Chutney Mary marks its 35th anniversary, of which 10 years are at its current elegant St. James’s location, after a celebrated 25-year run in the fringes of Chelsea.
The belief in the 1980s was that only large corporates such as Tatas, who owned the Taj, could be able to finance and sustain a large upscale Indian restaurant in London (Bombay Brasserie, 1982). However, Chutney Mary bucked this belief, by opening in the outer fringe of Chelsea in the summer of 1990 and doing well. It happened to be the start of a major recession. Paul Levy, food editor of The Observer, remarked: “Indian restaurants are where you take a mother-in-law, but never your banker”. However, Chutney Mary slowly gained popularity as a favourite place for bankers who lived locally, and all manner of discerning people, including the Chelsea set, Royals, food lovers and Wimbledon players of the time.
Chutney Mary’s 1990 debut didn’t just redefine Indian fine dining in London. It helped ignite a broader movement. Its success signalled to the industry that upscale Asian cuisine restaurants could thrive, with Chutney Mary turning out to become an inflection point in the world of upscale Asian food in London. It instilled confidence in a new generation of young Indian chefs such as Vineet Bhatia (1992) and Atul Kochar (1994) that there could be a future, and they brought their talents to London. Others followed, leadingto a renaissance of Indian food in Britain, and, indeed, in upscale Asian restaurants in the western world. In 1992, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who was at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, left to open Vong in New York. Nobu followed in New York in 1994, and within a decade, London’s own broader Asian dining renaissance emerged – with landmarks including Hakkasan (2001) and Zuma (2003).
Currently Chutney Mary’s interiors remain as much a draw as its food – glamourous candlelight lighting, striking Indian art pieces, warm hospitality, and well-spaced seating make for an experience that is refined, yet welcoming, with a glamourous Pukka Bar attached. The St. James’s crowd is a mix of connoisseurs and London regulars — from government
ministers to financiers, art dealers and international seekers of good food.
Behind the pass is a Pan-Indian kitchen team dedicated to precision and depth -presenting dishes that are both traditional and inventive. Think tokri chaat (in a basket), tandoori lobster, and green chicken curry from Goa which has been on the menu since 1990, to today’s menu servingtandoori Japanese wagyu with marrow, tandoori artichokes,a double-layered kebab of venison and guinea fowl, jackfruit biryani and more.
To mark this 35th anniversary milestone, Chutney Mary has launched a ‘Chef’s Gourmet Celebration Menu’ – an eight- course tasting menu (£95pp), available at dinner service, with a thoughtfully curated optional wine pairing (£50pp). The menu blends classic signatures with new seasonal creations, and remains rooted in the restaurant’s hallmark: premium ingredients, sophisticated spicing, and meticulous technique.
