Shaun Rankin to open restaurant at Flemings hotel
Flemings hotel in Mayfair in London is to undergo a £14m refurbishment and open a new restaurant under chef Shaun Rankin.
The new restaurant is due to open in March 2016 and will focus on Rankin's Jersey heritage. No name has yet been chosen for the venture. The chef will run the 80-cover restaurant and 40-cover bar, offering modern British food alongside his Ormer restaurant on Jersey, which holds a Michelin star.
Meanwhile, the £14m refurbishment of the hotel, which has been owned by the same family for 40 years, is due for completion in the first quarter of 2016. Work has already begun at the property and will involve the renovation of 129 bedrooms, suites and apartments alongside a tea lounge and bar.
Ten luxury Mayfair apartments and suites have already been completed, with double bedrooms, living and dining areas and fully equipped kitchens. The apartments feature a private entrance and offer extra comforts such as a Nespresso coffee machine and Miller Harris bathroom amenities.
The additional refurbishment will take place in stages, with rooms completed floor-by-floor so the hotel can remain open. The first 40 bedrooms will be completed in June. The 30-cover tea lounge will boast hand-painted De Gournay wall panels and a library stocked with books from luxury book publisher Assouline.
General manager Henrik Muehle joined Flemings Mayfair hotel in 2014 to drive the refurbishment plans. Muehle previously launched St James's hotel and club Mayfair with chef William Drabble and has worked at the Capital hotel with chef Eric Chavot.
He said: "We are very excited about the changes at this historic hotel, which dates back to 1851. The investment will allow us to offer our guests the very best in luxury accommodation and fine dining, ensuring Flemings Mayfair remains firmly on the map for both UK and international visitors. My aim, over the next few years, is to establish Flemings Mayfair as one of the leading boutique hotels in London."
Flemings Mayfair is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
More details released on Shaun Rankin's members' club restaurant >>