Dinner began with Heston Blumenthal’s fascination with historic gastronomy. Together with Ashley Palmer-Watts, the two chefs created a menu that takes historical discoveries into a new and evolving modern dining experience. The restaurant opened in the award-winning Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London in January 2011.

Dinner by Heston was awarded its first Michelin star in 2012, with a second to follow in 2013. Working closely with food historians and tapping into the world of the British Library, Heston and his team develop dishes inspired by Britain’s historic gastronomic past; researching 14th-century cookbooks such as those by the royal chefs of King Richard II to Lewis Carroll’s flights of fancy.

The menu includes recipes dating as far back as the 14^th century, such as a ‘Meat Fruit’ of Mandarin, Chicken Liver Parfait and Grilled Bread; Spice Squab Pigeon with Artichokes and Ale; and Tipsy Cake with Spit Roast Pineapple. Each dish is a celebration of the historic discoveries and, as with all of his restaurants, there is a feeling of Heston’s unique and multi-sensory approach to cooking.

The restaurant interior has been conceived as a subtle, elegant portrait – contemporary and innovative, yet mindful of tradition. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls offer diners a view of the kitchen and its unique pulley system, modelled after a version used by the royal court, while uninterrupted views of Hyde Park bring the connection to history in full circle.