The All in One Ultimate Restaurant List Interview: Bob Bob Ricard

Bob Bob Ricard is London’s chicest Orient Express-inspired restaurant. It’s a new entry on our top 100 Ultimate Restaurant List this year.

What does Bob Bob Ricard do that nowhere else does?
Bob Bob Ricard is a restaurant like no other in London. It is modern while still being old-school and classy without being stuffy. It is full of life, buzz and glamour yet uncompromising on every detail of service, food and wine.

It’s one of the most stylish restaurants in London - where did you take your inspiration from?
Much of the inspiration came from the ‘Golden Age of Travel’, when travel was a glamorous adventure, not a tedious commute. There is a luxury train theme throughout the restaurant with references to the Orient Express and the Royal Dining Car. We have also aimed to recreate the sparkle and glamour of the roaring twenties with many Art Deco touches and an eclectic mix of finishes from gilded mirrors to marble, polished brass, limed oak, leather, velvet, and bespoke hand-printed wallpaper.

What does a restaurant need to do to stay successful for as long as Bob Bob Ricard?
You need to continually improve and re-invent yourself as more competition arrives, but without losing what made your customers love you in the first place. It is a delicate balance.

Which are your favourite London restaurants?
One of my favourites is Sushi Tetsu, a seven-seater traditional Japanese sushi bar run by a husband and wife team from Kobe. I love to sit at the bar, sip sake and let the chef make my dinner choices.

What food trends do you think there will be in the coming year?
We do not tend to worry about trends, even though we often set them. We have brought British comfort foods back into fashion with our Beef Wellington and Chicken Kiev. We have introduced luxury ingredients into old favourites like the Lobster Mac & Cheese and Chicken, Mushroom & Champagne Pie. We have set a trend for fair and reasonable pricing of fine wine. We have re-kindled London's love affair with champagne and have popularised the "press for champagne" button. We have brought booth seating to top-end dining. The list goes on.