sketch - Lecture Room & Library, London - Global Winner 2022
sketch was inaugurated in 2002 by acclaimed restaurateur Mourad Mazouz, and three-Michelin-starred Master Chef, Pierre Gagnaire.
The three-Michelin-starred Lecture Room & Library wine list is curated by loyal Wine Director Frederic Brugues, a founding team member who has dedicated himself to wine direction at sketch for over 20 years. The list boasts between 850 – 1000 wines from all over the world. Frederic’s emphasis is not only on the much-loved classics of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but also on the astonishing genetic diversity of European wine creation as a whole. His ideal is the “jardin des cépages”, the ‘garden of grape varieties’, drawing on the work of individual growers and wine creators throughout the continent and beyond — and without ever forgetting the glories of the past. Using his years of expertise, Brugues consults guests to discover their individual tastes and requirements, advising on matching particular wines to Pierre Gagnaire’s menus in order to create harmonious combinations.
Ever unafraid to break the mould, as of May 2021 Brugues expanded the offering of English and Welsh-produced wines throughout all the sketch menus in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and to support local economies. By moving 20-25% of the restaurant’s yearly volume of wine bought to English and Welsh wine producers, this bold move has taken the multi-venue restaurant’s support of local wine craftsmanship to a new level. sketch is proud to bring wine directly from farm to glass, supporting family- run and small businesses.
As a destination for food, drink, art and music, the Mayfair venue continues to contribute to the Grade II* listed building’s listed heritage as an environment for experimentation. The site consists of the Lecture Room & Library, the Parlour, the Glade, the East Bar, and the Gallery. The Lecture Room & Library was awarded its first Michelin star in 2005, a second star in 2012 and it was recognised with Michelin’s top three-star accolade in 2019. Serving Gagnaire’s modern European cuisine, always with a sketch-twist, the Lecture Room & Library is decorated in shades of orange, with richly upholstered armchairs in purple and crimson. The design is opulent, with ivory walls of silver thread, an ornate plasterwork ceiling and crystal-encrusted bathrooms. The Library room is embellished with fabrics in magenta and silver, with a lavishly painted ceiling reminiscent of a Russian fresco. The adjacent Millicent Fawcett Room has beautiful wallpapering, glittering chandeliers, and sumptuous curtains in gold and pomegranate.
sketch’s home on 9 Conduit Street was designed in 1779 and was previously the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects, before later becoming the London Atelier of Christian Dior. On July 17 1869, pioneering feminist Millicent Fawcett spoke at a public meeting held in the building calling for the enfranchisement of women, a legacy which lives on today as a core principle of sketch’s ethos. sketch was the Regional Winner for Europe.
Email: info@sketch.london
Address: 9 Conduit Street, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG, United Kingdom
