London chef Marcus Wareing threw his boss and onetime mentor Gordon Ramsay under the bus last month, saying that the “sad bastard,” who is “not really part of the industry now,” is destined to lose his status as the only chef in the city with three Michelin stars. Wareing has now put his money where his mouth is: Bloomberg reports that his restaurant Petrus, owned by Ramsay until that recent falling-out, is No. 1 in London, according to the 8,000 diners surveyed in the annual Harden’s guide. (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay had taken top honors for the past eight years). “There are food guides and there are restaurant guides,” Ramsay’s company shoots back in a statement. “And the ultimate food guide whose verdict we really value is Michelin.”
Ramsay is hoping he’ll still have the last word: Per a settlement that goes into effect next month, he has the right to open another restaurant named Petrus elsewhere, and Wareing will open his own restaurant at Petrus’s current location. With Gordo’s star fading (esteemed French critic François Simon has railed against the brasserie he’s opening in Paris, saying it’s all about money), the question may be, What’s in a name?
Marcus Wareing Overtakes Ramsay for Top London Food in Harden’s [Bloomberg]
