Pavyllon London

To preface Pavyllon appropriately, one must look to chef-founder Yannick Alleno. He is one of the most decorated chefs in the world, possessing a mind-boggling 15 Michelin stars across 17 international restaurants. We assume that this upmarket venture in the Four Seasons Hotel is his latest attempt to add another star to his glistening resume – a feat that is by no means a pipe dream. Be aware, prices are astronomical, although a reasonable set lunch menu for £55 caters for those mere mortals who simply can’t justify spending £53 on a plate of pasta.

There’s a bright and spacious lounge area with tables to cater for larger groups, but the restaurant revolves around an open kitchen, and a seat at the counter really is the best place to experience Alleno’s artful cooking. His team are clearly of the highest calibre, from the uber talented chefs who prepare, and sometimes serve us, our dishes, to the highly-trained staff who cater to our every need in a seamless, well-rehearsed fashion.

Yannick’s cooking is rooted in French gastronomy, but techniques and flavours from across the globe often come into play. We shift gears from a soft man’ouche (read, flatbread) with curried mayonnaise and black garlic, to his signature not-so-classic prawn cocktail, a dainty dish of three, fennel-dusted prawns with salty trout roe and a punchy ketchup-esque gel. A ‘modern’ beef stroganoff featuring medium-rare beef fillet is cooked in a sweet, glossy sauce and served with crispy shoestring fries and basmati rice. It is simultaneously fun, comforting and innovative all at once. A stupendous chocolate souffle rounds off what’s already a knockout meal. Barely cooked, the experience evokes the nostalgic joy of eating brownie batter straight from the bowl as a child, only with the grown-up addition of Amaretto, with each bite getting boozier as we work our way to the bottom.

We weren’t drinking on the night, but there’s a resident sommelier who is ready and waiting to offer recommendations and pairings with whatever you choose. For luxe dining in Mayfair by one of the greatest chefs in the world, Pavyllon is exactly what you’d expect: utterly brilliant. 

Pavyllon London is the flagship restaurant at The Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, run by Yannick Alleno - arguably one of the most celebrated and decorated chefs in the world. Alleno holds a whopping 15 Michelin stars across a worldwide portfolio of 14 restaurants, including three Michelin stars at the world-renowned Alleno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen.

Pavyllon London is Alleno’s first restaurant in the British capital, and he brings his signature contemporary French style to a luxurious, fine dining menu at one of Mayfair’s most prestigious hotels. That said, this restaurant will also embrace the more dynamic, relaxed fine dining atmosphere that embodies London’s restaurant scene - there’s a counter, for example, for those who want to get up close and personal with the chef, as well as an array of different dining spaces.

Another signature of Alleno’s cooking is the reinvention of classic French ingredients - he uses far less sugar, fat and salt than is traditionally used, believing that chefs have a responsibility to look after the health of their guests. He also combines lots of modern techniques with classic dishes, as shown in Pavyllon Paris dishes such as vegetable ravioli with spring extraction broth and perfumed oils, as well as his aiguillette of sea bass with a celery extraction sauce.

Whilst the menu is recognisably Alleno’s food and rooted in French gastronomy, dishes at Pavyllon London draw inspiration from seasonal British produce, making this a unique proposition. Still, expect plenty of luxury ingredients, as found in Alleno signature dishes like his ‘Perfect egg’ with Paris ham jelly, Isigny cream and caviar, as well as the famous Pavyllon surf and turf, combining Wagyu beef mille-feuille, blue lobster and choron sauce with toasted sesame oil.

Meanwhile, star sommelier Vincent Javaux has curated an expert wine list that includes some serious wines from the most prestigious winemakers in the world, alongside lesser-known family-owned chateaus.