Club Gascon
Encyclopedia
Club Gascon is a restaurant located in London
, England. , the restaurant holds one star in the Michelin Guide
. The restaurant was opened by Pascal Aussignac and Vincent Labeyrie in September 1998, and serves French cuisine
. In addition to its Michelin star, it has also won two Catey Awards
.
in Smithfield, London
. The premises itself was formerly a Lyon's Tea House
, then a bank, and then had been empty for six years. The freehold is owned by Centrepoint
, a charity for young homeless people. The dining area is one long narrow room, with large tables down one side and smaller tables elsewhere. Aussignac had previously failed to find financing to open a restaurant in Paris, but by 2008 was employing sixty workers across three restaurants in London. The restaurant is considered a forerunner of fine dining in its local area, which had since become popular with other restaurants appearing nearby.
Following the late-2000s financial crisis
, Aussignac explained how the restaurant was affected, "People are eating more at their desk, they've cut down their budget," he said. "Only senior people are lunching at a restaurant ... We feel the credit crunch at lunchtime."
, described some of the dishes as "exceptional", but felt that the cassoulet
was disappointing. The New York Times recommended the restaurant in 2000. Jan Moir of the The Daily Telegraph
reviewed the restaurant in February 2002, describing it as producing the "deep, velvety succulence of the flavours of south-west France". Richard Vines, writing for Bloomberg
in 2006 explained that while the dining was slow paced, it was worth it and said if it wasn't for him being a food reporter, he'd be a regular there.
The restaurant won Best Newcomer at The Catey Awards
in 1999, followed in 2002 by a Michelin star. In 2007, the restaurant was ranked 35th best in the UK by the Good Food Guide
, on the first occasion the guide ranked restaurants in that manner (previously it had given marks out of ten for each establishment). In 2007 it won a second Catey Award, this time for Restaurateur of the Year – Independent.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. , the restaurant holds one star in the Michelin Guide
Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
. The restaurant was opened by Pascal Aussignac and Vincent Labeyrie in September 1998, and serves French cuisine
French cuisine
French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France...
. In addition to its Michelin star, it has also won two Catey Awards
The Catey Awards
First occurring in 1984, the Caterer and Hotelkeeper awards, or Cateys, are a UK award ceremony for the hospitality industry. They have been described as the hospitality industry's equivalent of the Oscars....
.
Description
Opened by chef Pascal Aussignac and business partner Vincent Labeyrie in September 1998, the restaurant is located near St Bartholomew-the-GreatSt Bartholomew-the-Great
The Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great is an Anglican church located at West Smithfield in the City of London, founded as an Augustinian priory in 1123 -History:...
in Smithfield, London
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
. The premises itself was formerly a Lyon's Tea House
British tea culture
Since the 18th century the British have been the largest per capita tea consumers in the world, with each person consuming on average 2.5 kg per year. The popularity of tea occasioned the furtive export of slips to tea plants from China to British India and its commercial culture there,...
, then a bank, and then had been empty for six years. The freehold is owned by Centrepoint
Centrepoint (charity)
Centrepoint is the leading charity in the United Kingdom supporting homeless young people aged 16-25. Its is HRH The Duke of Cambridge.It provides a range of accommodation and additional support in health, education and life skills...
, a charity for young homeless people. The dining area is one long narrow room, with large tables down one side and smaller tables elsewhere. Aussignac had previously failed to find financing to open a restaurant in Paris, but by 2008 was employing sixty workers across three restaurants in London. The restaurant is considered a forerunner of fine dining in its local area, which had since become popular with other restaurants appearing nearby.
Following the late-2000s financial crisis
Late-2000s financial crisis
The late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
, Aussignac explained how the restaurant was affected, "People are eating more at their desk, they've cut down their budget," he said. "Only senior people are lunching at a restaurant ... We feel the credit crunch at lunchtime."
Reception
Caroline Stacy reviewed the restaurant shortly after it opened for The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, described some of the dishes as "exceptional", but felt that the cassoulet
Cassoulet
Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France, containing meat , pork skin and white haricot beans....
was disappointing. The New York Times recommended the restaurant in 2000. Jan Moir of the The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
reviewed the restaurant in February 2002, describing it as producing the "deep, velvety succulence of the flavours of south-west France". Richard Vines, writing for Bloomberg
Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg L.P. is an American privately held financial software, media, and data company. Bloomberg makes up one third of the $16 billion global financial data market with estimated revenue of $6.9 billion. Bloomberg L.P...
in 2006 explained that while the dining was slow paced, it was worth it and said if it wasn't for him being a food reporter, he'd be a regular there.
The restaurant won Best Newcomer at The Catey Awards
The Catey Awards
First occurring in 1984, the Caterer and Hotelkeeper awards, or Cateys, are a UK award ceremony for the hospitality industry. They have been described as the hospitality industry's equivalent of the Oscars....
in 1999, followed in 2002 by a Michelin star. In 2007, the restaurant was ranked 35th best in the UK by the Good Food Guide
Good Food Guide
The Good Food Guide is an annual guidebook to the best restaurants in the UK, published by Which?books.The Good Food Guide was first published in 1951 by Raymond Postgate, an enthusiastic gourmet, who was appalled by the standard of contemporary catering. He recruited an army of volunteers to...
, on the first occasion the guide ranked restaurants in that manner (previously it had given marks out of ten for each establishment). In 2007 it won a second Catey Award, this time for Restaurateur of the Year – Independent.