Michelin-starred restaurant The Ledbury became a focus of the wrong kind of attention last night when it was targeted by looters during the riots in London. The first news that something had happened came on Twitter at around 11pm when @harrywilkinson tweeted about his parents who were at the Notting Hill restaurant, rated 34th in the World's Best Restaurant list, for an anniversary dinner.
'Bunch of people smashed the windows in and came in and tried ripping watches/wallets jewellery off customers. Kitchen staff came out with knives.'
As the night progressed, those knives were downgraded to rolling pins in reports from diners who were there on the night. Food blogger Louise Yang tweeted @nakedsushi about her '2 Michelin star dinner interrupted by looters. Engagement ring and wedding ring gone. Most expensive meal ever.'
Yang later posted a full report on the restaurants attack, explaining how the staff at The Ledbury had rolled into action.'The kitchen staff at the Ledbury went beyond their call of duty by rushing up from the kitchen with rolling pins, fry baskets, and other dangerous kitchen tools and scared off the looters. Then they provided well-needed glasses of alcohol including champagne and whisky. When word came that the looters were coming back a second time, they ushered us into the bathrooms and told us to lock the doors. A few minutes later, they led us into the wine cellar and told us to lock ourselves in there.'
Ledbury development chef Isaac McHale also used Twitter to tell his story from the kitchen side. 'Hi all, yes we were attacked, youths ran in., smashed up the room, all chefs ran up, youths left, came back later.... everyone shook up.' He later added 'We all take it very personally, esp us been there since we opened.'
For a full report, go to Runaway Squirrels for her blow-by-blow blog on the night's events.
The Ledbury will be open today for lunch and dinner as normal. In a quote obtained by @Bruce_Palling, Brett Graham says "we are not going to be silenced by a bunch of thugs".
