A Day in the Life at Pied à Terre: Behind the Scenes of a Michelin Restaurant in London

Why Being a Restaurateur Is More Than a Job

Don’t get me wrong - I would never want to do anything else. Being a restaurateur at Pied à Terre, London's longest standing Michelin starred restaurant, is built into my DNA. It’s who I am, and it has given me a life full of stories to tell.

Some days, I’d love to turn down the volume and just cruise. But in fine dining, every service demands precision, adrenaline, and coordination. Time is relentless, and at Pied à Terre, every day is a curtain raise - an opportunity to elevate the luxury dining experience we deliver to our guests.

The Craft Behind a Michelin-Level Dish

To illustrate the complexity of just one element of one of our recipes, let’s look at a current omnivore main course: Arnaud Tauzin Guinea Fowl with parsnip, cocoa nibs, walnut, and Difference Coffee. While it looks simply elegant on the plate, the accompanying sauce takes four days to perfect - a testament to the meticulous detail required in restaurant behind-the-scenes work.

Day 1: White Chicken Stock

Chicken carcass, feet, calves’ feet, onions, leeks, celery, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, and black and white peppercorns are cooked all day, creating a delicate white chicken stock.

Day 2: Brown Chicken Stock

Roasted chicken wings, chicken carcass, chicken feet, calves’ feet, vegetables, herbs, and tomato purée are combined with Day 1 White Chicken Stock and simmered, carefully skimmed to develop rich, layered flavours.

Day 3: Guinea Fowl Stock

Roasted guinea fowl carcass, neck, and winglets are added to vegetables and aromatics, combined with Day 2 Brown Chicken Stock, and simmered to achieve depth.

Day 4: Final Reduction

The stock is reduced by two-thirds. A separate reduction of Madeira, shallots, and aromatics is added, brought to the boil, skimmed, and simmered to the perfect glossy consistency - one small but crucial part of a this gorgeous dish.

Why not join us for a morning in the kitchen, followed a spot of lunch?

Precision, Pressure, and the Pace of Fine Dining

While the sauce develops over four days, the kitchen and front-of-house teams manage their own timing, logistics, and challenges. At Pied à Terre, we have never cancelled a service in 34 years - the curtain goes up, without fail.

The Team Behind the Michelin Experience

Regardless of what happens, and there is always something happening, it is my job to find a way to motivate and cajole the team, sort the plumbing, the electrics, the loss of services…..whatever it is, it just needs doing.

Our team delivers a world-class dining experience with style, grace, and something rare in luxury dining London: fun with a capital F. They spend more time at Pied à Terre than at home with family. Creating a happy, motivated environment is essential, and it shows the moment you dine with us: a truly unified team delivering the best possible fine dining experience.

Because at Pied à Terre, we are only as good as our last meal.

Tip Top

David

David Moore, Founder and Owner of Pied à Terre.