The Buyer | Laurent-Perrier and The Ritz team up for a magical dining experience

This special menu will be available in the Ritz Restaurant, which was recently awarded its second Michelin star and was honoured as Restaurant of the Year by The National Restaurant Awards in 2025.

The Ritz Restaurant boasts stunning floor-to-ceiling windows, with a dazzling array of chandeliers reflected in panelled mirrors, making it widely regarded as one of the most beautiful dining rooms in the world. Continuing the legacy of Auguste Escoffier, the ‘king of chefs and chef of kings’, who believes that “good food and good cooking is the foundation of all happiness.”

Leading the Ritz culinary team is executive chef John Williams MBE who draws inspiration from classic dishes and uses the finest seasonal British produce, sourced sustainably and ethically. Williams was inspired by his mother to cook and joined the industry in 1974 starting off in Tyneside before setting roots down in London and becoming the executive chef at The Ritz in 2004, leading a brigade of 60 chefs.

An opportunity to taste the prestige range

The five-course epicurean menu with Laurent-Perrier champagne pairing is priced at £498 per person. The champagnes served with this tasting menu include both Grand Siècle and Alexandra Rosé 2012.

Adam Guy highlighted that partnerships like this with prestigious hotels and restaurants allow Laurent-Perrier to introduce its full range of wines to consumers, and that many who may well enjoy Laurent-Perrier Rosé may not have divulged into the prestige range. This gives the perfect opportunity to share these sublime wines, in a perfect environment matched with Michelin-star food of the highest quality.

Dinner began with a trio of classic canapés: Coronation chicken in a cylindrical sugar tuile, the chicken having those classic creamy curry notes with hints of mango and golden raisins; Duck liver parfait with sour cherry and gingerbread, the richness of the liver nicely balanced by the sour cherry; and thirdly a disk of Parmesan mousse flavoured with Kalamata black olives and basil.

These were perfectly presented and matched with Laurent–Perrier Héritage Brut. This is made solely from Reserve wines and is a ‘baby’ Grand Siècle, 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir and from multiple vintages – 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019. This is lovely fresh bright champagne that has layers of textures making it a great aperitif wine especially with the selection of the exquisite canapés that were full of intensity and flavour. Notes of lemon zest and white stone fruit evolve from the wine supported with savoury bakery notes of brioche and toasted almonds.

Dorset Crab with Crème Fraiche and Imperial Caviar started the main proceedings. The crab was balanced with a base mixed with crème fraiche, lemon zest, lemon juice, and fine herbs. There was then a jelly made from the essence of apple, fennel and grape, with the dish finished with a generous amount of Imperial Caviar. On the side a traditional mini crumpet coated with a brown crab butter and brown crabmeat. There was a delightful balance between the sweet juicy crab, the acidity from the essence and creamy crème fraiche.

This dish was matched with Grand Siècle Iteration No 26, which is made by combining three exceptional vintages together. With this Iteration it was the 2012 (65%), 2008 (25%) and 2007 (10%), with a balance of 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir. This was a beautiful wine that has tiny clusters of bubbles, a golden hue, with a luxurious nose of honeysuckle, lemon, clementine and Guernsey butter aromas. This is silky with an added dimension of hazelnuts and candied lemon giving it that perfect balance and depth to enhance the crab dish. A beautifully thought-out matching.

Next came the Langoustine à la nage with Bronze Fennel. I had heard many tales about the Ritz langoustines sourced from the north coast of Scotland and these were not only sweet and perfectly cooked but some of the largest and freshest I have ever had. The poached langoustines were dressed with baby vegetables and salad leaves including bronze fennel. Then at the table the waiters poured over a sensational herb nage made with the langoustine shells.

This was matched with the classic Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé. I must say that the langoustine course lifted this Rosé to another stature, with the Rosé gliding down seamlessly. This was a magical match.

We then moved onto Cornish Turbot ‘Ton Sur Ton’, this is a classic John Williams dish, where the perfectly grilled cut of turbot is coated at the table by two sauces – one a creamy vermouth style and the second a sticky shellfish reduced sauce. It is a glorious dish, enhanced by tiny clusters of peeled grapes and herbs.

The turbot was matched with Laurent-Perrier Brut Millesime 2015. Laurent-Perrier rarely releases single vintages, but when they do they are not only exceptional but offer great value being priced at the same level as the Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé. This blend of the 2015 is 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir, there is a structured depth to this vintage champagne that is layered and full of flavours such as beeswax, candied lemon, honeysuckle, hawthorn, with a delicate toasty note freshened by orange zest. The richness of the sauces were refreshed by this gorgeous wine.

Suffolk Lamb, Goats Curd and Black Garlic was the final savoury course. It was served with a stuffed courgette flower filled with chicken mousseline, a clean fresh goat’s curd, black garlic puree, pea and black olives. The cutlet was pink, sweet and tender.

Matching this lamb dish was the pièce de résistance, Alexandra Rosé 2012, a rarity for me to try but my word what a treat! Not only was this a real treat (rosé champagne is always better with savoury dishes than desserts), but this champagne that retails at around £475 makes this Ritz menu and wine matching experience worth it just for this course alone.

The Alexandra Rosé was made to celebrate the owner, Bernard de Nonancourt daughter’s wedding in 1987. Only ten vintages of this wine have been produced, sourced as it is from Grand Cru vineyards and balanced with 80% Pinot Noir to 20% Chardonnay. The wine is a gilded tangerine colour, with a berry nose, bitter cherries, savoury licorice and a spicy bitter orange note. This has depth and structure and elegant bubbles, freshening up the palate after each mouthful of the Suffolk lamb. A glorious experience.