Gymkhana to reopen after post-fire refurb

Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Gymkhana in Mayfair is set to reopen in February 2020 after undergoing a refurbishment following a major fire forced it to close in June last year. 

With décor inspired by the Indian members’ clubs, Gymkhana, which is owned by the JKS restaurant group, first won a Michelin star in 2014 for its boldly spiced dishes.

Samuel Hosker, design director for JKS, has led the redesign efforts, which aim to recreate the original design details for the ground floor and bar, while the basement has been remodelled to give a “convivial club feel with a Kashmiri chilli colour palette”.

A preview of the interiors…

The 47-seat ground floor restaurant, with a 4-cover bar area, will reflect elements of traditional architecture from traditional gymkhana clubs and vast Indian mansions, with cosy booth seating. The bar will draw inspiration from an Edwardian drawing room cabinet.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the basement, the walls will be decorated with vibrant reds, bold carpeting and Indian art. Furniture takes cues from Pierre Jeanerette’s work in Chandigarh. The area has a total of 23 covers, while the bar has four.

Dosa with chettinad duck and coconut chutney

The restaurant has retained its private dining rooms, or ‘vaults’, each with 12 covers and decorated in keeping with the restaurant’s design.

In June last year Gymkhana suffered a major fire, with 60 members of the London Fire Brigade needed to bring the blaze under control.

Ripping through multiple storeys of the building on Albemarle Street which took three hours to extinguish. Fortunately, no-one was injured in the incident.

According to the Caterer, the fire started in the restaurant’s ducting (extraction system) but the London Fire Brigade stated that investigations into what caused the blaze proved inconclusive.

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