Harveys (restaurant)

Harveys

Company type	Private
Industry	Restaurant
Founded	1987
Founder	Marco Pierre White, Nigel Platts-Martin
Defunct	1993
Headquarters	Wandsworth, London , England, United Kingdom
Products	French cuisine

'Harveys was a dining establishment located in Wandsworth, London, managed by chef Marco Pierre White between 1987 and 1993. Renowned for its focus on French cuisine, the restaurant received significant praise, including being honored as The Times Restaurant of the Year in 1987.

History

The restaurant commenced operations in January 1987 as a collaboration between White and restaurateur Nigel Platts-Martin, who purchased Harvey's and appointed White as the head chef. White altered the name to Harveys by removing the apostrophe. Platts-Martin characterized the initial condition of the venue as substandard but had confidence in White’s culinary abilities. After one year, the restaurant temporarily closed for refurbishment led by architect David Collins, noted for his work on Pierre Koffman's La Tante Claire.

Harveys became a formative environment for prominent chefs such as Philip Howard, who later earned two Michelin stars at The Square, and Gordon Ramsay, who trained under White before establishing his own culinary ventures. White referred to his kitchen brigade as the "SAS of kitchens." The establishment also drew notable figures including Oliver Reed and Koo Stark.

In 1993, White departed to seek larger facilities with ambitions of obtaining a third Michelin star; Platts-Martin acquired his stake in the business. Harveys ceased operations in August 1993 and was subsequently relaunched as "The Bistro," connected to "The Canteen," a joint enterprise between White and actor Michael Caine. In 1995, it reopened under chef Bruce Poole with the new name Chez Bruce.

Menu

The menu at Harveys showcased French cuisine, highlighted by a celebrated dish combining tagliatelle with oysters. Additional selections featured pig's trotter accompanied by morel mushrooms, inspired by Pierre Koffman's La Tante Claire. Dessert options included lemon tart, "Crackling Pyramide," and chocolate soufflé served with chocolate sauce. The nougat-flavored ice cream called "Biscuit Glacé" was particularly noteworthy and was also featured in White’s cookbook White Heat.

Reception

Drew Smith, editor of the Good Food Guide, lauded Harveys as "a meteor hurtling through the restaurant firmament powered by the extraordinary passion of one young man." In 1987, Jonathan Meades writing for The Times described his dining experience as "breathtaking," specifically praising the tagliatelle and oyster dish. That year, Harveys received The Times' "Newcomer of the Year" accolade and was named Times Restaurant of the Year in 1988.

White's achievements at Harveys earned widespread respect among culinary professionals and established him as a celebrity chef. Within twelve months, Harveys secured its initial Michelin star, followed by a second star in the 1990 Michelin Guide. At age 27, White held the distinction of being the youngest chef awarded two Michelin stars until Tom Aikens broke this record at age 26 in 1997.