Claridge’s first book to Octopus

Mitchell Beazley, part of the Octopus Publishing Group, has acquired the first book from London luxury hotel Claridge’s, co-authored between executive chef of Claridge’s Martyn Nail and food writer Meredith Erickson.

Stephanie Jackson, Octopus publishing director, acquired worldwide rights in all languages from Felicity Rubinstein at Lutyens & Rubinstein in association with Kim Witherspoon at Inkwell Management.

Claridge’s: The Cookbook will publish in October 2017 as a celebration of the heritage of the hotel with a collection of its best-loved dishes and drinks from The Foyer and Reading Room, Claridge’s Bar and The Fumoir.

Dishes to feature in the book include Omelette Arnold Bennett, lobster; langoustine & crab cocktail; smoked duck salad; Claridge's chicken pie; and venison wellington; as well as treat such as cheddar eccles cakes and raspberry marshmallow.

Alongside recipes will be "interludes" such as "how to host lunch for 100" and "the magic of Christmas". 

Jackson said the launch of the book would be "the publishing event of the Christmas season" while Erickson promised the book would be "supremely unique". 

"The combination of the utterly exceptional chef Martyn Nail, incredibly accomplished food writer Meredith Erickson and the singularly glorious institution that is London’s Claridge’s made for an irresistible opportunity," said Jackson.

"We’ve carefully selected recipes from my tenure and beyond, and I hope readers – those who’ve stayed and those who haven’t – will love a peek into the Claridge’s kitchen," commented Nail.

Nail has worked for Claridge's for 30 years. He started at Claridge's in 1986 as third commis chef and rose through the ranks to become the hotel's executive chef in 2004, earning industry tributes The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and the Hotel Cateys. Under his direction, Claridge's was also able to establish gastronomic pop up A Taste of Noma at Claridge’s in 2012.

Food writer Erickson is also the co-author of The Art of Living According to Joe Beef in 2011 (Ten Speed Press), the second of which she is currently working on, as well as Le Pigeon (Ten Speed Press) in 2013. She is also working on her own book, Alpine Cooking.

Claridge’s: The Cookbook will be published in October 2017 by Mitchell Beazley in hardback.