You simply can’t have enough Gordon Ramsay. Or at least that’s presumably what Gordon Ramsay thinks because he’s celebrated the end of lockdown by opening a slew of burger restaurants across the nation (I celebrated the end of lockdown with a haircut and a new pair of trainers). But The Savoy clearly agrees, because if they didn’t already have enough Ramsay with him at the helm of the Savoy Grill they’ve decided to double down on their Gordon quota, by inviting him to open a second restaurant at the venerable hotel.
Gordon Ramsay will launch The River Restaurant at the Savoy next month, his restaurant group announced yesterday, promising a “classic yet stylish and relaxed all day dining environment”. If there’s one thing we know about Ramsay it’s that he’s no ‘idiot sandwich’, and so the opening can only be a smart move for the chef, but also gives the capital yet another fabulous restaurant to add to our post-pandemic check-list.
The new opening comes after the Savoy quite literally put the cat out, with the demise of Kaspar’s, named after the wooden cat who supposedly protects restaurant guests from the paranormal (genuinely a thing – or, rather, they genuinely think it’s a thing).
The new opening comes after the Savoy quite literally put the cat out…
The former Kaspar’s, now The River Restaurant, will look out across The Thames and serve some of the finest fishy produce in town. It’ll also sport a brand new guise, thanks to a redesign courtesy of designer Russell Sage, sporting that classic fish restaurant go-to, a centre-piece bar stuffed with oysters, caviar and ceviche.
The new opening has been touted by Ramsay, who told reporters “I absolutely love The Savoy. 18 years ago, it was a dream come true to take over the Savoy Grill, so to be trusted with a second restaurant in the heart of this incredible location is an absolute honour.
“The team are raring to go and I’m really look forward to welcoming our guest to the new restaurant in the coming weeks.”
The team are raring to go…
And, it has to be said, so are we. The hotel’s seafood credentials were kept alive in Kaspar’s absence by Solas, the pop-up in Savoy Court right in front of the hotel, which we thought was rather fun when we visited just after lockdown, and Ramsay promises to take this tradition to the next level.
Our only question is… what will become of the wooden carved Kaspar the cat. And will he still be joining tables of 13? If he’s been retired along with the restaurant, Ramsay’s diners may well meet with a fishy end…
The River Restaurant opens next month, meanwhile enjoy the Savoy’s current offerings here…
