Written in the Stars
Gautam@2022 Claude Bosi is a chef who needs little introduction. A culinary legend helming
a renowned restaurant in one of London’s most iconic buildings, there are high expectations when the words Claude Bosi at Bibendum are uttered. FOUR sits down with the inimitable French cook to understand how, even with his revered reputation, he continues to rise to new heights, day in and day out.
Hailing from Lyon in Paris, Claude Bosi was born into a lineage of great cooks, but he certainly didn’t leave it up to fate to deliver his culinary career on a silver platter. Passionate about gastronomy from a young age, he knuckled down and forged his own path to become one of the most respected chefs of his generation. Marked by classic French techniques, his cooking puts his adept culinary skills on full display — and with the resumé and pedigree he has, it comes as no surprise that he’s a force in the kitchen.
“I was born and spent the early years of my life in Lyon, France. My parents were restaurateurs, and it was normal for my brother and me to help with everything there from a very early age. My grandmother was also a brilliant cook; I learnt a lot from her and my mother especially.
“I graduated from catering college, did my apprenticeship in Lyon, and then moved to Paris to two- Michelin-starred Le Chiberta as Demi Chef de Partie for one year. My next position — which was for two and a half years — was with Alain Passard at L’Arpège in Paris, starting as Chef de Partie and then climbing to Sous Chef. During this period, L’Arpège moved from two Michelin stars to three.
“I then joined Alain Ducasse in Paris as Chef de Partie and stayed there for almost one year before I decided to
move to the United Kingdom. I took my first job here as Sous Chef at Overton Grange, Shropshire — and then got promoted to Head Chef, which is when I was awarded my first Michelin star in 1999.
“In 2000, I decided to open my own restaurant, Hibiscus (also in Shropshire), which was awarded one Michelin star, then two Michelin stars in 2004. In search of a new challenge, I moved Hibiscus to London in 2007, where I stayed until closing its doors in 2016. After refurbishing the first floor of Michelin House, Chelsea, in early 2017, I opened Claude Bosi at Bibendum that March. This is where my signature two-Michelin-starred restaurant is found today.
“When I was first introduced to the Michelin building, I was blown away by it. It has such a great history, it was already a prominent figure, and it is very special to many people for lots of different reasons. I didn’t want to ‘change it completely ’, but I wanted to make a few changes to reignite the passion for the old place. It had got run down, inconsistent, and tired over the years. I worked with Sir Terence Conran to collaborate our identities in an empathetic way which would itself stand timeless, too.”
An iconic address presenting an equally iconic dining experience, it’s within this illustrious Art Deco building where Claude Bosi has found his groove. Here, striking stained glass windows open the gates to a heaven-like flood of light, acting as Bosi’s stage to showcase his culinary mastery in all its glory. With the Michelin Man’s ubiquitous presence, and a palpable air of elegance from wall to wall, there’s a certain anticipation of the calibre of cuisine guests will receive — and Claude and his team more than exceed these expectations. The way this is achieved? Through the expert synthesis of highly skilled cooking techniques, top-class seasonal ingredients, and an unyielding respect for raw products.
“From my family’s humble early influence, through to college, and on into the professional kitchens I worked in, I have always learnt along the way. But Alain Passard’s devotion to seasonality and learning about respecting produce has certainly influenced my philosophy over the years, and I create all my menus in accordance with this.
“The way we work on dishes is with seasons — we see what is coming up and work as a team. With Federico, my Head Chef, I tell him my ideas and mix of flavours. I let him work on this, and then we do tastings. The process takes one to two weeks from the idea to the final dish.
“Each season has one favourite ingredient for me — but overall, the excitement is about being able to work with the first produce of that specific season — i.e. game season, asparagus, and truffle. I like to work with smaller producers where I can, and most of my suppliers I have known for years. I rely on their expertise and product knowledge to guide me to what is the best at that moment, so I can work out how to use this in the menu.”
Through his years of experience, Bosi has learned that less is more. Rather than over-complicating his dishes, they are reassuringly simple, with each plate meticulously devised to spotlight the seasonal qualities of the featured ingredients. To offer guests more selection, Claude Bosi at Bibendum serves two different dining options: a two- or three-course menu for lunch or a full, multi-course tasting menu with five or seven dishes served for both lunch and dinner. Current highlights on the menu include the likes of duck jelly with white onion; smoked sturgeon and special selection caviar; hand-dived Scottish scallops with brown butter dashi; Cornish cod à la Grenobloise; Brittany rabbit with Scottish langoustine and French tarragon; and a double-chocolate soufflé with Madagascan vanilla ice cream. Naturally, no high-end dining experience would be complete without a superb wine pairing, and at Bibendum, this is specially curated by Claude Bosi and his Head Sommelier, Elio Machiné.
I try to leave Elio (my Head Sommelier) to take the direction of the wine list; we have worked together for a long time now. He proposes the wine pairings for all the dishes and presents them to me. He has the same philosophy with wines as we have in the kitchen — we need to provide an exemplary experience to our guests.”
To create the perfect gastronomic encounter, it’s imperative that all aspects — from the food to the wine, service and ambience — are delivered flawlessly in unison. Even the tableware at Bibendum has been specially selected to complement the dishes and reinforce the dining room’s genteel feel. To Claude, it’s vital that nothing is overstated or overshadows anything else; everything must harmoniously intertwine to create an experience that is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible for diners.
“I want my guests to feel welcome from the moment they arrive. I tell my team they are visiting ‘our house’, so I want guests to feel welcome, relaxed, and yearning for nothing while they are here. They should leave feeling like they have had a fantastic time from start to finish.”
Another key factor in ensuring guests are well taken care of is a happy workforce. To support this, Claude uses his three decades of hospitality industry knowledge to help guide his leadership philosophy, which has his staff ’s well-being at its core.
“I want my guests to feel welcome from the moment they arrive. I tell my team they are visiting ‘our house’, so I want guests to feel welcome, relaxed, and yearning for nothing while they are here. They should leave feeling like they have had a fantastic time from start to finish.”
“A lot has changed in the thirty years I have been in professional kitchens. The younger chefs coming through the ranks now have many more options for everything — from training to the type of establishment to work in. The choice was not so vast when I was younger. Now, as a mentor with my own brigade in the modern climate, I need to make sure we maintain a work-life balance. This type of restaurant does command a lot more preparation from the front-of-house through to the back-of-house, and staffing has been a well-documented challenge industry-wide since we reopened after COVID. By deciding to only be open for seven services each week, my main aim is to ensure my guests are incredibly well looked after by a happy and healthy team.”
There’s no doubt that Bibendum’s strong team, sublime setting, and top-notch cuisine have all contributed to making it one of the most lauded restaurants in the United Kingdom and beyond. As a testament to its excellence, it took all but seven months after Bibendum’s opening in March 2017 for it to be awarded two Michelin stars. In July 2018, Bosi also won the coveted Chef Award at The Caterer’s Catey Awards. However, even though he’s proud of these accolades, it’s clear that recognition by critics is not what drives Bosi; instead, he cooks to please his diners and create long-lasting relationships with those who visit his restaurant.
“I am very grateful for all the recognition I have received over the years; the guides have been very kind to us. But I am most content when I see guests come back time and time again; they become our regulars and ultimately ‘friends’. The support we have had, especially from the locals since being here, has been fantastic.”
As for the recipe for his success, Claude admits: “There is no one answer for this, and definitely not a definitive one. All I can say is that I have always enjoyed what I do completely. I love cooking; I love creating an exemplary experience for my guests, and I love working alongside equally dedicated people. My guests are my driving force — and my passion for creativity allows me to keep pushing forward, refining and fine-tuning the experience we provide for them as a team.”
Looking to the future, the chef hopes to continue nurturing both his eponymous restaurant and his beloved Oyster Bar, also set in the Michelin House, seeing them grow from strength to strength. With a recently launched Mediterranean bistro in London and a new fine-dining restaurant opening at the debut Peninsula in London later this year, Claude’s got an exciting few months ahead — and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
Sourced from: https://issuu.com/sloane-trading-international/docs/four_india_june_-_september_2023?fr=sN2QzMDE1MDA0MQ
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