London Food Scene says goodbye to Richard Vines in Quaglino

Wednesday 18 June 2025 19:00
| Updated:

Wednesday 18 June 2025 19:01

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On Tuesday night the great and good world of London restaurant gathered at Quaglino’s to celebrate the lives of food writers Richard Vines, who died earlier this year.

Vines is a restaurant critic for Bloomberg for 26 years until retiring in 2021. Known for his style – Paisley and Fedora’s shirt is a staples clothing – he is known and respected throughout the world of food.

The Quaglino’s Bash was organized by a close friend of Vines Martin Williams, the new Evolv Collection boss (previously D&D London). Among the 200 guests present were industrial giants including Toast Williams colleagues, judge James Robson from Fallow, Angela Hartnett, Francesco Mazzei, Tom Aikens, Pierre Koffmann, Michael Cains and Fergus Henderson.

That night had an atmosphere of celebration, with a direct show, a touching speech – including one by Michelin Chef, starring Hartnett – and even showing cigarette girls distributed badges with Richard’s face on it.

“It’s hard to exaggerate how generous and respected by Richard Vines,” Williams said AM City. “He knows that London’s food scenes are not like other people and he approaches him with warmth and intelligence. Everyone likes Richard, he only has an easy and confident way about him.

“We first met at my restaurant M at Threadneedle Street and I thought I disappointed him when I returned to work after one and a half hours. Next time we did the exact six hour session, which was much more like that! It ended with me teaching Richard how to play biliar on beer in Brigadier!

“I really miss him and I know he will be happy to see so many people smile and roast his inheritance.”

The guests at the event enjoyed the gambling range of caviar and magnum pommery to be with Renais Gin Gimlets, Gray Goose Martini, the newly removed oyster and Koktail Langustine.

Fellow restaurant critics who attended including David Ellis from Evening Standard, Bloomberg’s Bill Knott, Hannah Twiggs from The World Restaurant Awards ‘The World Awards’ Joe Warwick, Jay Rayner from FT magazines and Tatler from Fay Maschler.

AM City Food writer Steve Dinneen remembers some long and entertaining food with vines.

“We first met at Bentley’s. Richard wore a seersucker setting and had a table full of stories about the restaurant scene. The owner of Richard Corrigan opened a bottle of wine that didn’t make sense for us and we finally lived there until midnight.” ”