Unwavering confidence
CHET SHARMA • BiBi & Gymkhana
WORK • Wednesday Routine
CHET SHARMA • chef-patron, BiBi • global culinary director, Gymkhana
Neighbourhood you work in: Mayfair
Neighbourhood you live in: West London
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Like most days, I get into the restaurant around 930a, catch up with the management team over a coffee and spend some time going through reservations, guest notes and anything that’s happened across the restaurants overnight. One of my favourite parts of the day is briefing the whole team; it’s the moment everyone comes together before service and we share updates, ideas and set the tone for the day ahead.
I’ll spend the morning and lunch service at Gymkhana, walking the floor, checking in with the kitchen and catching up with regular guests. After lunch, I head back to BiBi, where the atmosphere is completely different – afternoons are often spent with the kitchen team working through prep, menu development and a bit of butchery before we turn our attention to dinner service. The hours between lunch and dinner are often when some of the most interesting conversations happen, whether discussing a new dish, tasting an ingredient we’ve sourced or planning ahead for future menus. Before you know it, guests are arriving for dinner and the whole cycle starts again. It’s busy, but it’s the kind of rhythm that I genuinely enjoy.
What’s on the agenda for today?
It can be really mixed. If we have something special coming in (like today, with a whole side of British wagyu), I’ll be prepping at the meat section with the team. Otherwise, it’s everything else that’s maybe a little less glamorous about being a chef-patron: HR, P&L, marketing meetings, chasing repairs... a mixed bag!
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Today specifically is an unusual one – I have family visiting from the US (there’s a big Sharma wedding this weekend) so they’re in for lunch. Tonight, I’ve been invited to a movie premiere in Leicester Square, so I’m off for a quick workout and a shower after lunch, then into my finest for this evening. This weekend is the wedding, so it’ll be great to connect with all of the wider family that I haven’t seen in a while.
When I do get a chance to eat out in London, I find myself returning to places like Royal China Club – I love its simplicity and unwavering confidence in doing the basics brilliantly. I’m also a big fan of Sabor; Nieves [Barragán Mohacho] has created something that feels both exciting and deeply comforting. I’ve been meaning to get to Igni too, which my dear friend Theo Clench opened recently. He’s a very talented chef and the food looks stunning.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I have a fair amount of travel with work coming up, to New York and the Middle East, so I’ll try to buffer some downtime. My mum retired this week, so I’m going to plan a nice day to celebrate her freedom. On the cultural side, we’re so spoiled in London, because there’s always something going on, including watching Monica Barbaro in Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre soon.
I’m looking forward to spending time in New York. There are always bars and restaurants I want to revisit – places like Sip & Guzzle and Martiny’s continue to push boundaries while remaining incredibly grounded in hospitality. I’m also hoping to carve out time to try a few newer openings while I’m there; New York has a way of constantly reinventing itself through food.
Any weekend getaways?
I’ve just come back from a few days in Barcelona, which was warm and beautiful, and a much-needed break from hectic London life. Next week, I’m spending a night in Champagne with our partners over at Krug, to learn a bit more about their efforts towards sustainability.
One of the joys of travelling for work is getting to experience different hospitality cultures. Copenhagen remains a source of inspiration, not just because of restaurants like Noma and Alchemist, but because of the city’s wider approach to design, sustainability and dining. In Milan, I loved the energy of Langosteria, while Genoa’s old-school trattorias offer some of the most memorable meals you can have. Even Las Vegas, which people often underestimate, has become a fascinating dining destination in its own right. Wherever I go, I try to leave room in the schedule to discover somewhere new.