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A to Z Restaurants

rjs1

By rjs1
in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining

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Andy Lynes

Andy Lynes

Posted
Posted
Caterer says on this story that "An insider at one A to Z restaurant said some managers and chefs planned management buyouts of individual businesses." Maybe Howard Long can tell us if that includes Aubergine.
Matthew Grant

Matthew Grant

Posted
Posted (edited)
Caterer says on this story that "An insider at one A to Z restaurant said some managers and chefs planned management buyouts of individual businesses." Maybe Howard Long can tell us if that includes Aubergine.

Is howard related to the restaurant or just a big fan?

Incidentally, I was thinking of booking Aubergine but changed my mind when I heard ths news. Unfortunately I don't really trust the motivation of the staff if they are in receivership. :sad:

Edited by Matthew Grant (log)

"Why would we want Children? What do they know about food?"

Andy Lynes

Andy Lynes

Posted
Posted
Is howard related to the restaurant or just a big fan?

He eats there so often that I suspect he's been single handedly keeping A-Z afloat for the last 12 months.

rjs1

rjs1

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I was thinking of booking Aubergine but changed my mind when I heard ths news. Unfortunately I don't really trust the motivation of the staff if they are in receivership. :sad:

Paula Jonvik

Paula Jonvik

Posted
Posted

Fellow eGulleteer- Mr. Grant...

Let us not forget that the staff at Aubergine are PROFESSIONALS!

After all, regardless of the situation, Chef Drabble has in the past earned a Michelin Star, and just in the past few days manager Monsieur Tomasin and brigade accepted a Harpers & Moet Restaurant Award for Best Front of House Team! They have excellent reputations that go beyond the bounds of this shake up.

I can assure you that you should find the same attention to detail today as you have had in the past...

Cheers!

"...It is said that without the culinary arts, the crudeness of reality would be unbearable..." Leopold

howardlong

howardlong

Posted
Posted
Is howard related to the restaurant or just a big fan?

The latter - ever since Chez Nico closed Aubergine has been my favourite restaurant, with Le Gavroche close up there with it too.

Initially I liked Aubergine for the food, but after going there three or four times within three months, I almost thought I'd become part of the family. So with both food and service I've become a regular. The recent Harpers & Queen award is, IMHO, extremely well deserved.

I concede that occasional visitors or first-timers may find the service slightly stuffy: this is a tough one. On the one hand a restaurant tries to provide a seemless and faultless service, but on the other hand, as Thierry himself says it is "not a Church" - trying to get a happy medium is difficult. The wooden floors in Aubergine are not always conducive to lively banter! Top tip - you should avoid the table behind the pillar at the back unless you prefer a more secluded tete-a-tete.

Last time I went was for the truffle menu just a couple of days prior to the announcement of A-Z's problems. I've been commuting to Amsterdam the past couple of weeks, so I've not had the chance to discuss it with Thierry or Billy Drabble. It was a bit of a shock to the system!

Rumours that I've been single handedly keeping Aubergine afloat over the past few years are vastly overstated. I do have a couple of other dining friends who help out too. ;-)

Seriously, I view restaurants as being in two camps: those that are fashionable and those that are good. Rarely do they fit in both camps (GR@RHR is one of the few). Aubergine is not fashionable, but it is good. The point I'm making here is that I don't have the lifestyle to be able to plan weeks (or days!) in advance. There are many establishments with fantastic food and service that are overlooked because they are not massively fashionable.

To me, 'fashionable' also often equates to 'flash in the pan': for example, the Pharmacy. (I hope that despite not being fashionable, Aubergine does not disappear.)

In the meantime, I can asure you that should you wish to test the service at Aubergine and require a dining companion, just let me know.

When I get more info about the A-Z story I'll let you know...

Cheers, Howard

  • 4 weeks later...
Andy Lynes

Andy Lynes

Posted
Posted

The caterer has an update on the story here. Seems that original owner Claudio Pulze may snap the lot up, although Marlon "look at my wad" Abela is also sniffing around.

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
howardlong

howardlong

Posted
Posted (edited)

Finally I found an opportune moment to speak to Thierry Tomasin of Aubergine last night.

Reading between the lines it appears that there was a disagreement between two directors of A-Z leaving one of them holding the bag - and a loan that they didn't repay. Thus the receivers came in.

Thierry and chef Billy Drabble were looking at buying Aubergine on its own as an MBO.

However I believe that the receivers, favouring a combined sale, are now considering an offer from property developer John De Stephano, chairman of London and Henley Properties Limited, who is looking at purchasing all seven outlets. They are now in a due diligence period of crossing the t's and dotting the i's prior to signing.

Thierry tells me the prospective buyer is a lover of food and wine.

Oh, and if you think Aubegine's expensive may I suggest lunch there? Thirty quid including half a bottle of wine. Behave!

For a blow out starter, I must recommend the quail, sweetbread and pan-fried foie gras 'salad'. How they can call it a salad is beyond me - it's 90% meat. Yum.

Cheers, Howard

Edited by howardlong (log)
  • 3 weeks later...
Paula Jonvik

Paula Jonvik

Posted
Posted

... Aubergine maintains it's one Michelin Star rating while other A to Z properties lose theirs...

... The 2005 Tatler Restaurant Awards gives Aubergine a nod for the Best Set Lunch in London...

Congratulations to them!

Paula

"...It is said that without the culinary arts, the crudeness of reality would be unbearable..." Leopold

howardlong

howardlong

Posted
Posted
... The 2005 Tatler Restaurant Awards gives Aubergine a nod for the Best Set Lunch in London...

I concur - thirty quid including half a bottle of pretty good booze. How I wish I worked in Chelsea rather than spending most of my time in the culinary black hole of Docklands.

I firmly believe that the quality of the ingredients used at Aubergine is part of the reason I like it so much. There are certainly no corners cut in that department.

My favourites on the menu at the moment are the Quail, Foie Gras & Sweetbread salad starter (although quite where the salad comes in I don't know ;-) ) and the Sweetbread studded with Thyme main course.

BTW they are talking about March before signing A-Z over to London & Henley.

Cheers, Howard

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