Petrus Inspires Namesake Restaurant in London

Julia Mann
Posted: April 7, 1999

Two of London's best-known chefs -- Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsay -- recently opened a restaurant in honor of one of Bordeaux's greatest wines, Chateau Petrus.

Wareing, former chef at L'Oranger, heads up the kitchen at Petrus, which serves light French cuisine. He teamed up with co-owner Ramsay, with whom he has worked before. Ramsay was formerly the chef at Aubergine (under the same management as L'Oranger) but left last year to open his own eponymous restaurant in London.

As the name of the restaurant suggests, Petrus is heavily featured on the wine list, with 40 selections from 1945 to 1993. Thierry Berson, Gordon Ramsay's head sommelier, spent nearly seven months building up the Petrus collection. Overall, the main wine list includes about 300 different selections, mainly French wines, with a small amount from the New World.

"Petrus has an amazing background and great quality. It is not stocked in many restaurants," said Wareing. "My ambition is to have the largest collection of Petrus in Europe -- there is no reason why the restaurant can't go all the way to the top. By calling it Petrus, the cooking must reflect the quality of the wine. This restaurant will not be just for foodies but also for wine lovers."

Petrus, at the former site of the restaurant 33 St. James', seats up to 50 people. An average meal costs $50 per person without wine. However, if you want to drink Petrus with your meal, it's going to be expensive: from $600 for the 1993 to $20,300 for the 1947.

Petrus
33 St. James' Street
London SW1
Telephone 011-0171-930-4272
Fax 011-0171-930-9702

For more on the London dining scene:

September 18, 1998
Top London Chef Opens New Restaurant

February 28, 1997
An Island at the Center of the World
London's kitchens are bridging the old and the new

February 28, 1997
A London Cornucopia: L'Oranger

February 28, 1997
London's Best Restaurants

For recent ratings of Chateau Petrus, check the Wine Search.