The Lanesborough – one of London’s most prestigious five star hotels and a prominent landmark on Hyde Park Corner – re-opened in mid 2015 after being taken over by the Oetker Collection and following a 19-month multi-million pound makeover. A key part of the transformation was the closure of the hotel’s flagship restaurant Apsleys and the launch of Céleste, a formal fine dining experience which they are clearly hoping to attract a Michelin star with – these days as crucial to the success of a luxury hotel as the five star status itself.
Apart from the walls having been painted a striking Wedgewood blue, the opulent décor of the dining room will still seem familiar to regulars of the former Apsleys, with natural daylight pouring in from the glass domed roof during the day and the two-level balcony seating providing an interesting architectural point. The addition of enormous crystal chandeliers, the like of which you’d expect to find in Buckingham Palace’s ballroom, gilt mirrors and pseudo-Roman busts are a brave move, and reinforce the inspiration Céleste takes from grand European dining rooms, a determination backed up by the impeccable front of house team the moment you (and your handbag) are offered a seat.
The menu, which doesn’t come cheap (main courses from £28-£48), reads extremely well and offers a French twist on the finest British ingredients. And our expectations were naturally high due to the kitchen now being under the command of Chef Patron Eric Frechon, of the three-Michelin star ‘temple of gastronomy’, Epicure at Le Bristol in Paris (also part of the Oetker Collection). He delegates the execution of Céleste’s menu to his protégé Florian Favario who has been appointed executive chef and, whilst Favario worked at Le Bristol for five years following half a decade training with Marc Veyrat and Thierry Marx, this remains his most senior position yet, with considerable pressure on him to deliver his mentor’s flawless style of cuisine with the same level of flair.
Hailed as ‘a new culinary era’ for the Lanesborough, with the PR having been hard at work generating a buzz surrounding Frechon and Favario’s arrival in London, the restaurant may have set a rod for its own back, especially in these early days. The disappointing reviews Céleste received during the soft launch possibly accounts for the lack of diners on the Friday night we were there. Alas, London boasts an unforgiving dining scene and even a few teething errors can be the difference between a fully booked restaurant or an empty one.
Our overall experience certainly wouldn’t justify the cold shoulder, however, thanks to a conveyor belt of memorable dishes including a celebration of comfort food favourite, cauliflower cheese, which in this case had been prepared creamed and roasted with curry-infused olive oil and Parmesan cheese; langoustine ravioli with a decadent claw velouté; and a dessert of guanaja chocolate designed by renowned pastry chef Nicolas Rouzaud (also of Le Bristol), and which featured an intense chocolate mousse encased in an expertly tempered cylinder of dark chocolate, cashew nut praline and a coffee bean ice cream.
If one is going to be picky, the only flaws in the meal were when style outshone substance, for example the French onion soup wasn’t as delicious as one I enjoyed in a bistro in Paris, nor was it pretty, necessary or particularly dramatic to have one of the waitresses remove with a pincer-like instrument the cored-out confit onion, complete with skin, which was the unusual centrepiece of the dish, and the vessel for a rather uninspiring daube of braised oxtail.
While the high prices are more reflective of the Lanesborough’s elite clientèle than the kitchen’s current levels of execution, it’s obvious that they are conscious of the need to achieve a consistently high standard if they are to secure a coveted Michelin star, and will be continuing to strive for this over the coming months. Some things are written in the stars and, whilst it’s not a ‘stellar’ dining experience just yet, with a superb front of house team and the backing of a Parisian three-star chef, we wouldn’t bet against Céleste’s meteoric rise to fame.
Céleste at the Lanesborough Hotel. For more information and reservations visit the website.
