Blumenthal delays Dinner

The opening of Heston Blumenthal’s new restaurant at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London has been delayed until 2011. The three Michelin-starred chef was originally due to open Dinner on 1 December, but has experienced delays which required the launch to be pushed back until after the Christmas holiday period.

When it eventually opens, Dinner promises to feature a modern revival of traditional British dishes dating back as far as the 16th century. The menu is set to include scallops with cucumber ketchup and peas, bergamot-cured mackerel salad and slow cooked short rib of beef.

The 140-seat restaurant will serve lunch, dinner and afternoon tea, with the kitchen headed up by Ashley Palmer-Watts, who has spent nine years working with Blumenthal at The Fat Duck. There will also be a private dining room available for up to 12 guests, as well as a chef’s table for six overlooking the kitchen.

With Hyde Park views outside the window, the interior has been designed by Adam D. Tihany to echo 16th century British style with a modern twist. Floor to ceiling glass walls will display the open kitchen, complete with its stainless steel pulley system, modelled on a 500 year old design for the Royal British Court kitchens, which will be used to mechanically rotate a spit over an open fire.

Reservations will now be taken from 1 December on +44 (0)207 201 3833, with the restaurant scheduled to open for business on 29 January.

Gabriel Savage, 19.10.2010