At This Three-in-One, Scenic New London Restaurant, Damien Hirst's Paintings Aren't the Only Masterpieces

It has been nearly four months since I dined at abc kitchens, the three-in-one, instantly iconic restaurant nestled on the ground floor of London's luxury hotel The Emory, across the road from leafy Hyde Park. But not even the time that has passed has been able to take away from the pleasantly hypnotic sensory overload I felt upon stepping inside.

Inaugurated last spring, the burgeoning hotspot marks the debut of French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's celebrated trilogy of New York eateries — abc kitchen, abcV, and abc cocina — onto the British culinary scene. A multi-award-winning restaurateur, Vongerichten is the creative powerhouse behind, and the owner of, 60 gastronomic destinations worldwide — including the eponymous two Michelin-starred restaurant Jean-Georges, one of the few to have been awarded four stars by The New York Times.

Credited with having "invented America's answer to nouvelle cuisine", as fellow chef and writer Mario Batali wrote in a 2005 article for the New York magazine, his masterfully executed, sculptural fusion of modern American, plant-based, and Latin American flavors would be enough to make abc kitchens a mandatory entry in our list of the best London restaurants — and a daily ritual for those lucky enough to sojourn at the sleekly designed, all-suite The Emory.

Still, it won't take you more than a glance at its winding 1970s-style banquette couch and shimmering cocktail bar to understand that food isn't but one side of the story at this amber-hued location; the cherry on top of the cake, to keep it within the taste realm.

From the outside, the monumental pale stone, glass, and bronze, with the white-painted steel masts and cabling of The Emory's functionalist façade — a sophisticated exercise signed, as the rest of its architecture, by RSHP's late co-founder Richard Rogers and Ivan Harbour — make knowing what lies indoors anyone's guess. But as visitors turn left past the reception of the coveted Belgravia hotel, a play of light and shapes unfolds around the corner.

When I visited the restaurant last fall, the sun had only just set on a Hyde Park covered in yellowed foliage, and the same golden glow irradiated the warm wood tones and Rosso Orobico marble of abc kitchens, casting dramatic shadows all over its mid-century modern furniture. Conceived to amplify the building's surroundings by self-taught interior designer Rémi Tessier, the space embraces diners in a chic cocooning environment where industrial-style copper pendant lights, a twinkling glass wine cave, and a wavy metallic curtain set the mood for Vongerichten's culinary explorations.

Much like his genre-bending understanding of cuisine, abc kitchens is many things at once. "It's warm, cozy, inviting, and intimate," Vongerichten tells me over an email exchange. "You're able to gaze at the park while sitting in this highly designed and lit dining room", and thanks to its wide open kitchen, positioned meters away from where guests are seated, you can even catch him and Executive Chef Ben Boeynaems at work while savoring your meal.

For the American food disruptor, who first introduced the idea of fusion cuisine to London during his tenure at The Berkeley's Vong restaurant, abc kitchens' vision wouldn't be complete without its dazzling setting. "The original three abc restaurants have been loved by New Yorkers since we opened abc kitchen in 2010," he explains. "Each one harmoniously speaks to the same ethos — an emphasis placed on community and working with local, organic ingredients — but every restaurant takes that ethos and transforms it, whether in the form of cuisine or design."

At abc kitchens, the trio of eateries is reunited under one roof for the first time in a boundaries-blurring tasting and aesthetic encounter between New York and the British capital. "From interiors to culture, food, and beyond, Londoners are very similar to New Yorkers in their preferences," Vongerichten says. "We have always wanted to combine the three abc restaurants, and in collaboration with The Emory, we felt it was the right place and time to turn this trilogy into a well-rounded experience that satisfies tastes and cravings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

This intermingling of inspirations is best embodied by acclaimed English artist Damien Hirst's Secret Gardens Paintings series, whose striking floral motifs add unexpected pop touches to the space. "The variety of colors and textures in his pieces speak to the range of flavors and textures you can enjoy while dining at abc kitchens," adds the chef.

Think anything from melt-in-your-mouth, sweet Orkney sea scallop tartare with shiso, kohlrabi, plum sesame, smoky crisp cabbage with roasted kabocha squash, Asian pear, and miso dressing to deliciously refreshing heirloom beet carpaccio with avocado purée, pea guacamole, crunchy tortillas, garlicky shrimps, and fragrant arroz con pollo with lemon zest and black pepper. Not forgetting the multisensory work of art that is the gold leaf-encrusted hibiscus poached pear dessert — the ultimate palate cleanser for sweet-toothed gourmands.

Thanks to its worldly, tapas-style dining experience, where the collective enjoyment of food integral to Latin American and Southern European cultures meets the meticulous precision of French and Asian cuisine, and the heartwarming nostalgia of American diners, abc kitchens transforms meals into an opportunity for connection while continuously striving to push the boundaries of gastronomic innovation.

"The goal at abc kitchens is to facilitate a fun dining experience, where guests can share different dishes and flavors together," concludes Vongerichten. "It's the way I love to eat with my friends and family, and we encourage the same for people dining at our restaurants."

Plus, if you are an interior enthusiast, the food is just the starter: head to The Emory's rooftop to discover what's for main.

Book your table at abc kitchens.