'Escargot History & Artwork

DATING FROM 1741, THE BUILDING WAS THE PRIVATE RESIDENCE OF THE DUKE OF PORTLAND, SOHO BEING ORIGINALLY A COUNTRY AREA, VERY POPULAR FOR HORSEBACK HUNTING – THE NAME DERIVING FROM A HUNTING CRY OF THE TIME – “SOOHOO”. THE AREA WAS ONLY DEVELOPED AFTER THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON IN 1666, WITH 13,000 HOUSES DESTROYED AND 100,000 CITIZENS LEFT HOMELESS. THE AREA, THEN CALLLED SOHO FIELDS WAS THE OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR THE WEALTHY TO REBUILD THEIR PROPERTY, BEING IN EASY REACH OF THE ROYAL PALACES OF WESTMINSTER, WHITEHALL AND ST JAMES’S.

L’ESCARGOT (ORGINALLY CALLED L’ESCARGOT BEINVENUE) WAS OPENED IN 1927 BY M. GEORGE GAUDIN WHO CONCEIVED THE NOTION OF RAISING HIS OWN SUPPLY OF SNAILS BY FARMING THEM IN THE BASEMENT KITCHEN, FAMOUSLY MAKING HIS THE FIRST RESTAURANT IN GREAT BRITAIN TO SERVE FRESH SNAILS.

A PLASTER BUST OF M. GAUDIN RIDING A SNAIL WITH THE MOTTO “SLOW BUT SURE” USED TO BE DISPLAYED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING BUT OVER THE YEARS IT FELL INTO DISREPAIR. IN 1998 WE TRACKED DOWN THE DAMAGED BUST AND HAVING RESTORED IT TO PRIME CONDITION; IT NOW ONCE AGAIN HANGS PROUDLY ABOVE THE RESTAURANT, TO THE DELIGHT OF M. GAUDINS FAMILY.

M. GAUDIN WAS ALSO CELEBRATED FOR INTRODUCING “CHAMBERY” TO LONDON – AN APERITIF SIMILAR TO DUBONNET – AND HE WAS RENOWNED FOR SITTING BY THE WINDOW, INVITING GUESTS TO JOIN HIM IN THIS DRINK AND THEN DELIGHTING IN TAKING THEM TO THE BASEMENT TO VIEW HIS SNAIL FARM.

AFTER HIS RETIREMENT, L’ESCARGOT HAD SEVERAL OWNERS, ALL CARRYING ON THE FAMOUS REPUTATION, BUT THE RESTAURANT ONLY BECAME SERIOUSLY FASHIONABLE WHEN TAKEN OVER BY JANCIS ROBINSON, THE WINE WRITER AND HER HUSBAND, JOURNALIST NICK LANDER IN THE EARLY 1980’S.

WITH A COMPLETE REFURBISHMENT, L’ESCARGOT WAS HAILED AS THE FIRST OF LONDONS “DESIGNER RESTAURANTS” AND WITH HEAD CHEF MARTIN LAM, SPEARHEADED THE REVOLUTION THAT WAS SHORTLY TO OVERTAKE THE INDUSTRY IN THE CAPITAL.

THE GROUND FLOOR WAS STYELD AS A BISTRO, WITH A FAMOUS “SNAIL TRAIL” CARPET AND THE FIRST FLOOR WAS NAMED ELENA’S ROOM, AFTER THE RENOWNED MANAGERESS ELENA SALVONI – A GREAT SOHO CHARACTER.

WITH ELENA’S FORMIDABLE PERSONALITY BEHIND IT, THE ROOM BECAME THE MOST FAMOUS IN LONDON – THE PLACE TO BE SEEN WITH STARS OF STAGE AND SCREEN ADOPTING IT AS THEIR “LOCAL”.

IN 1992, THE RECESSION HIT LONDON RESTAURANTS, SOHO DECLINED AS A DINING AREA AND AMID MUCH MEDIA INTEREST L’ESCARGOT CLOSED DOWN – THE NEWS MAKING THE FRONT PAGE OF THE LONDON TIMES. MR. JIMMY LAHOUD, AN ESTABLISHED RESTAURANTEUR, TOOK OVER DESPITE STIFF COMPETITION AND IN APRIL 1994 RELAUNCHED THE PROPERTY WITH TWO MICHELIN STARRED CHEFS IN THE KITCHEN – DAVID CAVALIER AND GARRY HOLLIHEAD. THE GROUND FLOOR BECAME A TRADITIONAL BRASSERIE, THE FIRST FLOOR A GASTRONOMIC DINING ROOM AND THE TOP FLOOR A PRIVATE BANQUETING ROOM.

L’ESCARGOT WAS COMPLETELY REFURBISHED IN 1998, HOUSING MR. LAHOUD’S COLLECTION OF SIGNED LITHOGRAPHS, BRONZES AND CERAMICS CREATED BY SOME OF THE MOST CELEBRATED ARTISTS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. THE GROUND FLOOR HAS WORKS BY MIRO, CHAGALL, WARHOL, HOCKNEY, LEGER AND MATISSE. THE FIRST FLOOR DISPLAYS A REMARKABLE SELECTION OF PICASSO SKETCHES AND CERAMICS, TOGETHER WITH ERTE BRONZES AND EDGAR BRANDT WROUGHT IRON. IN 2000, THE GROUND FLOOR WAS MADEOVER BY DAVID COLLINS TO RELAUNCH THE UNIQUE CHARM AND ATMOSPHERE OF L’ESCARGOT INTO THE NEW CENTURY.