Interview: Michael Winner
He's earned a reputation as one of the most ferocious of food critics but east London restaurants have on the whole avoided the scorn of Michael Winner.
The former film director has become something of an enfant terrible, with his trenchant views in his weekly Winner's Dinners column in the Sunday Times.
He has dined at many of the world's great restaurants but the Holland Park resident's visits to east London have been rare and for a very simple reason.
He explained: "I can never find east London, and if I do I can never find my way out. I just get lost. But there was one in the Sunday Times this week, La Figa, and we've got another one, Bagel Bake in Brick Lane, coming up.
"La Figa was terrible. I was surprised how bad it was because Italians are normally good at restaurants."
His reputation for plain speaking has often got Winner into trouble with restaurateurs, notably Michelin starred chef Michel Roux Jr.
He said: "I'm banned by Michel Roux because of something I wrote about his uncle at the Waterside Inn. I was also banned by Anthony Worral Thompson.
"In fact, Anthony had a picture of me on his toilet seat so that people would sit on me whenever they used it. I thought that was extremely funny. I'm happy to say we've made up now."
He also gives short shrift to the plethora of celebrity chefs dominating the TV schedules.
He said: "Celebrity chefs are rubbish. They should stay in the kitchen instead of always being on television talking about food. When are they in the kitchen cooking? I think they are all so self-obessessd."
Winner has published a collection of his reviews in Winner's Dinners, giving his frank opinions on over 600 restaurants, diners and cafes. So what's his take on the state of eating in recession-hit London?
He said: "Food in London is remarkably cheap. I've just been filming a TV series in the north of England and prices are higher up there.
"You can get a three course meal at the Caprice for £23, which is remarkably good value. The Ivy's not expensive, the Wolsely is not expensive. They aren't going to break anybody.
"I recently went to Planet Hollywood in the Haymarket and it was extremely good, £18 for a three course meal. It was very good fun and the puddings were historic."
That's the word Winner coined for the most memorable food he eats and he's looking forward to enjoying more historic meals in future. So what keeps him going? The answer is simple.
"The purpose of life is to avoid boredom," he said.
One suspects Michael Winner has quite successfully avoided boredom for every one of his 74 years.
Winner's Dinners, The Restaurant and Hotel Guide, is published by JR Books, priced £16.99.
4 Comments
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Read The Wharf E-Edition
I was mortified to read both Michael Winner’s comments and the comments of the Sunday Times readers’ on the East End and La Figa.
As a resident of East London for most of my life, it is clear that Mr Winner and his snobbish socialites feel that the likes of the family run La Figa are simply too common for his Eaton educated ensemble.
I often eat in La Figa and I love the food and local feel of the restaurant. All-in-all it is a jewel in the crown of the East End.
One of the comments in the Sunday Times from a local resident criticised the fact La Figa’s clientele is made up of taxi drivers and plumbers. It seems the readers’ of Michael Winner’s column hold taxi divers and plumbers in contempt rather than viewing them as the backbone of Britain.
Just think of my horror when I opened my local rag and found an interview with the ill-humoured gentleman, mocking his disdain for the East End.
Esta Waters
Limehouse, London
Michael Winner didn't attend Eton. Note the correct spelling (not Eaton). Whilst it might be prejudiced of readers of The Sunday Times to generalize about the clientele of La Figa, it's equally hypocritical to assume that anyone who has had a public school education is a snob. I wouldn't necessarily call plumbers and taxi drivers 'the backbone of Britain'either. Some may be ethical, some may not, it's not uncommon for many of them to underestimate the amount of money they earn and dodge paying the correct amount of tax. The general public has to bear the cost of that as much as those MPs who scam expenses or those fraudulently claiming benefits.
On the few occasions I've visited La Figa, I've always found the service to be jolly and attentive whilst the food has been hearty and palatable. It isn't a Michelin starred restaurant but nor does it pretend to be.
By the way, it's hardly worth mentioning, but your comment would be stronger if you were aware of when to use an apostrophe correctly.
I am a great admirer of yours and am very dissapointed to see, during Michael Winners Dinners, that you do not know how to hold your knife - shame on you!
Love your style anyway!
Pat
I don’t believe in it! You should see it!
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