Being awarded a Michelin star is arguably the most coveted achievement any restaurant could ever hope to get. So, being able to achieve two of these would be the ultimate prize, right?
Well, legendary restaurateur Mourad Mazouz has managed to do what no other new restaurant in Great Britain and Ireland has been able to achieve as yet when he was recently awarded three Michelin stars for his Mayfair-based space Sketch Lecture Room & Library.
Image: Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library)
Opened back in 2002, Sketch Lecture Room & Library is run by acclaimed French chef Pierre Gagnaire and has grown from strength to strength since then.
With the award, the excentric restauranteur has also made history as this made Mourad Mazouz the first African restaurateur to obtain three Michelin stars globally.
Situated on the upper floor of Sketch in Mayfair, Mourad Mazouz’s Sketch Lecture Room & Library restaurant has held a two-star rating since 2013.
But things weren’t always smooth sailing for the restaurant. When they originally opened, the restaurant received damning criticism and quite bad reviews. It earned poor ratings from some of the largest media outlets and its unique interiors were described by many as vulgar.
However, the public completely fell in love with it and the restaurant, with it’s very much ahead of its time feel, not only helped to establish this trendy look in London but managed to turn its harshest critics around.
Mourad Mazouz cites hard-work, luck and his incredible team as the keys to overcoming initial challenges that they faced in the beginning and as great contributors for the restaurant’s latest accolades.
Upon winning, the Algerian born restauranteur commented: “I dedicate these stars to my friend Pierre Gagnaire and our amazingly talented Head Chef Johannes Nuding who has been at the helm of the kitchen for the past six years working tirelessly to offer a cuisine based on quality and creativity. Thank you so much to my team who had the courage to support me throughout this crazy journey. I opened sketch in 2002 to offer a little bit of happiness to every customer by bringing together food, drink, art and music under one roof. Thank you so much to Michelin for recognising our hard work and achievements with this prestigious award.”
Sketch scooped its first Michelin star in 2005 and put in more hard work to receive the second one in 2012.
The versatile restaurateur, Mourad Mazouz, runs multiple spaces around the world apart from Sketch. These include Andy Wahloo and Derriere in Paris and Momos in London.
All of Mourad Mazouz’s restaurants stand for their grand styles and cultural aesthetics across the aspects of architecture, food and designs.
But, Mourad is not one to rest on his laurels, he is already planning to open more food outlets with the first planned as Mo’s Dinner on Heddon Street, London. The restaurant will blend Mediterranean cuisine concepts with classic American dishes and is set to be a sure fan favourite and one of the most popular restaurants in Mayfair.
