On the regular menu….
Today, Sunday 19 April 2020, social media emenating from The Grill at The Dorchester shares the luxury hotel’s Grill recipe for mushroom soup. Last weekend, postings were first about leg of English lamb cooked boulangère style, and then, to promote a meat-free Easter Monday, curried cauliflower with lentils. The upcoming schedule for social media on The Grill at The Dorchester’s Instagram account also includes, for Saturday 25 April, the restaurant’s famous ‘chips’, potato fingers that are honestly so addictive that Girlahead could make a meal just from them.
The 250-room hotel is already getting ready its 90th birthday, one year exactly on from today. On 18 April 1931 it opened its doors for the first time. Today, its MD, Robert Whitfield, who joined from Four Seasons, oversees a team of 630 (as has been well, and justifiably, documented, all have been kept on on full pay during the Coronavirus hiatus).
But even in normal times the hotel knows how to look after its team: there are 27 who have been here for at least a quarter of a century. As at all Dorchester Collection hotels, everyone, after only six months, qualifies, dependent on hotel occupancy at whichever hotel they choose (in US, UK, France or Italy), for up to three nights’ stay at any one time – plus breakfast for two sharing a room. This benefit can be taken twice a year at any Dorchester Collection hotel except the hotel they work for. Oh yes, and of course they get medical benefits, and they can play in, or support, the property’s unisex football team.
This turns out to be Beef Wellington
I am personally very fond of The Dorchester’s Grill restaurant, designed by Bruno Moinard in varying copper shades. Chef here is the charmingly unsophisticated Tom Booton, shown above. This is a highly capable and creative 26 year old who can cook like a dream At my last lunch at this luxury hotel, I started with ‘Artichoke salad with loaded skin’, which turned out to be empty skins of outside baking potatoes filled – =loaded – with artichoke salad. You could have it plain, or with foie gras. Guess which Girlahead chose? I cannot wait for more
