Despite a grim time during the pandemic when his restaurants were forced to close, opening and then shutting The Fox Inn in Dorset in July 2022 after 18 months of trading, Mark Hix has turned another corner. He is joining renowned The Groucho Club in Soho as its Director of Food & Beverage.
If you’re unaware of The Groucho Club, it could be that you’re not one of its elusive private membership group of 5,000, but it’s a coup for the institution to attract one of Britain’s best chefs back to London’s restaurant scene. It’s a strong statement from The Groucho Club’s new owners Artfarm (who are also behind Mayfair hit Mount St. Restaurant and The Audley). They took over the club in August 2022 and clearly want to take the menu into a creative direction.
Mark has been one of The Groucho Club’s members for the past 30 years, while building on his solid reputation across restaurants such as The Ivy, Le Caprice, Scott’s and the HIX restaurants. He’s apprently keen to continue the tradition of simple British club food that aligns with The Groucho’s cosy-meets-glam ethos but with his usual artistic flair. You can expect some of his signature dishes, such as Hix’s traditional shepherd’s pie, with plenty of drinks on the menu from the best of Britain’s spirits producers.
And if you’re frustrated that you’re not a member of a club notorious for the hi-jinks of its celebrity musicians, artists and creatives ("stumbles out of The Groucho Club" captions accompanied paparazzi shots for decades), think outside the box and hire one of its private event spaces. This grants you temporary membership for a night, where you can ponder the Groucho Marx quote about not wanting to belong to any club that’ll accept you as a member, which of course is how the club got its name.
More about The Groucho
Where is it? 45 Dean St, London W1D 4QB
Find out more: Visit the Groucho Club’s website or follow them on Instagram @thegrouchoclub.
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