LONDON - RESTAURANT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

Despite the economic downturn, London is seeing a boom in the restaurant

business. While the titular ascription might might have applied to Paris previously
for some of world famous high end eateries, many in London have recently gained
the prestigious Michelin Star accolade.

This change from Paris to London can be attributed to various factors:

1- Influx of visitors to London.

2- Surplus of wealth, particularly amongst upper middle-class workers in banking

and residents of the City of London.

3- Agricultural trade agreements and demand resulting in some of the finest

produce being readily available.

4- Rise of entrepreneurial chefs with sufficient ‘je ne c’est quoi’ to market

themselves and exploit media vehicles such as television and publishing.

5- Finally, a corollary arising from the the ubiquity of television programmes has
seen these chefs raised from mere cook to mega-celebrity.

Take Gordon Ramsay, for example. This foul-mouthed chef has become a
multimedia conglomerate in his own right, mixing with UK celebrities like the
Beckhams, and Hollywood royalty, like Pitt and Jolie. He appeared in The F….Word,
Kitchen Nightmares, and even guest starred on American Idol in March 2011. He's
also amassed a portfolio of restaurants the world over, stretching from California to
Japan. Of his many London Restaurants, perhaps the most famous is Mayfair's
Claridges's Hotel.
Other chefs, like Gary Rhodes and Jamie Oliver, who have also gained mega
stardom status due to their own TV programmes, are swift on Ramsay's heels,
eager to claim their empire for their own.

Some other noteworthy restaurants to be found in London:

1-Italian. Speaking with a Mrs. Al-Mana, who has eaten at the River Café, said: “the
food is fresh and seasonal with beautiful surroundings overlooking the Thames.”

2-Indian restaurants (12,900). The most famous are Benares in Berkeley Square
and The Cinnamon Club in Westminster.

I interviewed a friend, Mr. Hashim, who has eaten at both restaurants. “No
complaints about The Cinnamon Club. Both times were pleasant.” He has mixed
feelings about Benares. “The first time, with eight guests, the food was fantastic.
The second visit was not memorable. The rice was cold and lumpy. No fruit
available. Hefty bill - £400. Not impressed at all.”

3-There are 9,620 Chinese restaurants. They vary from classy restaurants, like
Royal China in Baker Street and takeaway outlets.

4- The French are here too. Celebrated chefs like the Roux dynasty's Jean
Christoph Novelli had worked for the Rothchild family before moving to Britain in
1983.

Raymond Blanc has two Michelin stars at the La Manoir. His clientele has increased
since ‘Kitchen Secrets’ aired on BBC2 recently.

5-Arabic (Lebanese, Moroccan, Iraqi, and Turkish) outlets have increased recently.
I interviewed, Marouf Abu Zeki, the owner of many prestigious Lebanese
restaurants in Knightsbridge and Sidi Marouf, a Moroccan restaurant in Edgware
Road:
“Our clientele has varied recently. Previously, only Arabs would eat at our
restaurants. Now, we have different nationalities visiting us regularly. I am pleased
to say business is booming”.

Many Arabic and Turkish restaurants have included singers and belly-dancers in
Summer.

5-There are Greek, Thai ,Vietnamese and Caribbean restaurants. In fact, name the
nationality and you’ll find it here. ‘Romantic Restaurants’ such as Bleeding Heart
can be found in London EC1. It was voted the best romantic restaurant by the
London Times.

Even casino clubs have jumped on the bandwagon. Speaking to a person (who
chose to remain anonymous) I was informed that she has dinner at casinos such as
The Ritz and The Colony Club regularly. She revealed that casinos do not charge
their regular and heavy players the full whack; instead a tip is sufficient. She was
equally impressed with the quality of the food, the ambiance, and the attention of
the staff at these clubs.