Simon Gregory speaks about his role as Group Executive Chef for The Ivy Asia and Harry’s and his love of the capital.
Did you always want to be a chef and how did you get to where you are today?
When I left school, I wanted to go straight into hospitality, which, in the early ‘90s wasn’t as glamorous as its perceived to be now. I was fortunate to travel when I was young and found that where people had little money, cooking and hospitality was how they showed real wealth. After several years working in Sydney, I bought Gordon Ramsay’s first cookbook and made it my plan to move to London to work at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which I did in 2003; I then spent the next 11 years working for Gordon.
Where do you find inspiration and how do you curate the menus?
I find great inspiration in ingredients, design and my surroundings to create a story that has meaning. A key element of our menu design is that it needs to be accessible to all. I love the simplicity of some dishes and additionally, I love creating visual and conceptual-style dishes. Ultimately, dining out needs to be far more than just food and drink; it needs to be a complete package.
Tell us one of your favourite dishes at both restaurants
In Ivy Asia it’s aromatic duck with pancakes, served in a striking two-foot-high golden duck figurine, complete with a steamer basket on its back and the pancakes and hoi sin sauce hanging from the duck’s beak in a golden bucket. The shredded duck sits on top in a lightly smoke-filled glass dome.
In Harry’s it’s our signature Harry’s Toadstool dessert. Fun and visually beautiful, it’s probably our highest-selling dish on the menu. We tweak the dish and do multiple versions across the year, depending on the season or key dates.
The Ivy Asia at St Paul’s has just celebrated its fifth anniversary. What makes is successful?
We continue to develop and evolve our menus and focus on creating new and innovative concepts to retain the identity of the restaurant. For the incredible views alone, it’s one of London’s most beautiful restaurants; it still takes my breath away when I see the view of St Paul’s, paired with the interior design, incredibly creative cocktails and theatrical dishes. The entire place just comes to life in a balanced and beautiful way.
It’s such a diverse city in regards to culture, history, art, music, food and people; there are very few places in the world that encompasses all this in one place!
Do you have any favourite landmarks or attractions in the capital?
I’m always taken back by the beauty and magnitude of Buckingham Palace. I visited it on my first week in London and regularly wander by; there isn’t another building that captures London any better. As I’m passionate about history and art, I love visiting the Natural History Museum and Tate Modern; both are so incredibly amazing.
Other than Harry’s and The Ivy Asia, what are your favourite foodie spots in London?
London has some of the most varied and incredible restaurants in the world, from small independents to Michelin Star dining and everything in between.
Some of my personal favourites are Oma, Borough Market; Chez Bruce, Wandsworth Common; Scotts, Mayfair; Dishoom, South Kensington; Noble Rot, Fitzrovia; Bistroteque, Bethnal Green.
Tell us about a place in the city that holds a special memory for you.
Probably the most memorable moment was coming out of Hyde Park Corner station on my first day in London in 2003 and walking down Knightsbridge and seeing the Mandarin Oriental Hotel; it’s an incredibly beautiful building and, as I have Harry’s Dolce Vita in Knightsbridge, I get to see this on every visit. I always remember that view on that day was so ‘London’ in every aspect and I will remember that fondly forever.
Finally, what makes London stand out from the rest of the world in your eyes?
It’s such a diverse city in regard to culture, history, art, music, food and people; there are very few places in the world that encompasses all this in one place!
