Claude Bosi is leaving Brooklands restaurant at The Peninsula hotel in January and returning to Michelin House in Chelsea, where his flagship venue Bibendum closed suddenly in August last year.
The Lyons-born chef has yet to announce full details of the move, issuing a brief statement via Instagram to say: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved at Brooklands. Lucy [his wife and business partner] and I are now looking forward to the next chapter, building on Josephine and bringing Michelin House to life.“
Significantly, he does not mention Bibendum by name, which suggests that he will not simply reopen the same restaurant at Michelin House, and will not be using the same name. He also had an Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant on the ground floor, which may be part of the new plans for the site.
The return to Michelin House has been something of an open secret in London hospitality circles in recent months – it was widely expected to have taken place this autumn, not next spring as is now understood to be the case. Claude’s statement also hints that there will be a further edition of Josephine, the duo of neighbourhood bistros he has opened in Chelsea and Marylebone.
Bibendum was originally opened by the late Sir Terence Conran in 1987 and was taken over by Claude in 2017. Its abrupt closure last year followed a breakdown in relations with the owners of the building, the Hamlyn and Conran families. Those relations seem to have been patched up now.
Claude launched Brooklands on the top floor of the newly built Peninsula London when the international five-star hotel opened near Hyde Park Corner in 2023. The restaurant has a ceiling adorned with a model of the Concorde, which may or may not survive the launch of a new concept for the restaurant that will be unveiled next year.
The hotel’s managing director, Rolf Buehlmann, has thanked Claude and his team for their achievements at the venue, saying: “We are deeply grateful to chef Bosi and the entire Brooklands team for their dedication and contribution to The Peninsula London. Since opening, Brooklands by Claude Bosi has established itself as one of London’s leading dining destinations, earning two Michelin stars within months of opening.
“We wish chef Bosi all the best with his future endeavours and we look forward to announcing the exciting details of the future plans for the 8th floor in due course.”