La Tante Claire (The Aunt Claire) was a restaurant in Chelsea, London, which opened in 1977 and 1998. Owned and operated by Pierre Koffmann, it gained three Michelin stars in 1983, and held all three until the restaurant moved premises in 1998. It was sold to Gordon Ramsay for his flagship restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
| La Tante Claire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1977 |
| Closed | 2003 |
| Head chef | Pierre Koffmann |
| Food type | French cuisine |
| Dress code | Dress jacket and tie required |
| Rating |  Michelin Guide |
| Street address | Royal Hospital Road |
| City | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°29′8″N 0°9′44″W / 51.48556°N 0.16222°W |
| Other locations | The Berkeley, Knightsbridge |
Description
editLa Tante Claire opened in 1977 at Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea.[1] The signature dish of the restaurant was pig's trotter with chicken mousseline, sweetbreads and morels;[1] which when served elsewhere by Marco Pierre White, are referred to as "Pig's Trotters Pierre Koffmann".[2] Within six years of opening, the restaurant gained its third Michelin star.[1]
The restaurant moved from the original premises in 1998, moving to a location within The Berkeley hotel.[1] Following the closure of the Royal Hospital Road, the premises were sold to Gordon Ramsay and would become his flagship restaurant.[3] In the new location, the restaurant lost its third Michelin star and was reduced to two[4] before closing in 2003.
In 2009, Koffmann opened a pop-up restaurant at Selfridges in London using the menu items from La Tante Claire.[2] In 2010, Koffmann opened his first full-time restaurant since La Tante Claire, Koffmann's, at The Berkeley hotel, the same hotel as La Tante Claire used to be at, although at a different location within the hotel.[4]
Reception
editJohn Wells, writing in 1994 for The Independent, praised the quality of the food at La Tante Claire, Royal Hospital Road, saying "I had a croustade de pommes caramelisees à l'Armagnac. Everything about them spoke of inspired and loving work in the kitchen", although found the prices surprisingly high, "we were given the menu to look at, which even to a spoilt restaurant critic comes as a shock. The cheapest starter is £19."[5]
In 2002, Jan Moir of The Daily Telegraph praised the decor and the staff of La Tante Claire at The Berkeley while comparing the lunch menus of London restaurants with two Michelin stars. Additional praise was given to the wine list, and the side dish that came with the main course.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "The Chef". The Berkeley. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
- ^ a b Coren, Giles (12 September 2009). "Giles Coren reviews La Tante Claire at Selfridges, London". The Times. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024.
- ^ Rayner, Jay (13 September 2009). "Superchef Pierre Koffman's pig's trotters were once the talk of London. Is he planning a comeback? Pigs might fly..." The Guardian.
- ^ a b Cooke, Rachel (20 June 2010). "Pierre Koffmann: 'Not enough British chefs cook from the heart'". The Guardian.
- ^ Wells, John (25 September 1994). "Money talks, very loudly". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012.
- ^ Moir, Jan (17 August 2002). "Are you ready to order? This week: two Michelin stars". The Daily Telegraph.