I am one of those seduced by bold Food… I come from the south west of France, where I discovered great Chefs like Yannick Delpech, the youngest Michelin starred chef of France, leading The Amphitryon near Toulouse (2 stars), or Michel Sarran, also a well-known Michelin-starred Chef (with also 2 stars) in Toulouse. These two Chefs made me discover imaginative and flavoursome cuisine… For the first time in London, thanks to initiated friends, I experienced a stunning  evening at the Sketch Restaurant, between Oxford Circus and Piccadilly …

With a Michelin-starred restaurant, the first experience comes from the contact with the staff. At Sketch, everything is calculated even though the people you met combine warmth and perfectionism quite naturally. You feel at ease, even here at The Sketch where you can find several restaurants & bars, making it confusing at first to find your place …

Then, progressing towards your restaurant, as for me The Lecture Room and Library, you are invited to stop by at the loo to admire the Swarovski jewels decorating the red and black restroom, all walls covered with mirrors. There is also a background music coming from your childhood… I won’t say more, you have to experience it !

Now that I had entered a new world, I could let myself be driven and amazed by the new culinary experience. Pierre Gagnaire, the French renowned Chef of Sketch, proposes some tasting menus adapting to veggies or not, or a multi choice of delicacies A la Carte offering several dishes according to fish or meat preferences. I was particularly touched by the mixed influences from Asia and Europe, which offered many new flavours and you can sometimes taste successive flavours in a single bite. Just to give you an overview of my favorite dishes: the aperitif bites were all exceptional, the Foie-gras was outstanding, the “Langoustine Dim Sum / Molasses with Dark Beer” very interesting, the Venison extremely fine and tender… Mmmh …
By experiencing this wonderful dinner, I totally agree on what Pierre Gagnaire says:

“My aim is to reveal in my cuisine both emotion and also intelligence. We all need poetry, tenderness and also things well done”

The Lecture & Library restaurant is also very agreeable because of its design, created by leading Interior Designer Gahban O’Keeffe, in warm shades of copper or pink gold, with separation walls combining wood and mirrors. The result is a relaxing atmosphere with large spaces. And the staff takes care of your every need, with dedication and professionalism…

Last but not least, Sketch and Art are linked, not only by the Food, but also because Art and Music are parts of Sketch. Thus, the “Turner Prize winning artist Martin Creed transformed the Gallery restaurant in the first of a new long-term programme of artist-designed restaurants for the venue”. And “over the past decade Sketch has hosted over fifty major exhibitions of moving image in the gallery”. You can find some information about the current exhibitions on this link.

At the moment, Sketch has a combined offer: “A three course lunch in the Lecture Room & Library  with an exhibition ticket for Painting the Modern Garden – Monet to Matisse at the Royal Academy of Arts for £55″. Tempting for every art lover, isn’t it?
And I must say this is an exhibition worth seeing! As a gentleman said, coming out of the last room “This is the best exhibition I have ever seen here at The Royal Academy”. I don’t know for the many others, but this one is outstanding, I totally agree. Go and see the magnificent “Japanese footbridge” versions of Monet, discover some new impressionists coming from Germany or Spain, be charmed by the many gardens and shades of colours that the impressionists painted with such talent…

Music is also important and Sketch is also working with talents to create specific musical atmospheres for each restaurant and bar (and loo!).

If I shall summarise, I could say that every lover of Food, Art and Music, and even all at the same time, will enjoy Sketch…If you missed St Valentine, all is not lost: Mother’s Day is approaching !