The Ivy closes for four month refurb

To mark their 100th anniversary the iconic London establishment The Ivy restaurant and Private Room has now closed for a complete refurbishment, for the first time in 25 years, and will re-open again in May.

The new Ivy, in 2015, will be redesigned by Martin Brudnizki, the interior designer who has previously worked with on Scott’s, the J Sheekey Oyster Bar and, most recently, Daphne’s in South Kensington.

The Ivy opened its doors to the public for the first time in 1917, as a tiny, unlicensed café in a narrow townhouse in West Street, Covent Garden. Only a decade later, in 1929, having become the most talked-about restaurant in London, it was decided to pull down the old Ivy and rebuild it, with brand new kitchens in the basement and private rooms on the first floor.

The mahogany panelling remains intact on the first floor of the art deco building we still occupy to this day. The Maître d’ at that time was Mario Gallati, who later wrote in his memoirs:

“This was one of the most extraordinary periods I ever worked through. Throughout the extremely cold winter of 1929, with no heating to speak of and only wooden walls erected around the restaurant, and with workmen continuing to build brick walls outside, we managed to keep going inside. The Ivy, in spite of everything, remained obstinately full. Clients took the whole thing as a huge joke and nothing would keep them away. The restaurant looked a mess, but it was always packed”.

Gary Lee has been head chef at The Ivy restaurant since 2007 and was promoted to executive chef in 2011. His tenure at The Ivy has also seen the introduction of private members’ club, The Club at The Ivy in September 2008 and he continues to oversee private dining in the Private Room at The Ivy.

Look out for more news coming soon.