The Restaurants

Top 10 Restaurants in London as according to GSM (Gareth Steve and Megan)

1. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
2. Le Gavroche
3. Nobu London
4. Hakkasan
5. St John
6. The Greenhouse
7. The Square
8. Petrus
9. Hibiscus
10. Chez Bruce

The basis of our decisions for ranking the top ten restaurants in London, England was based on restaurants obtaining points through a three tier scoring system. The restaurants were then ranked accordingly. The first tier is where the most points could be accumulated and was based on national and international recognition. The three highest areas where points were awarded were a restaurant having 3 Michelin stars (100points), being awarded a position in the Worlds 50 Best restaurants (100points) or 2 Michelin stars (50points). Wine Spectator Awards, positioning in the Zagat’s best of publication or 1 Michelin star all gave 25 points.

Tier two was local and regional recognition and all worth 20 points. The third tier was worth 10 points and was based on positive reviews by food critics.

In the event of a tie score the restaurant with the most awards in the top tier won.

For your interest we’ve included a quick bio on the top three restaurants chef’s.



The Chefs
Our top three chefs were Gordon Ramsay of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa of Nobu and Michel Roux Jr of Le Gavroche.
Gordon Ramsay
“PHOQUE!” is a commonly used word in the arctic. Its origin is French and its meaning is seal. More recently the word has become as synonymous a phrase as “BAM!”, “Now that’s right Pukka!”, “EVOO” and “It’s all about the flavor”. The man who has claimed this idiom as a culinary expression is none other than Gordon Ramsay.

Gordon Ramsay was born in Scotland in 1966 but raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. At a young age he showed a true talent for soccer and was eventually recruited to the Glasgow Rangers. Unfortunately, due to a leg injury his career was cut short. After the injury Ramsay attended school, studying hotel management.

Ramsay began his culinary career after school studying under Marco Pierre White at Harvey’s and Albert Roux in London Le Gavroche. After getting his fill of London, Ramsay moved on to hone his skills in French cuisine studying under Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon in France. Both chefs held Michelin stars. It would seem that it is here that Ramsay began to further define his culinary style.

Ramsay’s first and namesake restaurant is Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London (http://www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad/). The restaurant as described by their website is “elegant, intimate with unparalleled service”. Restaurant Gordon Ramsey not only boasts three Michelin stars but also a 3 course prix fix lunch menu and two prix fix menus for dinner, a three course and seven course.

Ramsays style is heavily influenced and easily described as classical French cuisine with hints of Italian. The second appetizer on his dinner menu proves this. It is a

Slow braised pied de cochon pressed then pan fried with ham knuckle, poached quail's egg with hollondaise sauce.

Through his popular shows, one comes to the conclusion that he is a heavy advocate of using local fresh ingredients. His menu combines this with some of the finest ingredients found in Western Europe.


Nobuyuki Matsuhisa
Nobu is a restaurant owned by Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa. Nobu started cooking in Tokyo and began opening restaurants all over the world. Currently, Nobu is operating in 20 different locations, with 12 of the 20 located in the United States. Nobu Tokyo was the first restaurant established of the chain, and after 8 years as Executive Chef, Nobu Matsuhisa decided to travel the World for more inspiration. At the present time, all Nobu restaurants are influenced with a South American and Western Japanese Menu, also known as “new style” Japanese. Nobu London is a 150 seat restaurant with an extraordinary view of Hyde Park, while the décor is very natural with light wood and stones to enhance the Japanese experience. Nobu London has been open since 1997, and the Executive Chef, Mark Edwards, has also been there since 1997.

Just like Nobu Matsuhisa, Mark Edwards believed that it would be in his best interest to gain more knowledge in his field of study by traveling the World. He started his escapade in Europe where he worked for 5 years, and then moved to the United States – more specifically, New York City. Mark spent 5 years in New York and became enthralled with Asian techniques in cooking. He then moved his studies over to Asia for around 2 years, and then traveled back to London England. In 1997 he met with Nobu Matsuhisa, and became the executive chef of Nobu England. Only a year later, Nobu England received a Michelin Star, which is one of the highest honors in food awards to date, and continues to hold said honor. Other positive reviews that Mark Edwards has received at Nobu England are as follows; World’s 50 best, Zagot’s top 10, trip advisor’s top 10, and a number of great independent food critic reviews.

Mark Edwards also lends his expertise to others in the form of motivational speaking. He is requested around the World to speak about his life, experiences, and host cooking demonstrations. Not only is Mark Edwards a brilliant chef, but he is extremely comfortable with his abilities and reputation, that he is able to share his knowledge and teach others some of his cooking techniques. Mark Edwards also collaborated with Nobu Matsuhisa in the writing of Nobu West, a cook book that brings simplicity and taste to the table. The book was published in 2007, and features over 120 traditional Japanese-style recipes with European and American influences.

Michel Roux Jr.

A mere seven years old when his famed father, Albert Roux, opened Le Gavroche in 1960, Michel Roux Jr. seemed destined to one day take the reins of him family’s iconic restaurant. Born Michel Albert Roux on May 23, 1960 in England, he began his culinary journey in 1979, apprenticing under Hellegouarche , a Master Patissier in Paris. After brief stints in both the military and accounting, he returned to England to study under Pierre Koffmann at the Prestigious ‘La Tante Claire’ in 1983. He joined his father at Le Gavroche in 1985.

Le Gavroche has been a mountain on the London dining landscape for decades, earning Michelin stars, spots on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants lists, and countless forms of local praise. Upon opening, it exposed the UK to French foods that, previously, had only been available in France itself. After the restaurtant won a three Michelin Star rating in 1991 (the first in all of Britain), Michel Roux Jr. took over from his father as Chef de Cuisine at Le Gavroche two years later.

The very definition of attaining three Michelin stars and being a slave to consistency, is against the cooking philosophies that are at his core. Roux believes in creation, and more importantly, the evolution of those creations. While he respects and honours the foundations of classical French cuisine, Roux is always looking around the corner for the next thing to offer his guests. A glance at his menu will reveal ingredients like pig’s trotters, beef marrow, veal sweetbreads and saddle of rabbit. He takes great pride in taking ordinary or generally discarded ingredients and creating something truly magical from them. He also sees this as a challenge that can test his skills as a chef, and enjoys making ‘every penny count’ whether the ingredient is expensive or not. This sense of presenting value to his customers is evident in his early career when, before it was fashionable to do so, Roux Jr. was offering his guests eco-friendly sustainable fish, such as Pollock.

Traditionalist and innovator, Michel Roux Jr. sets the standard that all chefs should aspire to.