A Q&A with Dominic Hamdy
We asked London-based restaurateur Dom Hamdy, of Crispin, Bar Crispin and Bistro Freddie, a few questions on life, style, and the people and places that matter most to him
Here at Gentleman’s Journal, we have a keen eye for identifying figures at the forefront of their respective industries. That’s why we’ve embarked on a series of insightful conversations with industry leaders, delving deeper into their interests and perspectives. Below, we put London-based restaurateur Dom Hamdy in the hot seat...
The best restaurant in the world is…
Brawn [in east London] never ever misses.
Your favourite hotel…
Maison Salix in Provence – a hugely personal and ambitious project by two wonderful people.
The city destination you never tire of is…
Barcelona. I go there to climb with a friend who lives in the city. You're in the mountains within an hour, and straight back into the city for a swim in the sea, a caña and a plate of jamòn. Perfect.
Dom's drink of choice and the book he recommends to everyone, Bacon in Moscow
The drinks order that never disappoints is…
A vodka martini. Ice cold with a lemon twist.
Your perfect holiday…
Somewhere with no signal, no internet and a beautiful view. It doesn't get much better than sailing in the Aegean.
The menswear brand you rate…
I can't seem to buy anything but Our Legacy. I'm still wearing pieces that I bought 12-plus years ago.
The best gift you have ever received…
A painting by Virginia Corbett was given to us as a wedding present. The scale of it is much too big for our small terrace house – it somehow feels so indulgent.
Brawn on London's Columbia Road; Maison Salix, Provence
The last thing you bought and loved…
Two tiny oak and straw chairs for my one-year-old daughter. I bought them from an antiques market in Provence and she's learning to sit up on them.
The book everyone should read before they die is…
Bacon in Moscow [by James Birch]. It follows a London gallerist's attempt to bring Bacon's work, the first of any Western artist, to the USSR. It has it all – audacity, glamour, ambition and adventure. There is something so transportive – old 80s Soho, some of my favourite restaurants such as Quo Vadis, and a time that doesn't exist but feels so close.
The best piece of advice you have received…
Keep moving forward.
The person in your career you admire most…
Jeremy King. He has a magic touch in creating authentic restaurants with a story and longevity.
Maison Skyaasen Meursault; Gaudí's Casa Batlló in Barcelona
The quote you live by…
It'll all be alright in the end. If it's not alright, it's not the end.
The advice you would give to someone starting out in your profession…
Be curious, ask as many questions and experience as many people as you can.
Your biggest luxury...
Really good white Burgundy, most recently Maison Skyaasen's Meursault.
What do you do to relax…
Really good white Burgundy.
For more lifestyle inspiration, read our Q&A with Gstaad Guy...
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