Northall at the Corinthia: André Garrett reshapes the fine-dining restaurant

While media attention was growing around the launch of Tom Kerridge’s bar and grill restaurant at the Corinthia, fine-dining changes were happening on the other side of the Charing Cross five-star hotel as André Garrett took over the rest of the food and beverage offering.

Known for winning a Michelin star at Galvin at Windows in 2010, where he was head chef for seven years, Garrett is an unsung hero of British haute cuisine, working mostly under others’ names at his most high-achieving. In 2013, he moved to Cliveden House in Taplow, Berkshire as executive chef, and launched his eponymous restaurant, André Garrett at Cliveden.

The dining room of the Northall, situated in an elegant corner of the Corinthia, has two faces: wonderfully bright at lunch, with an informal, smart appeal; and elegant at dinner, when tables get covered with white linen. Garrett’s classic French training shows discreetly in his cuisine. There’s significant focus on the Britishness of its ingredients, but Mediterranean dishes are there too.

The star of the menu is the Lamb en Croute, a sharing course for two, which uses Romney Salt Marsh lamb from Kent – a breed famous for its fertiliser-free grazing and worldwide appeal (it has been exported particularly to Australia for over a hundred years). Garrett’s preparation of the meat comes with braised endive and sherry vinegar.

There is a great number of other dishes on offer too. Highlights include Hand-cut Strozzapreti with winter truffle; Meuniere Style Dover Sole; and Norfolk Black Leg Chicken with smoked mash and gem lettuce.

To reflect this new course, the restaurant is set for a refurb this year, and with Garrett at the helm of the kitchen, it’s sure to become a serious player in the London fine-dining scene. The appeal of luxury hotels is increasingly affected by their food and beverage offer; Northall and Kerridge’s Bar & Grill are elevating the Corinthia to a new level.

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Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

The Northall at Corinthia, Whitehall Place London SW1A 2BD, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. For further information or to book call 020 7321 3100 or visit the Northall’s website here.