Amiel Stanek

2 weeks ago | bonappetit.com | Amiel Stanek

Twenty years ago this month, Gourmet magazine devoted an entire issue to what was then a rather audacious claim: That London was, as the all-caps cover line declared, “The Best Place to Eat in the World Right Now.” Over the 180 pages that followed, the case was vigorously made. An A-to-Z celebration of everything from the city’s breakfast culture to its open-air markets. Nigel Slater’s paean to the likes of St. John and the River Café, places that still hold sway today.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Amiel Stanek

Photo by Bobby BeasleyTwenty years ago this month, Gourmet magazine devoted an entire issue to what was then a rather audacious claim: That London was, as the all-caps cover line declared, “The Best Place to Eat in the World Right Now.” Over the 180 pages that followed, the case was vigorously made. An A-to-Z celebration of everything from the city’s breakfast culture to its open-air markets. Nigel Slater’s paean to the likes of St. John and the River Café, places that still hold sway today.

1 month ago | bonappetit.com | Amiel Stanek

Almost all of the (many) reviews, think pieces, and posts about the Yellow Bittern, London’s most controversial restaurant, start with these facts. The restaurant has 18 seats. It is only open for lunch, seatings at noon and 2 p.m., and is closed on the weekends. It has no website, no social media presence (save that of its chef, Hugh Corcoran—more on that later), and reservations can only be made by telephone or, famously, by postcard. There’s a lefty bookstore in the basement. Cash only, please.

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Amiel Stanek

Photo by Bobby BeasleyAlmost all of the (many) reviews, think pieces, and posts about the Yellow Bittern, London’s most controversial restaurant, start with these facts. The restaurant has 18 seats. It is only open for lunch, seatings at noon and 2 p.m., and is closed on the weekends. It has no website, no social media presence (save that of its chef, Hugh Corcoran—more on that later), and reservations can be made only by telephone or, famously, postcard. There’s a lefty bookstore in the basement.

1 month ago | bonappetit.com | Amiel Stanek |Jesse Szewczyk

If restaurants of the 2010s were characterized by high-octane live fire theatrics, all-charred everything, and an obsession with some guy named Maillard, chefs right now turning their attention to a quieter technique that is pretty much the polar opposite—steaming. And emerging from those gently wafting clouds of water vapor are dishes that are every bit as arresting as those seared over high heat. In many ways this represents a desire for brighter, more direct flavors.