The opening of the Berkeley hotel's new dining room has been a much anticipated event, and not just because of the food. David Collins's reputation as one of the country's leading interior designers precedes him, and one look at the hotel's luminescent Blue Bar or a peek into Mirabelle, Locanda Locatelli or the bar at Claridge's, explains why.
Collins is a master at creating an all-encompassing world within a single room, and he and Marcus Wareing agreed that Pétrus must echo the sensuality, depth and magnitude of the wine that gives the restaurant its name. The effect is as sublime as the restaurant's most expensive bottle, a 1970-vintage Jeroboam of Pétrus, which, in case you were interested, costs a cool £18,000.
The walls are red velvet. A deep, sensuous, claret velvet from floor to ceiling. Collins has rejected the customary timber floor for a bespoke burgundy and cream carpet that completes the womb-like embrace of the restaurant.
The carpet is another piece in the puzzle of Collins's aim to create a restaurant that avoids looking new but appears as if it is made to last. This is reflected in the quality of the materials at work in Pétrus. Chairs are covered in a soft burgundy leather and are wide enough to accommodate the most generous of girths. Instead of opting for silk lampshades, intricate silver grilles around the room shield subdued lights and make up some of the few adornments to the walls.
Apart from the unapologetic sexiness of the Pétrus interior, what is immediately apparent is its simplicity, almost to the point of austerity. Fittingly for what is clearly rather a serious restaurant, there are no gimmicks, wall decoration is kept to a minimum and there are only a few immediately recognisable design features.
Surreal effect
Chief among these is the giant abacus at the far end of the room's rectangular space, which acts as a screen for the kitchen entrance and the restaurant's hefty wine chiller. Oversized baubles in white, clear and purple-tinted glass hang suspended on reinforced strands of metal wiring, creating a slightly surreal effect. The inspiration, according to Collins, was both a fascination with the form of an abacus and a subtle echo of the wine rack.
The wine-rack motif, admittedly heavily disguised, is also evident in the inset circles of the rectangular window screens and in a striking circular wall mirror, both of which nod to a 1930s art deco influence.
What also becomes gradually apparent at Pétrus is its decisive grip on light. Wareing wanted dark, atmospheric lighting with spotlights on the tables to lend his guests a sense of decadence and isolation. As a result, Collins has created an intricate layering of light using blinds and screens. "The light and views at Pétrus are both its best assets and a liability," says Collins. "I wanted to control both."
The final touch at Pétrus is the harmony between the food and its surroundings. "The food has changed at the new Pétrus," says Wareing. "It is now more simply prepared, presentation is less finicky, and the emphasis is on the flavour. The flavour is what stays in the memory, the wow factor is in the room."
Factfile
Pétrus
The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RL
Tel: 020 7235 1200
Chef-patron: Marcus Wareing
Designer: David Collins
Head chef: Darren Velvick
Lunch menu: £26
A la carte: £55
Tasting menu: £74