Without Reservation by Jeremy King

4th Estate, 2025

Why?

Of all of the London restaurateurs in recent decades, Jeremy King is the constant as regards style, elegance and class.

Renowned for restoring iconic restaurants to their former glory (Le Caprice twice; the Ivy; J Sheekey; the forthcoming re-opening of Simpson's) as well as creating new concepts with imagined histories (The Delaunay; Colbert; Fischer's), King is equally as well known for his ability to curate a clientele as he is for his impeccable food, ambience and service.

I've frequented his restaurants on many different and memorable occasions in the 30+ years I've been in London: from the heady days of the '90s when in my twenties (generally with someone better known and more able to settle the bill), through work and social meetings at the Wolseley and Delaunay over the years; to spending the evening of my 50th birthday at the Arlington. As we eagerly await the re-opening of the grand dame of London restaurants, Simpson's, under King's watch, now seemed to be the perfect time for his memoir.

Enjoyment factor

This is very much an insider memoir, for those of us who crossed paths with the cast of characters in King's restaurants over the decades. It was wonderful to get perspective on the whole picture, and there are some pithy business and life-advice tips in there too.

It left me thinking ...

King has always been the grown-up of London restaurateurs, with a knack for curating a cross-industry clientele of sophistication and substance, eschewing socialites and flash-in-the-pan celebrities. His appreciation of history and the elegance of times gone by lends itself to this kind of audience - as well as his reluctance to appear in the limelight himself.

But what really shines through in this memoir - as it does when visiting his restaurants - is his genuine enjoyment of and dedication to his craft. He's in the business because he truly loves it, putting him heads and shoulders above his competitors. He greets his clientele personally as frequently as possible, and takes the time to get to know regulars, turning his restaurant experience into something more akin to a club. It's this which will make him stand out in an increasingly automated age.

But on that note, I do wonder whether the era of the iconic restaurant is coming to an end. Aside from rising costs, younger generations don't seem to want to socialise in person as much as older generations - or if they do, it doesn't involve the legendary late nights, drawn-out meals and alcohol of previous decades.

It will be interesting to see the mix in the famously cavernous Simpson's when it opens next month. I can't wait.