MASH opens in London

Chartwell Magazine was lucky enough to fly to Copenhagen, Denmark, earlier this month to sample the world renowned MASH cuisine– otherwise known as Modern American Steak House - and view the company's impressive string of restaurants in the city. The MASH has seen rapid expansion in recent years, having only been established in 2009. Their burgers have been voted the best in Denmark ( we concur - they were probably the best Chartwell Magazine had ever come across.) The service, ambiance and most importantly the food and wine were all of exceptional standards. The danish steak had a distinctly delicious taste and the comfort food sides were fantastic accompaniments – the extra cheesy Mac N Cheese was our favourite. MASH places great emphasis on the vast selection of wines available, which have been personally selected by their award-winning team of sommeliers, the London site will boast one of the largest collections of wine in the capital. MASH regularly serves VIPs, royalty and even the worlds number 1 chef in its' Danish restaurants, we have no doubt it will be attracting a similar clientele in London.  MASH officially opens on 3rd November and is situated in the buzzing area of Brewer Street, Soho.

Tom Aikens Master Classes in Mauritius

Headlining act of the London restaurant scene and the youngest chef ever to be awarded two Michelin stars, Tom Aikens will be cooking up a tropical storm at the prestigious Royal Palm in Mauritius from 25^th  – 27^th  March 2013.

For three days only, Tom will be presenting his innovative and creative style of modern French cookery that has been made famous at his Michelin starred Tom Aikens Restaurant in London. Guests will be able to partake in a series of one-off Master Classes and sit down to private four-course dinners cooked by the celebrity chef, over the three nights.

Dedicated to serving ethically sourced, seasonal ingredients of the highest quality, Tom will be working with the Royal Palm and the island’s local suppliers to re-craft his acclaimed signature dishes and give them a Mauritian-inspired twist.

The exclusive event will conclude with champagne on the beach and a demonstration of Mauritian cuisine hosted by both Tom Aikens and Royal Palm’s award-winning French chef, Michel de Matteis. Here, guests will discover the fusion of flavours that creates Mauritius’ complex gastronomy, a melting pot of Indian, Creole, Chinese, European influences that trace the island’s heritage.

The Tom Aikens Master Classes will take place between 25^th-27^th March and include 2 morning master classes with Tom, champagne on the beach with a joint demonstration of Mauritian cuisine hosted by Tom and Michel, and three Four-Course Dinners cooked by tom each evening

The Tom Aikens Master Class Week is available to book exclusively through Beachcomber Tours.

Festive afternoon tea at Quince at The May Fair

Escape the hustle and bustle and step away from the frenzy of festive shoppers in London and into the luxurious comfort and relaxed sophistication of Quince, at luxury London hotel the May Fair, for an indulgent Quince Afternoon Tea with a seasonal twist. Featuring a mulled wine martini, chocolate mince pies and caramelised chestnuts, this is the perfect way to spend an afternoon of seasonal indulgence.

Grey Goose - Taste by Appointment

If taste is a science, then flavour is an art form and Grey Goose has exquisitely mastered both for its Taste by Appointment event. Chartwell were cordially invited to just one of the events being held across London at Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, an understated venue that works a certain industrial chic. Greeted upon arrival by a Grey Goose Le Fizz concoction to cleanse the palette before the taste tests, also offered round were a selection of canapés to represent the five different areas of taste. Joe from Grey Goose, an enthused and passionate bartender spoke to the room in fantastic detail about the research that the brand have been doing with the Reading University Taste institute to really understand the experience of taste, aroma and flavour. Once the room had participated in a blind experiment to demonstrate taste, trolleys were brought out with Grey Goose Original, La Poire and L’Orange as well as a host of other popular and unusual mixers and guests were invited to experiment with different mixtures to find their taste. All these experiments culminated in the crown of the evening, the personal, bespoke Grey Goose cocktail. The dapper Joe who had spoken so passionately about the sensation of taste mixed each guest his or her own unique cocktail specifically taking into account their preferences and their usual drink of choice. The outcome for Chartwell was exquisite with Joe creating a Grey Goose and ginger ale cocktail with coriander, fresh ginger and ground black pepper muddled in as well as a dash of white grapefruit juice and a host of other finishing touches. A cocktail that suitably reflected the evening with Grey Goose: refreshing, unusual yet unsurprisingly refined.
Explore your own taste with GreyGoose Masterclasses here: http://www.greygoosetaste.com/

By Maddie Saunders - guest blogging for Chartwell Magazine.

A Victorian Voyage with Marcus Wareing

The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel and Marcus Wareing’s The Gilbert Scott restaurant are inviting guests on a Victorian-inspired journey to relive a golden era of sophistication and elegance. “A Victorian Voyage with Marcus Wareing” allows a group of ten friends to experience the very best of this special hotel through an intimate evening at the restaurant’s Kitchen Table, followed by a night in its historic Chambers Suites. 

The journey will commence beneath the original hotel’s coffee room, in the ‘engine room’ of The Gilbert Scott. The group will be seated around the arc-shaped table, in the heart of the kitchen, where they will observe Marcus Wareing’s team of chefs masterfully preparing each dish. 

The seasonal eight-course tasting menu will delight guests with its quintessential take on British Victorian classics such as Dorset crab, Kentish cobnuts and apple followed by roasted peaches, flapjack and crème fraîche ice cream. The meal is paired with English sparkling wine, expertly selected by The Gilbert Scott’s sommelier, to continue the culinary celebration of Great Britain. Following dinner, guests can retire with a nightcap to the hotel’s exclusive Chambers Club or climb the legendary Grand Staircase to their Chambers Suite, each of which has been painstakingly restored with the expert guidance of English Heritage. The fairytale finishes of the Chambers Suites are completed with specially selected artwork handpicked by the hotel’s owner; each piece is available to buy and includes works by Josef Albers, Takashi Murakami, Donald Judd and Banksy. 

The Victorian journey draws to a close with the hotel’s in-house historian, Royden Stock, who will be on hand to give guided tours of the hotel and regale guests with almost 140 years of fascinating history from Sir George Gilbert Scott’s original vision, to John Betjeman’s crusade to save the building from demolition and more recently, the Spice Girls reforming on the original Grand Staircase.   

Step into the world of Cirque du Sweet at Harrods

Step into the world of Cirque du Sweet, opening Saturday 14th July 2012.

Located within the new Toy Kingdom on the Third Floor, a magical candy haven awaits the sweet-toothed. Opening on Saturday 14th July, Cirque du Sweet is an interactive space that's set to provide a sensory experience for children and adults alike, with newly introduced exclusive concepts and products. Embark on a taste adventure with our traditional sweet shop or our Jelly Belly pick 'n' mix range, or experiment with something a little more adventurous, including...

The curious chocolate counter: Tantalise and trick the taste buds with Willy Wonka-esque combinations such as bubble gum-flavoured cookies, ice cream fondants, popcorn truffles and popping candy bombes. Handmade and finished by our expert team of chocolatiers, the range is also free from artificial colours and flavours.

Cirque du Sweet range: Taking inspiration from The Big Top, the circus-themed collection includes ginormours gobstoppers, magnificent gumballs, marvellous marshmallows and death-defying humbugs.

Papabubble: Exclusively available at Harrods, artisan candymakers Papabubble will offer customers a theatrical feast for the senses. Specialising in hard candy, Papabubble's ranges come in a variety of different colours, flavours, and shapes. All the candy is handcrafted by skilled candymakers, and customers can watch the entire process from the heating of the sugar to the shaping of the soft, colourful candy mixture. Pre-made, made-to-order and personalised sweets are available for weddings, birthdays and other occasions.

Patchino: Exclusively available at Harrods, imagination and innovation combine to give you delicious chocolates and fun toys. Prepared with premium ingredients, Patchino is a health-conscious chocolate brand that's made exclusively for children by renowned chocolate gift creator Patchi, and offers a variety of chocolate flavours packaged in colourful boxes and bags, together with exciting toys and games. Meet the entire lovable gang: Bonny the rabbit, Catty the cat, Doggy the dog, Dolmy the reindeer, Elly the elephant, Gerry the giraffe, Leony the lion, Timmy the tiger, and Zoey the zebra, through a wide range of products, varying from chocolate boxes and bags to tin boxes with a surprise gift inside, as well as gift toys, painting sets and plush toys accompanied by chocolates. Patchino present the ideal gifts from the wrapping paper to the goodies inside.

For more information, please visit http://www.harrods.com/