Wright hits out at falling standards

JONATHAN Wright, the chef who quit his executive post at Conran's latest venture earlier this month, has blamed a "bums-on- seats" culture in London for killing the passion in cooking for many chefs.

Wright, who was head chef at the two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire before joining London's Great Eastern hotel, is the latest chef to accuse restaurateurs of eroding quality in the capital with their demands to simplify menus.

"London has the potential, but it is a big mistake to call it the gastronomic city of the world. It has lots of restaurants just chucking out food. If you offer the right structure, take time with the guests, then spend will increase. Reduce the menus and the cost and you end up in the same place," he said.

Wright said he quit his post as executive chef at the GreatEastern hotel, just two monthsafter the opening of its flagship restaurant Aurora, because its management wanted to fill the restaurant with special offers, while he wanted to concentrate on winning the restaurant a Michelin star.

"I thought I would be working for the Great Eastern, not another Conran restaurant," he said.

Simon Wright (no relation), who manages all six restaurants at the Great Eastern, said: "Michelin is a great standard, but we want to be careful not to make it our only aim."

Jonathan Wright said he might now work abroad, perhaps in the Far East or the USA.

The chef's comments come a week after the publication of the UK's latest Michelin guide. The UK now has just one three-star, 12 two-star and 86 one-star restaurants. In France there are 21 three-star restaurants, 74 two-star and 405 one-star restaurants.

by Christina Golding