The 2011 edition of the ultimate foodie guide, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its UK version this year, has just been revealed today- and with 53 stars out of a total of 143 going to London (a record), the British capital proves that it has truly become one of the best places to eat out in the world.

When Joël Robuchon recently declared in the London Evening Standard that “London is very possibly the gastronomic capital of the world”, he might have raised a few highbrows in France. However, the famous French chef was definitely right, and no one can argue the incredible metamorphosis of London into a true foodie capital over the past 15 years or so.

“This centenary edition underlines the UK’s greatest strength which is the rich diversity and variety of its restaurants, remarked the guide’s editor in chief Rebecca Burr. The country embraces all kinds of restaurants and every type of cuisine and the public’s appetite shows no signs of abating.” The guide found 12 new one star establishments and awarded 26 new Bib Gourmands to restaurants particularly appreciated for their moderate prices. read more

For the second consecutive year, Mayfair restaurant Sketch has created a pop up patisserie and café at the Royal Academy of Arts for the festive season. Opening from 2nd December 2010 to 30th January 2011, it will run alongside the Royal Academy’s new exhibition, GSK Contemporary- Aware: Art Fashion Identity, which focuses on how artists and designers examine clothing as a mechanism to communicate and reveal elements of our identity.

Art, fashion and good food all make for a good recipe, especially when it involves such names as artist Dinos Chapman, Michelin star chef Pierre Gagnaire and designers Mawi and Linda Farrow. The result is rather inspiring, with bespoke tables covered in layered materials to form a patchwork of textures and colours, fashion-inspired cakes in the shape of shoes and clothes and photographs by artist Dinos Chapman featuring supermodel Claudia Schiffer- plus the possibility for one customer each week to win a piece of Mawi jewellery from the display. For the gourmet who likes to double as a culture vulture and fashionista, the Royal Academy’s new exhibition “GSK Contemporary-Aware: Art Fashion Identity” aims to explore the relationship between individual and social identities, with work by Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen, Yoko Ono, Grayson Perry and Yohji Yamamoto, amongst others. Smart, beautiful and tasty: there are worst combinations than that… read more

Fancy a taste of the Annabel’s experience but don’t have a membership? Fear not… Those eager to own a piece of the London’s famous private club -which can claim to be the only one ever visited by the Queen- can now buy into its exclusivity through its very own hamper, launched by The Mount Street Deli. Maybe not as fun as strutting your stuff on its sparkly dance floor, but quite chic nonetheless…

With a price tag of £200, the Annabel’s Christmas hamper is certainly not cheap, but it is luxurious, and will provide a nice gourmet treat or gift for those who can afford it. The selection includes Annabel’s chocolate truffles, Sicilian pistachio biscuits, foie gras de canard, Torroni Baci nougat and panettone, as well as a book explaining and illustrating some of the club’s secrets, with contributions from Lady Annabel Goldsmith and Sir David Tang, and recipes from the club’s chefs, past and present. The Mount Street Deli’s limited collection of hampers also includes The Club at the Ivy’s Christmas hamper, for those more tempted by a taste of the Covent Garden celebrity hangout than by the Berkeley Square aristo nightclub. read more

The private club launched in 2008 at the top of Centre Point has recently opened its restaurant and bar to the public, offering what is arguably the most glamorous view across London.

When it comes to enjoying a cocktail with a view (French Rock’n Roll with absinthe is a personal favourite), there are not many places that can beat Paramount, the private members club launched in 2008 by French entrepreneur Pierre Condou (owner of Century in Soho) which is now opened to the public.

Located on the 32nd floor of iconic Centre Point, the modernist building designed in 1966 by architect Richard Seifert, it offers 360-degree viewsacross London, and a stylish interior by Tom Dixon, including a very impressive grand copper bar. Pure panoramic glamour… read more

The historic company founded in 1600 by queen Elizabeth -which brought tea, spices, chocolate and coffee to Britain and once employed a third of the British workforce- is re-launched with the opening of a luxury food store in Mayfair on 14 August. Modelled on the house of a Georgian gentleman officer, this gorgeous store draws on the East India Company’s heritage as the first global luxury brand, to offer a range of exotic luxury gourmets treats, infusing flavours from the East with western favourites

Few companies can boast such an impressive pedigree as the East India Company, originally established in 1600 by Queen Elizabeth I. This “Honourable Company of Merchants” -once responsible for half of the world trade and employing a third of the British workforce- not only brought tea, spices, chocolate and coffee to Britain, it also influenced the world we live in today.

As the world’s first multi-national company, complete with its own army and currency, it founded trade outposts such as Singapore and Hong Kong, and was granted the island of St. Helena by the Crown, thus being in charge of looking after Napoleon Bonaparte when he was exiled there. While the French emperor’s praise of the company’s local coffee launched its fashion in Paris, the decision by the East India Company to abolish slavery on the island in 1832 paved the way for a ban in the rest of the colonies, with the law being adopted by Parliament one year later. read more

Created in the 17th century thanks to the process of doubly distilling the white wines produced in the area surrounding the town of Cognac, this French brandy has enjoyed over the last decade a remarkable increase in popularity. Moving from its traditional image as the liquor of choice for cigar chomping businessmen, it has been adopted by the world of hip hop (P Diddy, Jay Z, Missy Elliott, Eminen have all extolled the beauty of « yak »), while its use has evolved from traditional digestif to contemporary cocktails and frozen shots. Here, Alexandre Quentin, UK ambassador for Rémy Martin, a house founded in 1724 and ranked first in the market’s premium category, gives Chic-Londres a little lesson on cognac.

What do the terms found on cognac bottles -VS, VSOP and XO- mean?Those are the official quality grades of cognac according to the BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac), which are used to determine how old the brandy is. Funnily enough, they don’t mean anything in French as they were originally created by the English, who were the first big consumers of cognac. “VS” means “Very Special” where the youngest brandy is stored for at least two years in cask; “VSOP” means “Very Special Old Pale”, where the youngest brandy is stored at least four years in cask, and “XO” means “Extra Old”, where the youngest brandy is stored for at least six, but usually much longer. From 2012, this designation will move to at least ten years. read more

Chocolatier William Curley (38) trained in England with Michelin stared chefs Pierre Koffman, Raymond Blanc and Marco Pierre White in England, as well as Marc Meneau in France, before becoming Chef Patissier at The Savoy Hotel, where he met his Japanese wife Suzue, also a respected chef. Together, they founded the William Curley brand and opened their first shop in Richmond in 2004, followed by a second one in Belgravia in 2009. William was awarded the “Best British Chocolatier” award by the Academy of Chocolate in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

What makes a really good quality chocolate? The key, as in anything else in food, is the quality of the ingredients. I always use the Italian brand Amedei as my couverture chocolate (i.e. a very high quality chocolate with at least 32% of cocoa butter), some good Normandy butter, a good local English cream, while all the flavoring is made using only fresh and natural ingredients, such as lemon and thyme. Just as important is the work ethics, which means that everything is not only handmade, but also produced by real chefs, as opposed to untrained people. read more

At last, the French “Picasso of Pastry” has arrived in London! Pierre Hermé’s legendary collections of gourmet macaroons and chocolates are now available for the first time in the UK, where they can be found at Selfridges. Rejoice!

The fabulous macaroons much loved by Gossip Girl’s Hollywood starlets can now be bought exclusively at Selfridges, while plans to open the first Pierre Hermé Paris boutique in London are scheduled for later this year.

This is good news for Londoners, who will at last be able to sample the design pastries artistically created by Pierre Hermé -nicknamed “The Picasso of Pastry” by American Vogue- without taking the Eurostar.

“It has always been a dream of mine to open in London, as many of our devotees in Paris are from the UK, says Pierre Hermé. The energy of London is recognised throughout the world and I am simply delighted to be here at last.” So are we… read more

British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes has always been renowned for her colourful and eccentric touches. This London Fashion Week, the ever-innovative artist has brought her palette to the palate, with an edible diffusion of fashionable mini éclairs.

These ready to eat treats have been intricately decorated with images of Zandra Rhodes’ latest diffusion line, using an innovative process of moulds from Paris and art magnetic technology from Germany and Switzerland, with transfers decorative prints and images on the cakes made with edible ink.

And the designs are of course tailored to taste, with flavours such as Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Jelly, Cheese Fondant with Parmesan Crisp, Passion Fruit & Mango and Mint & Chocolate Chip. The éclairs cost £2.50 each and are available exclusively at the Arch, Marble Arch’s newest hotel, until 31 March. read more

Originally from Toulouse and having trained under Guy Savoy, Pascal Aussignac (41) opened Le Club Gascon near Smithfield market in East London in 1998, in partnership with Vincent Labeyrie, himself a descendent of a well-known foie gras distribution company. Strengthened by the success of the restaurant, featuring speciality dishes from South-West France and holder of a Michelin star since 2002, they have since opened several bars and restaurants. Here, the chef gives Chic-Londres the lowdown on foie gras and offers an original take on this delicacy served as pudding from his recipe book Cuisinier Gascon.

Foie gras: a brief history

“Foie gras is one of the culinary treasures of France’s south-west and has always has been considered a luxury, its consumption usually associated with celebrations. For instance, because of its one-time seasonality, it used to be bought in the greatest quantity at Christmas time.

Until quite recently, it was eaten in France at the end of a meal, presumably when the sweeter wines were served. Nowadays it has become an introduction to a meal, but still with a sweet white wine such as Sauternes. I also like to serve it marinated in a particular spirit, with a shot glass of that same spirit. Otherwise, a good Champagne or port would be ideal accompaniments. read more

This week, Chic-Londres visited the Beefeater distillery in Kennington, Beefeater being the only major brand of gin still made in London today: a good occasion to come back to the history of this quintessentially English drink, and to get a few lovely cocktail recipes from its master distiller Desmond Payne, the leading expert in this industry.

London dry gin: the story

• 1618-48: English soldiers first encounter genever while fighting in Holland during the 30 years war in Europe. The Dutch juniper flavoured grain spirit is given as a morale booster before battle (hence the expression “Dutch courage”). They bring back genever home when they return.
• 1688: The Dutch William of Holland accedes to the English throne: genever becomes the fashionable drink at Hampton Court and Kensington Palace, where drinking genever is seen as a gesture of Protestantism.
• 1730: In some parts of London, and particularly the area around Oxford Circus know as St Giles, one house in three sells gin, while it spreads amongst the London’s poor.
• 1743: In London in 1750, adults drank an average of 181 litres of gin per year, or half a litre per day: the authorities become alarmed about the social effects of wide-spread drunkenness, as the “Gin Craze” takes hold.
• 1751: The Tippling Act begins to effectively control sale and production of cheap gin and paves the way for the production of quality products.
• 1794: The Trade Directory for the City of London, Westminster and Southwark lists over 40 gin and malt distillers, with 90% of English gin then distilled in London.
• 1830: The first gin palace, Fearon’s, opens in Holborn. Those fashionable bars are the inspiration for Victorian pubs, which borrow their interior design.
• 1832: Through the invention of the continuous still, a more pure spirit can be made, leading to the creation of an unsweetened, aromatic style of gin known as “London Dry” (by opposition to sweet gin), as so many distillers are based in the British capital.
• 1874: The Criterion, the first proper American cocktail bar, opens in London at Piccadilly Circus.
• 1920: The first “official” cocktail party is held in London.
• 1990s: The second great cocktail revival is led by the bar scenes in London and New York.

Did you know?

• Gin may have been made as early as the late 15th century in Italy and was certainly produced in Holland in the early 17th century, where it was sold in chemist shops as a medicine to treat stomach complaints, gout and gallstones.
• Tonics were, like gin, originally developed as a medicine. When travelling to India and Asia, the British were susceptible to malaria and found out that quinine, an ingredient in tonic water, was useful for protecting against the disease. Adding gin made the tonic water much more palatable and the G&T fashion quickly caught on.
• After tonic water, the most popular mixers for gin include vermouth, needed to make a martini, and lime cordial, which makes a “gimlet”.
• A traditional martini cocktail should be made with gin, not vodka, and as James Bond rightly knows, stirred, not shaken.

A few interesting facts about Beefeater

• Beefeater’s heritage can be traced back to the 1820s, when John taylor founded a small gin distillery in Chelsea. In 1863, James Burrough, a trained pharmacist born in Devon, came back from America and bought the distillery, which became the Beefeater gin Distillery, which has now become the only major gin distillery still based in London. Originally located in Chelsea, the distillery moved to Lambeth and then Kennington, where it has been since 1958.
• The distilling method Burrough devised in the 1860s, along with the secret recipe he created, is still used to this day, virtually unchanged: it is produced from London distilled pure grain spirit and a blend of nine botanicals: juniper, angelica root, angelica seed, coriander, liquorice, almond, orris (violet) root, the peel of Spanish lemons and oranges.
• Seeking a suitable name to emphasise its gin’s London heritage, James Burrough found inspiration in the Yeoman Warders –also known as “beefeaters”- who have guarded the Tower of London since 1485, hence its red colour design, based on the guards uniform.
• Beefeater’s dedicated Master distiller Desmond Payne personally selects all the botanicals used in the Beefeater recipe. He has been distilling for 40 years and is acknowledged as the leading gin distiller in the industry. Last year, he launched Beefeater 24, a premium gin made from 12 hand-selected botanicals mixed with a rare blend of Chinese and Japanese teas (£26 at Harvey Nichols and Harrod’s).

For the cold winter evenings: a few recipes made with Beefeater 24

The Beefeater Shrub, created by Chris Jepson for Bungalow 8

Ingredients: Beefeater 24 gin/2 punnets raspberries/2 punnets blackberries/8-10 tbs caster sugar/Cloudy apple juice/Lemon juice/Nutmeg

Method: In a saucepan, muddle together the raspberries and blackberries/Add a little water and gently heat through adding sugar as it warms up, simmer for 5 mns/When cool place into an empty bottle and add equal parts of gin to the mixture/Leave this to stand at room temperature for a day or two giving enough time to marry together/Pour into a wine glass 75ml of the mixture, fill the glass with ice, squeeze and discard a piece of lemon and top with apple juice/Give it a quick stir and finally grate some fresh nutmeg over the drink: read more

Food lovers, rejoice: legendary French chef Pierre Koffmann -of La Tante Claire’s fame- is back with a temporary restaurant on the roof of Selfridges. Book quickly: he is only there for three weeks.

Why go there?

Chic-Londres is beyond excitement at the prospect of going to see 2012 Golden Globes best actor winner Idris Elba DJing at Kilburn’s Love & Liquor. And anyone who’s seen cult TV series The Wire -in which the plays Baltimore’s drug baron “Stringer” Bell- will understand why. And while we would be happy to endure one more “actor-turned-DJ”‘s bad set just for the sheer pleasure of partying with him, it appears that Elba -who recently starred in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and has been tipped as the next James Bond- is actually a seasoned DJ, who started at the desks aged 14 and has since collaborated with the like of Jay-Z and Mumford & Sons. In short: his latest project 7 Wallace, a series of seven nights starting on 25 December when he is spinning at Love & Liquor every Friday until 15th March, is not to be missed…

However popular his next roles might be -from the forthcoming Nelson Mandela to James Bond, for which he’s hotly tipped- Idris Elba (40) will forever be remembered by his legions of fans as Russell “Stringer” Bell, The Wire’s most charismatic character. For those unfortunate who still haven’t seen the cult American series, he plays a Baltimore’s drug baron turned business student, and one of the most compulsively attractive and multi-layered character ever created for the screen. This role has made him hot property, both in England and in Hollywood, where he’s won a Golden Globe Best Actor award in 2012 for his portrayal as a tortured detective in the award-winning BBC series Luther and has been voted one of the “100 most beautiful people in the world” by People Magazine. read more

At Chic-Londres, we love a good masquerade party, especially when it comes with some eerie Victorian psychic reading and festive tunes. So the prospect of a costumed ball organised in the majestic setting of Kensington Palace’s Orangery can only appeal. Once home of the most lavish court entertainment, the 18th century building will be transformed for one night only into an icy winter wonderland, with some fun acts provided by magicians, dancers and a 13-piece brass band. read more

It isn’t as gloomy as it sounds. Really… The Day of the Dead festival -the Mexican equivalent to Halloween- is actually a colourful, vibrant celebration of lost, loved ones -whose spirits come to visit to enjoy food and music- rather than some ghoulish festival. So for those who are getting a bit over pumpkins, that’s a very attractive alternative, especially when it comes with tasy food and cocktails, some interesting arts and nightly concerts from the brilliant Rodrigo y Gabriela (who also performed for the Obamas at the White House, no less). The acoustic guitarists will bring their own instrumental blend of metal, jazz and world music to the four-day festival.

Chic-Londres saw Rodrigo y Gabriela, the rising stars of acoustic guitar, when they were headlining the wonderful Wilderness festival last August. And they are absolutely brilliant (and so does think Barack Obama, who got them to play at the White House)… So going to the four-day festival of music, food, art and film hosted by Mexican restaurants Wahaca, headed by TV celebrity chef Thomasina Miers, at The Old Vic Tunnels would be justified if only to listen to their uniqueinstrumental fusion style, blending metal, electronica and jazz. But there is more to be enjoyed, with the Old Vic Tunnels being  transformed into a little piece of Mexico, with Wahaca’s temporary street kitchen and mezcalaria bar, an exhibition of work by highly acclaimed Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide, work by the eminent Mexican artist Dr Lakra, screening of Mexican classic Santa Sangre with performance of a new live score by the Cabinet of Living Cinema and late night revelry with Communion DJs. In addition to the night time shows, Saturday 3 November, families will be able to attend an array of traditional Day of the Dead children’s workshops on Saturday 3 November, with morning and afternoon sessions including storytelling and sugar skulls paintings. read more

Nothing like a good party to beat the back to school/back to work/end of Olympics September blues… So no matter if the suntan is fading and the days are getting shorter, there is always something to celebrate. Here is a small selection of outings that Chic-Londres recommends…

Retrospective, the Vintage Fashion Show and Party on Saturday 15th I do have a very soft spot for the Bourne & Hollingworth parties (Blitz, Prohibition, Belle Epoque, Chap Olympiad and Wyndstock) -the frocks, the bands, the sets, the cocktails…- which never disappoint. So I’m really looking forward to Retrospective, their new offering, organised in collaboration with some of the best vintage experts in London. There will be a fashion show with beautiful one-off pieces from the world’s finest design houses (Givenchy, Ossie Clark, Chanel, Dior and the like), as well as floorshows capturing the key moments in fashion history, with live re-enactments by performers of some iconic fashion events, from flapper flash mobs to Studio 54 dancers on horseback, plous DJs and cocktails. As usual, guests are expected to dress up and don their finest vintage attire, be it their granny’s Vionnet debutante dress or that funny little psychedelic number found on Portobello. www.fashionretrospective.com read more

For those wishing to enjoy the Olympics’ atmosphere while indulging in a bit of private members clubs’ luxury, the Fringe and Fish Island Riviera should prove just perfect. Both situated at 100 metres from the Olympic stadium -so great for a prime view of the ceremonies’ fireworks on 27th July and 12th August- those pop up members’ clubs bring the glam factor to Stratford, with their plush cocktails bars, gourmet restaurants, top design, DJ parties, yachts marinas… and even a beach. The East End has never been so chic!

The Fringe 2012: Luxury Warehouse and Top DJS Located in a beautiful Victorian four storey building by the river at Swan Wharf, it overlooks the main Olympic Stadium and is just a 100 metres walk from the Olympic Park. Totally refurbished to top standards, those former stables boast an eclectic mix of high-end, vintage and bespoke furniture, fittings and lighting, with crystal chandeliers by Baccarat, contemporary furniture by Vitra and art exhibitions by Tim Flach and Charlotte Cory. The venue will serve as an all day and all night retreat from 9am offering food, cocktails and coffee lounges with LCD screens broadcasting Olympic events, while access to a 800 square metres courtyard will allow guests to watch the Games in a giant screen, with the spectators’ cheers in the stadium as a background sound. For party animals, there will be live DJ sets in the evenings until 2am, with the Dixon Brothers, Dom Chung, Norman Jay and Jazzie B & the SoulIISoul Sound System. Bring on the party! www.thefringe2012.com (tickets from £35 for the evening and £75 for the day with one meal and three drinks) read more

With dozens of concerts over three days and four stages and a line up that includes big names like Rihanna, Jessie J, Drake, Rizzle Kicks, Rita Ora, Calvin Harris, Pitbull, etc., the Barclaycard Wireless Festival in Hyde Park remains the best music festival in London. For those who want to go but wouldn’t mind to escape the crowd of tenths of thousands but a more intimate experience, here is a good tip: HP is holding a series of exclusive live, with acoustic performances by the likes of Ms Dynamite, Labrinth, StooShe and Chiddy Bang to an audience of just 80 lucky fans. Cool or what?

What to expect ? There will be a series of intimate gigs taking place across the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, performed by big names like Miss Dynamite or Labrinth as well as talented up-and-comers StooShe or Josh Osho, for an audience of only 80 people. Wannabe popstars will also be able to test their skills thanks to a video karaoke booth with a festival backdrop and karaoke versions of some of the headliner’s top tunes. Fun!

How to get tickets ? The HP Live Series acoustic gigs are open to those fans already attending Barclaycard Wireless Festival 2012. Attendance to any of the special performances is managed on a guest-list basis – fans can pre-register for a place on the list by emailing the name of the artist whose session they would like to attend to [email protected] or registering on site with the HP promotional staff read more

For those who want to unleash their inner child -and still have a penchant for a bit of candy floss or naughty mischief- the fun-filled Old Vic Tunnels holiday camp should prove just perfect. Back for the second time, after a sell-out success last Easter, this rather quirky event -part of the Veuve Clicquot Season- will mix some (kind-of) sporty camp activities with some more mischievous ones- such as an adult Punch & Judy show and a school disco with no 9pm curfew. Bring it on.

Ah! To be a kid again, playing silly games, having a first crush, stuffing ourselves with candy floss and ice cream, but with no parent or carer to tell us what to do, no early bedtime curfew and a few jugs of Pimm’s thrown in… That sounds rather good, doesn’t it?

If you find such a prospect tempting,  the cavernous -but oh so versatile- tunnels under Waterloo station will get transformed from tonight until Sunday into a holiday camp, with indoor crazy golf, badminton and basketball courts, a ping-pong table, a bouncy castle, trampolines and some wet sponge throwing- amongst other activities. read more

The supremely elegant Hurlingham Club -a favourite of the Royals and Ladies Who Lunch- is more used to host chic garden parties than flamenco and electro nights… until this Friday, when its grounds will be turned into a hedonistic party place. To launch the Season, and coinciding with the MINT Polo in the Park tournament this weekend, Veuve Clicquot is organizing a summer party which should rock the club’s manicured lawns.

What It will be a proper party, with a live performance by very cool guitarist Jackson Scott and his gipsy-influenced band Mano de Dios, followed by sets from (much in demand) DJ Hugo Heathcote, Isaac Ferry and Sunday Girl- so expect plenty of dancing, from flamenco to electro to pop. There will be chill out areas in the gardens and of course lots of champagne. Oh… and it will double up as the polo players’ party for MINT Polo in the Park so it will be eye candy galore for the ladies.

Who With an organising committee that reads like the pages of Tatler, the party should definitely attract a well connected crowd. Think dashing young aristos -Quintessentially’s founder Ben Elliot, triple-barrelled millionaire Jacobi Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, Prince William’s ex Rose Farquhar-, shoe designer Beatrix Ong and up-and-coming actress Olivia Grant, socialites Donna Air and Clare Milford-Haven… and plenty of “sons and daughters of ” such as Tyrone Wood,  Lydia Forte and Isaac Ferry. read more