You might not have heard of it yet, but there’s a new culinary trend which has been making its mark on the foodie scene over the past few years, first in New York and more recently in Paris. Increasingly popular, both at home and in restaurants, the “drunch” -a lunch-dinner hybrid- is usually enjoyed between 3 and 6pm on Sundays. Advantages: it allows weekenders to spend a leisurely afternoon enjoying some curative food with friends and family while giving them some free time in the morning and allowing them to have an early night to recover before Monday.

French artisan mustard maker Maille and super chef Hélène Darroze (who holds two Michelin stars at The Connaught in London and two others at her eponymous restaurant in Paris) have teamed up to create a six courses Drunch menu,  available to sample at Maille’s lovely pop up boutique.

There they can taste tomato gazpacho, slow cooked lamb parmentier, crab cakes, eggs, red berry salad and caramelised apples. The tables are already fully booked but tastings will be available at the boutique’s counter. And all for free! read more

What dishes made Henry VIII’s tummy rumble? If that’s a question that tingles your imagination, there is a way to find out in November and December, through a series of Tudor Cookery masterclasses organised at Hampton Court Palace. There, History chefs will prepare a banquet fit for a king, recreating in front of visitors some actual recipes served to the Royals in the 16th century. For the last few years, the Palace has been home to a research project run by food archeologists who regularly bring the kitchens to life, experimenting with traditional recipes, ingredients and cooking methods, in the actual space that was used to cook the royal feats in. Visitors have therefore a unique access to the kitchens where historic meals are created live in front of them, and where they can question the staff and join in the debate that is experimental archaeology. read more

Launched by The Evening Standard’s food critic Fay Maschler in 2009, to raise the profile of the 800 restaurants involved -from high-profile Michelin-starred establishments to neighbourhood bistrots-, London Restaurant Festival 2012 is back this year between the 1st and 15th of October. Good news for the gourmets, who will be able to sample some attractively priced menus and to participate in unusual events involving not only gourmet food but also cinema, theatre or pub games. Here is a small selection of some appetising activities.

The Gourmet Odyssey For one evening, participants are taken on a gastronomic tour of some London’s hippest hangouts, enjoying each course in a different place. The three odysseys this year include a trendy tour of the East End, the classic masters of the gastronomy scene and the newer restaurants (such as Novikov and Brasserie Zedel)  shaking up the capital.

Graze With this new concept, people are offered a restaurant-hopping experience in some of the most vibrant food streets in London, such as Charlotte Street, Bermondsey Street or Marylebone High Street, where they can sample signature dishes from each of the restaurants involved. read more

If you’ve ever wondered what the first class passengers of the doomed Titanic had for their last supper, now is your chance to try it for yourself. Available at Selfridges from the 10th to 29th April, the Titanic Centenary Menu was created by acclaimed restaurateur Mark Hix, based on the original tasting menu printed on 14th April 1912, just before the Titanic’s maiden voyage ended in tragedy.

After the films, the series and the exhibitions comes… the food. Created by Mark Hix, the Titanic Centenary Menu, which offers a selection of nine of the 20 dishes offered to the first class passengers on the night when the Titanic sank, includes retro delicacies such as Duck liver parfait with toasted brioche and Kingston Black jelly and Waldorf Pudding with cider brandy ice cream.

The menu is also a celebration of the best of Irish and British products, in honour to the doomed ship, built in Belfast and launched in Southampton: “The idea came from a meeting we had with some of our artisan Irish producers, explains Ewan Venters, Selfridges Food and Restaurant Director. Hix has added his usual twist but the dishes are as close to the original as possible.” An interesting alternative for all those fascinated by the Titanic or just interested in a bit of culinary history. read more

Winter has definitely arrived and with it, our collective dream to decamp to sunnier places. But for us poor Londoners who aren’t travelling to warmer climates, there might be a culinary escape from the cold in the form of Suka at Sanderson. The restaurant has just launched a “pop up” street-food menu that aims to capture the energy and flavours of the Malay food scene, with plate sharing, spices aplenty and an exotic twist on the West End dining experience…

Granted, the Sanderson restaurant, with its minimal India Mahdavi-designed decor and buzzing sound system, might not exactly be reminiscent of the crowded streets of Kuala Lumpur- but its new menu definitely is. Available for a limited time only, the new concept, created by contributing Malaysian Chef Ahmad Shuib, aims to provide a culinary journey through Malaysian streets, with lots of spices and dishes to share between friends (or with a date).

Options include dishes such as the kapitan kambing, a Portuguese influenced spicy lamb with coconut curry and baby potatoes, the itik wonton soup, a Chinese influenced soup of duck dumplings, shitake mushrooms, spring onions and baby bokchoy, traditional laksas and some Malaysian inspired desserts such as the pineapple carpaccio and basil sorbet. Added bonus: it is great value for money is such a swish location, with dishes ranging from £8 to £15. Nice… read more

Loaves are rarely described as “chic”- except in the case of “Pain Poilâne” that is, the delicious bread beloved by generations of distinguished Parisians and international fans past and present; including Salvador Dali, Frank Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, Man Ray, Steven Spielberg and Robert de Niro. The renowned bakery, opened in Paris in 1932 by Pierre Poilâne, was transformed into an international bread empire under his son Lionel, exporting loaves all over the world and opening a bakery in London in 2000. After his tragic death in a helicopter’s accident in 2002, the business was taken over by his elder daughter, Harvard graduate Apollonia, now 27. Chic-Londres caught up with the young bread tycoon at the recent opening of Cuisine de Bar, an informal, affordable and very yummy all-day dining concept in the heart of Chelsea.

What is the concept behind Cuisine de Bar? It is about creating a simple meal which doesn’t necessitate specific preparations or the presence of a chef. We serve garnished toasted bread, known in France as “tartines”, with a seasonal salad.

How did you get the idea to open a café? I first wanted to open a second bakery shop in London and this is how I discovered this address at 39 Cadogan Gardens. The place couldn’t have a bread oven but when I saw it, I immediately thought about opening Cuisine de Bar. The concept was formed in 1995 by my father, when he opened one next door to our Parisian bakery in 8, rue du Cherche-Midi. read more

After having trained as a chef and worked as a Michelin restaurants inspector for twelve years, Rebecca Burr (41) was appointed editor of the Great Britain and Ireland Michelin Guide last year, becoming the first woman to hold this post since the British edition was created 101 years ago. The 2012 edition sees 151 Michelin stars awarded by the Guide -including 55 in London- as well as the first British pub, The Hand and Flowers in Marlow, to be awarded two stars. Here, Rebecca talks to Chic-Londres about the British food scene.

How has the British food scene evolved over the years? It has evolved beyond recognition. Now London has established an international reputation as a world gastronomy capital, with 55 stars awarded this year, out of a total of 151 stars over Britain and Ireland. This number has increased every year, from 25 in 1974 to 153 last year, both because new establishments have opened and because the existing ones have improved so much. The other major change is the evolution of the British pub industry, with 13 pubs this year being awarded Michelin stars, which confirms our view that pubs serving good food are the ones that continue to thrive. Generally speaking, the British diners are much savvier nowadays- they are much better informed and interested in food, so the food culture has changed. read more

There are worse things to do than spend your day tasting some of the world’s best produce, cooked by some of the world’s best chefs, on the elegant grounds of the Hurlingham Club. If the concept appeals, you might want to book a ticket for Quintessentially Epicure, a two-day luxurious gastronomic event taking place next Friday and Saturday.

This epicurean event, set in the oh-so-exclusive Hurlingham Club in Fulham, will offer guests the chance to experience demonstrations from a selection of Michelin-starred wonder chefs, including Marcus Wareing from The Berkeley, Hélène Darroze from The Connaught and Giorgio Locatelli from Locanda Locatelli.

Gourmets with a sweet tooth won’t be forgotten, as pâtissier extraordinaire Pierre Hermé and fine chocolatier William Curley will also be present- so expect exquisite macarons and some of the finest cocoa creations. read more