On our last visit to London, England, we decided to partake of one of the newly crowned Michelin-starred restaurants in the St. James district. The Sofitel Hotel hosts this grand one-star eatery which boasts delectable European cuisine without the over-the-top pretension that some of the competition is known for. Chef Anthony Demetre has been keeping the menu fresh yet consistent since 2019.
Anthony’s dream of flying jets for the Royal Navy came crashing down due to a knee injury, but his story took a delicious turn. Growing up, he was surrounded by the mouthwatering aromas of his Greek grandmother’s cooking, with family gatherings that revolved around food and laughter.
After knee surgery and some soul-searching, Anthony ditched his pilot ambitions and dove headfirst into the culinary world. He started as a apprentice at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir, (Oxford, England) learning the ropes. He then cooked alongside legends like Gordon Ramsay at Marco Pierre White’s Harvey’s, where the kitchen was intense but inspiring.
Anthony’s journey saw him working with Gary Rhodes at The Greenhouse, moving up the ranks from chef de partie to sous chef. He then joined forces with Bruno Loubet at Inn on the Park and later at Bistrot Bruno and L’Odéon, where he snagged his first head chef gig.
In 1999, Anthony took the helm at Putney Bridge, earning a Michelin star and four AA Rosettes. He and restaurant manager Will Smith became the dynamic duo of the culinary world. Not stopping there, Anthony co-founded Wild Honey in Mayfair, where he continued to wow foodies with his creative flair. Anthony’s culinary adventure has been nothing short of spectacular and learning about this creative chef and love for food and family made us eager to sample the fare at Wild Honey!
The decor is pleasant and comfortable but the parquet floors, low-backed chairs and bare tables were a bit of a surprise. Remember, the Michelin adjudicators don’t give any brownie points for decor or service.
I was disappointed that there wasn’t a tasting menu, but we found some quite delicious plates from the 3 course a la carte menu which is offered at 95 £ per person. The menu changes regularly, so there is always something new on offer. Service was excellent. The room was noisy – but that is to be expected.
Cheese puff bites melted in the mouth and the soup had a lovely, velvety texture. Starters ranged from warm smoked eel to Dorset crab, duck and pork terrine and crispy Sutton Hoo chicken!
For our mains, the Elwy Valley lamb was flawlessly executed and delectable. I’m talking “melt-in-your-mouth, perfectly pink and savoury lamb. The venison was tasty, if a bit ordinary, but that’s venison, isn’t it? It was accompanied by slow-roasted Delica pumpkin, salsify, pear and cocoa. Salsify, for those of you who aren’t familiar, is a root vegetable similar to a parsnip but milder and more velvety in texture. Whereas delica is a squat green-grey pumpkin with bright orange flesh that is sweet and buttery.
The English classic custard tart with golden sultanas, pine nuts, and salted butter was delicious – not too sweet with some crunch. The cheese plate offering both English and French selections was pedestrian with no fruit, compote, jam or nuts provided to complete the dish.
Our ranking of Wild Honey in London is a solid 8/10.
Find Wild Honey at: The Sofitel Hotel, St James district.
- 8 Pall Mall,
- London, SW1Y 5NG
- 020 7389 7820
- wildhoneystjames.london@sofitel.com
Read about some other Michelin Starred Restaurants we have visited:
Levadura de Olla (Oaxaca, Mexico)
Okeya Kyujiro (Vancouver, BC)
Kissa Tanto (Vancouver)
St Lawrence (Vancouver)
Cranes (Washington, DC)
AnnaLena (Vancouver)
Masayoshi (Vancouver)
Published on Main (Vancouver)
And THESE restaurants don’t have a Michelin Star – but definitely should! (In our opinion.)
Pluvio (Ucluelet, BC)
The Palm Court (London, England)
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