This morning saw the opening of Heathrow
Airport’s all-new Terminal 2, and with it a host of restaurants including Heston Blumenthal’s latest venture
The Perfectionists’ Café takes inspiration from Blumenthal’s In Search of Perfection TV series in which he used his trademark avant-garde cooking techniques to create the ultimate versions
of classic British dishes.
The menu has been put together by Blumenthal (pictured right during the building of Terminal
2) with input from the restaurant’s
head chef Julian O’Neil and Fat Duck Group executive head chef Ashley Palmer-Watts. It includes Neapolitan-style
pizzas made in Heathrow’s first wood-burning oven, fish and chips served with an atomiser in order to recreate the vinegar-led smell of a chippie, and a burger featuring three different cuts of
beef and a brioche bun that has been specially designed not to fall apart.
Speaking about the dishes on offer, Blumenthal said: ‘We have had incredible fun trying to make the best-ever versions of these dishes, including using paint sprayers, kit from cement mixers and even a few
explosions along the way! But that organised chaos produced some incredible techniques – and subsequently some fantastic results.’
Also opening today in Heathrow is Gorgeous Kitchen, overseen by female chef quartet Caroline Mi Li Artiss, Gee Charman (former chef at Kensington Palace), Jo Pratt and Sophie Michell (executive
chef at Pont St. at Belgraves Hotel). The restaurant serves homely, seasonal dishes as well
as afternoon teas.
Other restaurants in the £2.5 billion terminal include Wondertree from the team behind Giraffe restaurants, the biggest
restaurant in the terminal, which serves sandwiches, salads and healthy fast food, as well as a branch of Yo! Sushi and a
pub.
Published 4 June 2014