Unforgettable Experience: Dining at Gordon Ramsay’s Latest London Hotspot

Before this year, the only way to experience celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s iconic Hell’s Kitchen chain was by travelling overseas – either to Ibiza or to the United States. Now, however, Brits can get a taste of that very same luxury, with the opening of Chef Ramsay’s first London Hell’s Kitchen located at the Cumberland Hotel in Marble Arch.

Until recently, indulging in the culinary delights of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s renowned Hell’s Kitchen required a trip abroad, with locations only in Ibiza or the United States. However, food enthusiasts in the UK now have the opportunity to savor Ramsay’s culinary craftsmanship without leaving the country, thanks to the debut of his first London Hell’s Kitchen at the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch.

The term “luxury” is truly fitting for this establishment. For instance, the menu boasts a 1.2kg tomahawk steak designed for sharing, priced at an extravagant £350. If you’re looking for something slightly less costly, a 500g châteaubriand is available for £120. The signature beef Wellington is offered at £65, while the lobster risotto presents a more affordable option at £55.

The opulence of Hell’s Kitchen is evident not just in its pricing but in its ambiance as well. Upon entering, guests are welcomed by the iconic red-lit Hell’s Kitchen sign adorned with a trident. The atmosphere is immersive from the get-go, and the dimly lit lobby sets the stage for a memorable experience. Although Gordon himself isn’t present in person, his presence is felt through a video message displayed prominently on the wall.

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We settle down with some drinks – a glass of champagne each that goes down like a charm – while we contemplate starters. There’s a lot to choose from; the Hell’s Kitchen menu boasts a raw/chilled section including caviar (at a whopping £95 for 30g), shrimp cocktail (£16) and oysters (£36 for six). Soups and salads are also on offer, but we plump for the main starter menu – deciding to share the harissa flatbread, seared scallops and wagyu meatballs.

The scallops, Santino tells us, are a Hell’s Kitchen staple. Served with a pea purée and braised bacon, in chicken jus, they literally melt in the mouth. Forget any tough scallops you’ve attempted before – Gordon’s will blow your mind, I guarantee it. Priced at £24, they come served in a trio, improved tenfold by the incredible garnish.

The flatbread, too, deserves praise. It’s coated in garlic harissa butter and chives, puffed to perfection, and I can’t help the little wiggle of delight that escapes me at the first bite.

However, the meatballs weren’t quite so impressive. Priced at £17, they taste pretty much like meatballs I’ve tried at chain restaurants like Bella Italia, despite the wagyu beef and slow-roasted tomato sauce. They come served with polenta croutons, parmesan and basil, but there still isn’t enough there to be exciting, sadly. It’s just meatballs in tomato sauce.

The mains are what I’m really looking forward to, though. We can’t leave without trying Gordon’s iconic beef wellington. One of his most famous dishes, Santino says it’s an absolute must.

Confession time – before now, I’ve never actually tried beef wellington before. I had a hazy idea of what it would be like based on photographs, but when it’s presented to me with a swirl of creamy potato purée, glazed root vegetables and soaked in a red wine demi-glace, I have no idea what my tastebuds are in for.

The beef is served medium rare in a delicate pastry. It gives off a cosy aura – like sitting by the fire in a country pub on an autumn day. But nothing about the dish is simply ‘cosy’ – it’s elevated way beyond that. The cherubs are singing, the harps are out – the beef is officially delicious.

As someone who tends to shy away from very pink meat, I fear I’ve discovered a new way of eating and shall not be ordering beef or steak any more well done in the future. Gordon has convinced me; I’m a changed woman.

Now for the lobster risotto, another dish we simply can’t leave without trying. The lobster itself is delicious – tender and flavourful in all the right places – but the rice is actually a little bit chewy and difficult to choke down. My friend did enjoy it, however, so this one might just be on me – but I’ve definitely had fluffier risotto in the past and for much less.

For sides, we opt for a selection to share – the parmesan fries (my personal favourite), baked macaroni and cheese with crispy prosciutto in a smoked gouda sauce, and the roasted summer squash in balsamic reduction. Though the fries are some of the most well-seasoned potatoes ever to have passed my lips, the glaze on the squash is just this side of overpowering, and the mac and cheese doesn’t stand out from the crowd.

Throughout it all, our server Barsha is attentive – making sure we have enough drinks and checking in about the food, but never hovering. As we sip our champagne, my eyes wander over to the chefs working in the kitchen in their orderly row. It’s easy to picture them on camera for one of Gordon’s TV shows, and I can see the concentration on their faces as they garnish and simmer and sprinkle.

Dessert time is upon us, and we cannot decide what to opt for. We end up with three different desserts to share – the chocolate tart, served with coffee ganache and whipped white chocolate; the apple butterscotch cheesecake with a spiced apple compote, candied pecans and salted hazelnuts; and the sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and dulce de leche ice cream.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the sticky toffee pudding is the real standout. It’s divine. It’s fluffy, it’s perfectly sauced, it melts in the mouth. I also really enjoy the chocolate tart, which comes with cocoa nib sable and salt on top to give it a sweet-salty tang. The cheesecake is, again, just okay, but that fact is more than made up for in the other two (heavenly) desserts.

Though some potential diners might be taken aback by the extravagant price tag, Hell’s Kitchen is the perfect place for a treat. Around us are couples celebrating anniversaries and birthdays and everything in between. Far from being an intimidating atmosphere, the restaurant actually feels incredibly welcoming – despite the hellfire that catches your eye on the way in.

Lunch is also an option on the more affordable side, and that’s where you can catch the infamous Idiot Sandwich – a short rib served with spiced tomato chutney, maitake mushroom and Swiss cheese.

You can tell Chef Ramsay has put his personal touches all over the place. You can certainly imagine him striding about the chefs – though perhaps being a little bit gentler than he is on television.

The one thing I doubt I’ll ever get over, however, out of this entire experience, is how beautiful scallops can be when they’re cooked just right. As a seafood fan most of my life, I’ve never tasted anything quite like Gordon’s specialty starter, and it’s something I’ll be dreaming about for a long time to come.