Marcus Wareing, an English celebrity chef and the Chef Patron of Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley in Knightsbridge, is sharing his thoughts and exciting plans in an exclusive interview with Semperey magazine
Marcus Wareing has been a heart and soul of the restaurant at the Berkeley since its opening in 2008. We asked him about the history and the core elements of his success, as well as talked about transformation of the restaurant interior in the near future.
Semperey: Could you please share your inspirations for the brand – how did it all start?
Marcus: The current incarnation of the restaurant began in 2008 when it was renamed Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, from Petrus. Petrus opened originally in St James’ street in 1999 then moved to the Berkeley Hotel in 2003. The inspiration behind it was from the wonderful Burgundian wine; Petrus. The design of the new site came from the concept of the wine bottle; the ceiling representing the bottle label, the walls a rich, claret suede to represent the wine itself. The concept of the food was robust flavours and interesting textures which remain today.
S: Why the Berkeley was chosen as the flagship restaurant location?
M: It is a great site and has a great history behind it. Being in one of the most beautiful areas in London, Knightsbridge, opposite a beautiful park and located in one of London’s top hotels it was, and remains, an exciting opportunity.
S: Talking about Marcus Wareing dining experience, what is its most special feature?
M: I don’t think you can single our one special thing about a dining experience as there are so many factors that influence a great experience; the company you are with, comfort, great service and wonderful food. To me it is when all of the elements work together that you have a great experience.
S: Why has the emphasis been placed on seasonal cuisine?
M:
As a child, my Father (a fruit and potato merchant) taught me the importance of ripe, seasonal produce. Food tastes better when it is in season and when it has not travelled half way around the world. We have just had fresh almonds come into season which are only available for a short time of the summer season – they are one of my favourite summer ingredients as they are a very subtle, perfumed flavour and have a great, crisp and crunchy texture. Suckling lamb is also one of the highlights of summer – it is so tender yet has a great flavour.
S: We heard that you have some inspiring plans for the future, could you reveal some details?
M: We are hoping to undertake a refurbishment of the restaurant next year to be able to give it a new lease of life. The food and service will remain much the same but we want to make the processes a lot slicker. A lot has changed in 10 years so we want to freshen up the way we do things and provide a great experience for our guests, and for my team.
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