

With the first coronation of a British sovereign in 70 years, the red, white and blue bunting has been hung across the nation and beyond. Saucepans are being filled with the curried chicken that marked the crowning of Elizabeth II, while ovens are heating up the veggie-conscious 2023 alternative: Charles III’s officially-sanctioned spinach quiche. However, […]

Gourmet

Wiltons

A Bastion of Britishness

Tucked in between tailors, business consultants and law firms lies Wiltons, an institution in Mayfair which started its journey more than 280 years ago. What started as a shellfish stall near Haymarket in 1742 ran by George William Wilton, grew into Wilton’s Shellfish Mongers and Oyster Rooms, a business that kept expanding under generations of […]

Gourmet

Gouqi

Chinese Fine Dining At Its Best

London is recognised as one of the gastronomic capitals of the world, offering the best in international cuisine, from Peruvian to Moroccan, Argentine to Danish. One of the latest addition to London’s exciting gourmand scene is Gouqi, a high-end Chinese restaurant, led by Chef Chee Hwee Tong, best-known to all foodies for his work as […]

Gourmet

Le Dalí

Surreal Gastronomy In The Heart Of Paris

Salvador Dalí lends his name and eccentric spirit to the restaurant that sits at the centre of the legendary Hotel Le Meurice in the heart of Paris. Dalí, who was born in Catalonia but spent a long period of his life in Paris, was a regular visitor to Le Meurice. Everything at Restaurant Le Dalí […]

Food, Gourmet

Caviar Kaspia

Pure indulgence in the heart of Mayfair

Caviar Kaspia has returned to London in an elegant townhouse tucked away in the heart of Mayfair that was once the home of the members-only Chess Club. Founded in 1927, the Paris-based caviar institution has been steadily expanding with outposts around the world – from Paris to Los Angeles, and from New York to Dubai […]