Culinary art with a pinch of history

“Dinner” used to refer to the main meal of the day, taken around noon. In the course of history, this meal has increasingly shifted to the evening hours. However, in some parts of the British Isles “dinner” might still be served at lunchtime. History is also the key word when it comes to cuisine at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. The restaurant celebrates the long history of gastronomic creativity in Britain. Working with food historians and exploring the treasures of the British Library, the team researched centuries-old cookbooks and historical recipes. They soon found ample evidence that Britain’s obsession and pioneering work with food is not a recent phenomenon.

The menu at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal translates these discoveries and the fascination with history into a new and evolving dining experience. Under the aegis of Heston Blumenthal, the culinary project was awarded its first Michelin star in 2012, just one year after opening. The second star followed in 2013 and in 2014 Dinner was voted number 5 on the coveted list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Since 2019, Jon Bowring has been leading this culinary journey through time as Head Chef. Working alongside Deiniol Pritchard, brand manager for Dinner, they combine recipes dating as far back as the 14th century with the techniques and possibilities of today to present unique contemporary creations inspired by historic British gastronomy.

Even though he had worked in local kitchens as a teenager, becoming a professional chef was not Jon Bowring’s first career choice. He studied engineering and marine biology at Swansea University, but soon realised that he wanted to pursue his early passion, cooking. Returning to his native Cornwall, he began to work as a chef in numerous establishments. Especially at Rick Stein’s seafood restaurant in Padstow, where he stayed for three years, he honed his skills and gained an appreciation for the incredible local produce. In 2013, he headed out to Britain’s capital and signed on at Heston Blumenthal’s two-star gourmet venue. He started out as a Commis Chef at Dinner and progressed through the ranks to his current position as Head Chef.

Look forward to an evening steeped in history as Jon Bowring reimagines centuries of British delights at Restaurant Ikarus in November 2022. Experience a tribute to traditional recipes and an empire of royal taste clearly not to be missed by any finedining enthusiast.