Written in the Stars

FOUR sits down with the inimitable French cook to understand how, even with his revered reputation, he continues to rise to new heights, day in and day out. Hailing from Lyon, Claude Bosi was born into a lineage of great cooks, but he certainly didn’t leave it up to fate to deliver his culinary career on a silver platter. Passionate about gastronomy from a young age, he knuckled down and forged his own path to become one of the most respected chefs of his generation. Marked by classic French techniques, his cooking puts his adept culinary skills on full display — and with the resumé and pedigree he has, it comes as no surprise that he’s a force in the kitchen.

“I was born and spent the early years of my life in Lyon, France. My parents were restaurateurs, and it was normal for my brother and me to help with everything there from a very early age. My grandmother was also a brilliant cook; I learnt a lot from her and my mother especially. I graduated from catering college, did my apprenticeship in Lyon, and then moved to Paris to two Michelin-starred Le Chiberta as Demi Chef de Partie for one year. My next position — which was for two and a half years — was with Alain Passard at L’Arpège in Paris, starting as Chef de Partie and then climbing to Sous Chef. During this period, L’Arpège moved from two Michelin stars to three."

"I then joined Alain Ducasse in Paris as Chef de Partie and stayed there for almost one year before I decided to move to the United Kingdom. I took my first job here as Sous Chef at Overton Grange, Shropshire — and then got promoted to Head Chef, which is when I was awarded my first Michelin star in 1999. In 2000, I decided to open my own restaurant, Hibiscus (also in Shropshire), which was awarded one Michelin star, then two Michelin stars in 2004. In search of a new challenge, I moved Hibiscus to London in 2007, where I stayed until closing its doors in 2016. After refurbishing the first floor of Michelin House, Chelsea, in early 2017, I opened Claude Bosi at Bibendum that March. This is where my signature two-Michelin-starred restaurant is found today."

Reigniting the Michelin House

“When I was first introduced to the Michelin building, I was blown away by it. It has such a great history, it was already a prominent figure, and it is very special to many people for lots of different reasons. I didn’t want to ‘change it completely’, but I wanted to make a few changes to reignite the passion for the old place. It had got run down, inconsistent, and tired over the years. I worked with Sir Terence Conran to collaborate our identities in an empathetic way which would itself stand timeless, too.”

An iconic address presenting an equally iconic dining experience, it’s within this illustrious Art Deco building where Claude Bosi has found his groove. Here, striking stained glass windows open the gates to a heaven-like flood of light, acting as Bosi’s stage to showcase his culinary mastery in all its glory. With the Michelin Man’s ubiquitous presence, and a palpable air of elegance from wall to wall, there’s a certain anticipation of the calibre of cuisine guests will receive — and Claude and his team more than exceed these expectations.

“I want my guests to feel welcome from the moment they arrive. I tell my team they are visiting ‘our house’, so I want guests to feel welcome, relaxed, and yearning for nothing while they are here.”

A Philosophy of Seasonality

“From my family’s humble early influence, through to college, and on into the professional kitchens I worked in, I have always learnt along the way. But Alain Passard’s devotion to seasonality and learning about respecting produce has certainly influenced my philosophy over the years, and I create all my menus in accordance with this. The way we work on dishes is with seasons — we see what is coming up and work as a team. With Federico, my Head Chef, I tell him my ideas and mix of flavours. I let him work on this, and then we do tastings. The process takes one to two weeks from the idea to the final dish."

"Each season has one favourite ingredient for me — but overall, the excitement is about being able to work with the first produce of that specific season — i.e. game season, asparagus, and truffle. I like to work with smaller producers where I can, and most of my suppliers I have known for years. I rely on their expertise and product knowledge to guide me to what is the best at that moment, so I can work out how to use this in the menu.”

Simplicity and Synergy

Through his years of experience, Bosi has learned that less is more. Rather than over-complicating his dishes, they are reassuringly simple, with each plate meticulously devised to spotlight the seasonal qualities of the featured ingredients. Claude Bosi at Bibendum serves two different dining options: a two or three-course menu for lunch or a full, multi-course tasting menu with five or seven dishes.

Current highlights include duck jelly with white onion; smoked sturgeon and special selection caviar; hand-dived Scottish scallops with brown butter dashi; Cornish cod à la Grenobloise; Brittany rabbit with Scottish langoustine and French tarragon; and a double-chocolate soufflé with Madagascan vanilla ice cream. Wine pairings are curated by Bosi and Head Sommelier, Elio Machiné. “I try to leave Elio to take the direction of the wine list; we have worked together for a long time now. He has the same philosophy with wines as we have in the kitchen — we need to provide an exemplary experience to our guests.”

Leadership and Legacy

Claude uses his three decades of knowledge to guide his leadership philosophy, with staff well-being at its core. “A lot has changed in the thirty years I have been in professional kitchens. Now, as a mentor, I need to make sure we maintain a work-life balance. By deciding to only be open for seven services each week, my main aim is to ensure my guests are incredibly well looked after by a happy and healthy team.”

Recognition has been plentiful: two Michelin stars within seven months of opening, and the coveted Chef Award at The Caterer’s Catey Awards in 2018. Yet, Bosi remains driven by his regulars. “I am most content when I see guests come back time and time again; they become our regulars and ultimately ‘friends’. The support we have had, especially from the locals since being here, has been fantastic.”

Looking to the future, the chef hopes to continue nurturing his eponymous restaurant and his beloved Oyster Bar. With a recently launched Mediterranean bistro in London and a new fine-dining restaurant opening at the debut Peninsula in London later this year, Claude’s got an exciting few months ahead.