Ten Trinity Square has cemented itself as one of the hottest and most sought member clubs in London.
Whether for haute couture Sloanies, beaus and belles of Mayfair or the slick city banker suits, the London is anything but a stranger to hosting its discerning natives and upper crust invitees, into the exclusivity of their polished plethora of private members clubs dotted all around the Capital’s most refined postcodes.
Discontent with even the “people want what they can’t have” concept, the strictly members orb have raised the privileged stakes to give their gentlefolk citizens a slice of the extra ultra upper-crust way of living, by introducing the elite-only luminary association meets five-star hotel theory, where the UK’s deep-pocketed realm can reap the benefits of an exclusive club inside a tucked away quarter of a luxury hotel that is out of bounds for their habitual guests.
The Sumptuous Ten Trinity Square
One such hideaway sits as the Babylonian stately home resplendence of the 2017-born Ten Trinity Square Private Club, where I experienced a decadent luncheon soirée courtesy of Head Chef Alex Tzatzos that saw me arrive salivating over the sybaritic dining menu and depart with a glossy members application in hand.
A glorious pedigreed breed in itself with a partnership between Reignwood Group, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and Château Latour, Ten Trinity resides inside the quintessential landmark Ten Trinity Square building along with the Four Seasons palatial East London outpost, barely a minute walk from Tower Hill station.
Formerly housing the Port of London Authority, a special lift transports you to a historic haven befitting a lionised aristocrat, where original chocolate wood panels and ornate carvings were safeguarded from the aboriginal establishment as a gesture to its treasured heritage. Following a glowing greeting from the club’s pristinely attired reception team, I was ushered past the sleek cocktail bar and suave gentleman’s cigar room, before entering into an exquisitely appointed dining room adorned with yet more wooden panels, striking pillars and embellished cream ceilings featuring lavish regal gold and chandlers, while soft leather chairs, smooth mahogany timber tables and dainty glassware made up the accessories.
Head Chef Alex Tzatzos rests at the driving force of Ten Trinity’s tinselled feasting menu. A native from the paradisal, blare-thumping Greek sanctum of Mykonos, Alex left his homeland to fulfil his dream of conquering London’s fabled haute cuisine scene; “Back in the day, there were not as many opportunities to grow professionally in the world of fine food, not like there is now. I made the decision to head to London for a few months in 2012 and here we are today, I’ve never had to look back”
Plucked from the eponymous Nobu empire that shows off a glamorous and global plethora of Nobu Matsuhisa’s hotels and restaurants around the globe, Alex is anything but a stranger to hard graft, “London was a super difficult city to survive as a chef, working insanely long (12 hour) days but my passion for cooking was the driving force”
Post a flute of sparkling liquid gold, or more commonly known as Delamotte Blanc de Blancs recommended by the culinary maestro himself, the afternoon gourmet gala began with some rustic warm bread with whipped creamy butter, followed by a canape serving of dainty crisp, mini tacos loaded with creamy white fish, and fine black caviar with its mild, salted ocean freshness eating through the rich seafood filling.
The next dish of Pan Fried Scallops with Truffle Honey Yuzu showcased Alex’s Peruvian and Japanese fusion mastery gained during his stint at the celebrity haunt of Sushi Samba, renowned for its celebration of the flavours of Japan, Brazil and Peru. “I joined Sushi samba in 2013, where I really fell in love with Peruvian flavours,” he tells me, while I swooned over the buttery glistened silk flesh of the Scottish scallops bathing in citric floral yuzu truffle, topped with petite vibrant edible flowers.
The spell of Peruvian magic continued to wave its wand with the sea bass ceviche, meaty and finely diced with the tangy sharpness from the lime zest and a sprinkling of fresh seasonal herbs and fragrant chives. The dish also oozed stunning aesthetic artistry with edible foliage, yet more bright edible fauna and a delicate leaf-designed cracker almost making it too beautiful to devour!
It was Nobuyuki Matsuhisa who had introduced the glitterati diners of this world to his now iconic fusion alliance of East-Asian fare with the South American panache, also counting THAT, signature black cod miso it was only mandatory to have this famed course sealed inside Ten Trinity’s menu.
As I tucked into the hearty flakes of satin-like seafood glistening under the light rays as it effortlessly pulled apart, I continued to pick Alex’s brain on his prestigious Nobu journey as sous chef, before taking the bull by the horns to venture into the private club domain. “I had amazing experiences surrounded by chef talent around the globe; Miami, Dubai, the Singapore F1, you name it even Saudi Arabia Jeddah. I loved the consistency, discipline and hard work even from my first stint as a runner at Nobu Matsuhisa Mykonos in 2015, I wouldn’t have it anyway. Yes, the competition was hot, but I had the vision to be at the top hence the Head Chef move to Ten Trinity.”
Always one to sample a chef’s personal favourite, the savoury lineup concluded with the standout gold prize of Langoustine Orzo pasta, paired with more Delamotte champagne. Perfectly cooked short-cut pasta married into the smooth tomato sweetness, complete with unami meatiness from the lobster bisque and the deep complex elegance of the tender langoustine. Unashamedly scraping my plate clean of each morsel, curiosity got the better of me on Alex’s own take on entering into the members club culinary fraternity and the comparisons to restaurant life, something he appeared rather nonchalant about. “The demands from the members are never the same, never predictable but I love a challenge and rise to it. There is not much difference in regards to the lifestyle, the hours are still long and you still need to maintain high standards to ensure every guest and member is happy”.
Gearing myself for the soon (grudging) departure from the club, we pick on a light dessert finale of fresh fruit and a mochi ice cream selection served on a bed of crushed ice, where Alex’s pride for his family and cooking couldn’t be more evident, “when not in the kitchen you’ll find me playing with my little princes Aleksa”, he states with a smile and steadily growing glow to his face. “Time with her is of course precious and she’s the driving force in my vision to keep working hard and create a cooking legacy she’d one day be proud of.”
To Conclude
Ten Trinity Square takes great pride in hosting its guests and members in a soothing ambience and enchanting settings that keep you mesmerised.
Many of the exclusive member’s benefits include carefully curated Château Latour tastings and dinners, fast track introduction to the Wentworth Club, Surrey, and daily access to the Four Seasons breathtaking spa including a vitality pool, hammam and state-of-the-art fitness to name a minor few.
Factbox:
Address: 10 Trinity Square, London, EC3N 4AJ
Phone: 0203 297 9330
Website: tentrinitysquare.com
