The Goring restaurant to reopen after multi-million pound refurbishment and 'Armageddon'
For the first time in a century, Belgravia’s family-owned Goring hotel has completely refitted its kitchen, overhauling its Michelin-starred restaurant in the process — in what owner Jeremy Goring described as an “Armageddon”. The refit and redesign his said to have been a multi-million pound project.
The new, Russell Sage-designed space, which remains simply known as the Goring Dining Room, will open on May 20 after months of work. “ Oh, my, goodness. It was Armageddon. We have replaced everything in the kitchen many times over the decades,” Mr Goring told the Standard, “but never the thing as a whole. And guess what? Everything important — the island range, for example — is exactly where it was 100 years ago. Crazy.”
The refit was driven, Goring added, to give the hotel’s chefs “a fantastic cooking environment. We’ve been able to open up some lovely natural daylight, for example, incredible temperature control, and excellent usability.
“Chef Graham [Squire] would not let me put in a disco ball or sound system… yet.”
The room itself has been designed with London’s palaces in mind; the once white-and-cream room is now one of rich greens and reds and meant, says Goring, to evoke “the feeling you have been invited into Cézar Ritz’s latest creation”.
Still, the hotelier was reluctant to detail the changes he’s proudest of, saying: “I dunno. Last time we did it we were slagged off by everyone! We have tried to do better.” The hotel’s last major restaurant project, Siren, a £4million conservatory opened in 2019 in partnership with Nathan Outlaw, was largely panned by critics and did not re-open in 2020 as lockdown restrictions eased.
The restaurant will continue to serve a menu of modern British cooking, with dishes including a scallop with pea, lemon verbena and brown butter; and monkfish served with mussels, seaweed, gooseberry and herbs. Press images show highly detailed, fine dining-style cooking. The Goring’s most famous dish — eggs Drumkilbo, which the late Queen Mother was said to enjoy in the hotel — remains on the menu. “I am liking the stuffed morel, baked truffle cream, mushroom, chicken skin and verjus,” Goring said. “Beautifully seasonal and sort of like a mini forest floor-inspired roast chicken.”
Trolley service, long a favourite of the hotel, has also been expanded, and will now include a Champagne trolley, another dedicated to beef Wellington, one for stuffed turbot, and yet another for finishing puddings. “We are keen to make sure there are flames here and there during your dinner,” Goring explained.
“We are trying to create a proper ‘night out’, with a journey that starts at the front door, takes you through the amazing piano bar for a Very Dodgy Cocktail (perhaps overlooking the garden, or in it), then in to dinner where there ought to be some good uplifting music,” added Goring. Said music will, however, be off at lunchtimes so, Goring says, “you can still quietly discuss buying and selling countries.”
The Dining Room at the Goring reopens May 20, at 15 Beeston Place, SW1W 0JW, thegoring.com