About Bon Vivant

Bon Vivant is a concierge & lifestyle management service with an emphasis on providing great personal service. We specialise in every travel, leisure and lifestyle need that you don't have the time, inclination or expertise to do yourself so you can maximise your free time. Based in London with global coverage.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Bon Vivant

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants award ceremony was held in London on Monday 30 April with the world’s top chefs in attendance. The winner for the third year running was Noma from Copenhagen, who will be popping-up at Claridge’s this summer, with El Celler de Can Roca and Mugaritz, both from Spain, second and third respectively.

The highest UK entry was Dinner By Heston at number 9, with Heston Blumenthal’s other restaurant, The Fat Duck, slipping to number 13 from last year’s number 5. The only other chef with two entries in the top 50 is Thomas Keller with New York’s Per Se at number 6 and The French Laundry at position 43.

The only other UK restaurant in the top 50 is The Ledbury in Notting Hill, which was the highest climber at number 14. There are 5 other UK restaurants in the top 100: Viajante (80), Le Gavroche (88), Hibiscus (94), Restaurant Sat Bains (94) and Hakkasan Mayfair (100). The full list can be viewed here.

To make sure you’re kept informed of similar updates on a regular basis from London’s premier concierge service, subscribe to the blog, our fortnightly newsletter, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook!

The Grace Santorini Villa

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Bon Vivant

Located in the village of Imerovigli in the northwest of the island of Sanorini, the Grace Santorini is perfectly positioned to enjoy the glorious views for which the island is famed.

In April 2012, the hotel launched The Villa, a self-contained 400 square metre two bedroom residence with breathtaking views of the Caldera, including its own spa, swimming pool, kitchen with its own wine and cigar bar and excellent terraces.

For full details click here, and to make a reservation please contact your concierge for access to special rates and complimentary benefits. The special introductory rates start at EUR 1,345 per night, inclusive of all taxes and Champagne breakfast in the Villa prepared by a personal chef.

Wine Tasting with Riedel at Vinopolis

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Bon Vivant

Maximilian Riedel will host two special wine tasting events at Vinopolis in May 2012, demonstrating the relationship between the shape of a glass and our perception and enjoyment of fine wines.

Friday 25^th May at 7.00pm (doors open at 6.00pm)

Featuring Vinum XL, single tickets are available at £79 each and a ticket for two at £119 – each attendee will take home £100 worth of Riedel glasses free of charge on the night.

Saturday 26th May at 12.30pm (doors open at 11.00am)

Featuring the new ‘Key to Wine’ set of five Riedel O glasses, single tickets are available at £49 each and a ticket for two at £79. Each attendee will take home £65 worth of Riedel glasses.

A very limited number of VIP Grand Cru passes are also available, which will include a new decanter that will be unveiled at the event. VIP clients benefit from priority seating at the front of the auditorium, Champagne on arrival and the opportunity to personally meet Maximilian Riedel. There will also be a 20% discount on all Riedel products purchased.

Tickets are available now from www.riedel.co.uk

Michel Roux Jr at Roux at Parliament Square

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Bon Vivant

Want to join Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr for an exclusive gourmet dinner? Then head to Roux at Parliament Square on Tuesday 22 May for a bespoke 7 course menu in association with Mas de Daumas Gassac.

The evening will feature a 7 course menu alongside some of the rarest vintages of Mas de Daumas Gassac wines, priced at £165 per person (including VAT and service charge).

The menu will include poached native lobster and spring vegetable salad with its own vinaigrette; stuffed courgette flower with salmon and crab, scallop emulsion; roast veal sweetbreads with wild garlic and onion petals; and roast rack of Cornish lamb, Jersey Royals, peas, olives & herbes de Provence.

Tickets for the Daumas Gassac Gourmet Dinner are available to purchase now from the reservations team at Roux at Parliament Square. Please email bookings@rouxaps.co.uk or call 020 7334 3737.

J Sheekey’s Speakeasies

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Bon Vivant

J Sheekey Oyster Bar has announced its new season of performances for Sheekey’s Speakeasies, a monthly cabaret performance introduced in 2011 combining dinner with live music and comedy performances.

For this season, there will be four Speakeasy shows each month, with two shows on every other Sunday: a late lunch performance at 2pm and an evening show at 7pm. Tickets cost £35 and include a set menu of J Sheekey favourites and a Ketel One cocktail on arrival.

On 6 May, Rachel Parris will take to the horseshoe-shaped stage. Rachel has been selected by ‘London is Funny’ as one of the Top 10 Comics to Watch in 2012 and recently came runner-up in The Musical Comedy Awards 2012.

Then on 20 May, Adam Kay (pictured) will bring his unique brand of smutty ditties (his songs have over 20 million hits on YouTube). Future acts include improvised musical Showstopper! on 24 June and Peep Show’s Issy Suttie on 15 July.

A Taste of Noma at Claridge’s

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Bon Vivant

Copenhagen’s Noma, which has twice been voted the best restaurant in the world at the ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards’ will be popping-up at Claridge’s Hotel in London during the summer of 2012.

René Redzepi will be creating a five course menu at Claridge’s, priced at £195 per person, which “will reflect his signature flavours and dishes from Noma, using local, seasonal British ingredients.”

‘A Taste of Noma at Claridge’s’ will be available for both lunch and dinner in the Claridge’s Ballroom from 28 July to 6 August 2012.

Tickets will go on sale on 9 May 2012, but to get early access to tickets, you can submit your details here or you can always contact your concierge at Bon Vivant.

The Spirit of London Exhibition at Morton’s

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Bon Vivant

A preview of photographs from new book The Spirit of London is to take place in an exhibition at Morton’s club until 17th May.

The Spirit of London is a photographic record of London in 2012 – The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has written the Foreword and the book will be presented to all the 15,000 Olympians and Paralympians.

The exhibition showcases a selection of photographic images, which capture the essence of London, including the beautiful sunrise pictured above. Giclée prints of many of these images will also be available to order.

For details of the exhibition and to arrange a private tour, free of charge, please contact Morton’s club on 020 7499 0363 or email info@mortonsclub.com.

Guest Chef at The Grill at The Dorchester – 14 to 19 May 2012

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Bon Vivant

Shaun Rankin, Michelin starred chef from Jersey, will be a guest chef at The Grill at The Dorchester this May to showcase the finest of Channel Island produce.

The menu will offer predominantly Jersey produce such as new season Jersey asparagus and potatoes, Jersey scallops and lobster, as well as new season lamb from the smaller Channel Island of Sark, and Guernsey Fort Grey cheese. Available for lunch and dinner, the menu consists of four starters, four mains and four puddings.

For reservations, please call the restaurant on +44 20 7629 8888.

The Benefits of a Concierge Service

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Bon Vivant

By Emyr Thomas

What Does a Concierge Service Do?

A concierge service will arrange every aspect of your life that you don’t have the time, inclination or expertise to do yourself so that you can maximise your free time. We will arrange your holidays, recommend and book restaurants and bars all over the world, source tickets for the theatre, concerts and VIP events, and advise on a range of lifestyle services.

We can also help with your every day tasks and errands to help life run more smoothly (where to find a good cleaner, the best gym, a gift for a loved one or arranging a birthday party, for example) – think of us as your own virtual personal assistant for your leisure time.

Who Are Concierge Services For?

Concierge services are aimed at people who lead busy lives, who want or need someone to help with running their lives – it’s for people who would rather spend their time actually enjoying life instead of planning to enjoy life.

It’s also for people who want great service, who want to tap in to an insider’s knowledge and for people who want to be able to access exclusive events and services.

A concierge service is intended to free up your time, offer you convenience, make you ‘in the know’ and give you great access. Below we have listed the key benefits of using a concierge service such as Bon Vivant.

A Personal Pro-Active Service Tailored to You

The best concierge services will give you your own personal concierge, so that you deal with the same person at all times, for all requests. Your lifestyle manager will learn your tastes and know exactly what you need, offering a pro-active service, pre-empting what you would like to do.

At Bon Vivant, we like to say that there isn’t always a best place for everyone – but there is always the best place for you.

Your Personal Guidebook and Search Engine

Researching holiday destinations, booking hotels and restaurants or sourcing a unique birthday or anniversary gift can be extremely lengthy and arduous tasks. Why search blindly on the internet when you can ask for a personal recommendation from an expert with a huge book of contacts?

We’ll recommend someone you can trust, removing the unknown element of encountering untested ground.

Save you Time

Most clients will say that the main reason they use a concierge service is to free up precious time, enabling them to experience the things they love instead of spending time researching, sourcing and booking them.

We offer today’s most priceless commodity – your time.

Access An Expert’s Insider Knowledge and Skills

A good concierge service will always be looking for the best of everything to recommend to their clients, so you will have access to their insider knowledge and expertise. Want to know the best hotel in Paris? The best new restaurant in New York? The secluded beach resort in the Caribbean? The hidden bar in London? Your concierge will know.

At Bon Vivant, we have a fortnightly luxury lifestyle newsletter and an almost daily travel and lifestyle blog with information on the best new restaurants, hotels and exclusive events, especially for our members. We offer advice and insight into what you need to book, for whom, when and how.

We also get invited to new openings, launches and exclusive events – your friends will love you for taking them to the best places.

The Convenience

Sometimes it’s not about saving time or offering solutions to a problem you can’t solve yourself – it’s about the convenience of having someone on hand, at the end of the phone or email, to help run your life, enabling you to maximise your free time. It can be as simple as that.

Special Privileges and Complimentary Benefits

A true concierge service will strive to negotiate for special privileges and benefits for its members, looking to add value where possible. Whether it’s an upgrade and additional complimentary benefits at top luxury and boutique hotels, priority reservation and complimentary drinks at the best restaurants, free entry to exclusive clubs, or discounts at a host of other lifestyle services.

Your concierge service can add value, make you a VIP and save you money.

Your Own Personal Travel Expert

We’re not a travel agency, so we don’t have specific holidays or hotels to sell. Instead, we work to your brief, however detailed or vague, to find the best solution for you. Your travel concierge will find out what kind of holiday you prefer, what style or design of hotel, what level of activity you prefer and much more to tailor the perfect holiday for you.

We can also often secure you preferential rates, complimentary upgrades and additional exclusive benefits including complimentary champagne, breakfast and late check-out.

Online travel resources can sometimes be a great source of knowledge, but how do you know if that recommendation can be trusted or if it’s right for you? Online review sites and guides are often skewed to the middle and lower market and can show a distorted view of the luxury market.

Your personal concierge will become your own personal guidebook, making sure you get the best out of every trip.

Your Home Help

A concierge can source any home service to improve the quality of your life. Want to hire a cleaner? Find a reputable decorator? Find a nanny? Your concierge will have the contacts to help.

Grant you Exclusive Access

We are able to obtain tickets, including VIP and hospitality tickets, to a wide variety of exclusive and sold out events, including music concerts, theatre and opera performances, sports games, premières, charity balls and events in the world of film, fashion and TV.

For music fans, we have access to VIP seats and boxes at all major concert venues, so you never have to miss your favourite artist.

Conclusion

A concierge service is not for everyone – some people will always choose to do things themselves, others will enjoy spending hours on research and some will feel they just don’t need external help.

But for those in the know, a concierge service can help them with every travel, lifestyle and leisure need that they don’t have the time, expertise or inclination to do themselves.

Whether you want to visit the chicest Caribbean beach resort, reserve a table at the hottest new restaurant, find tickets for the must-see sold out concert or simply for someone to help ease the stress of every day life, join a concierge service like Bon Vivant and start enjoying your life.

For further information about Bon Vivant and the bespoke services that we offer, please visit our website, email Emyr directly or call on 020 7278 0642. Click here to view our range of membership options.

Why not also sign up to our newsletter or blog to give you a taste of what your concierge service could offer you?

Bubbledogs – Champagne and Hot Dogs?

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Bon Vivant

Bubbledogs will open in July on Charlotte Street in Fitzrovia, with James Knappett (previously of The Ledbury, Noma and Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, among others) as head chef and Sandia Chang (who has worked at The Berkeley, Noma and Per Se) as General Manager.

Bubbledogs will serve hot dogs and grower Champagne. Yes,that’s right. There will be a menu of ten hot dogs served on traditional steamed buns, including the BLT dog, wrapped in bacon and served with truffle mayo and caramelized lettuce; the Jose dog with guacamole, sour cream, salsa and jalapenos, and a regularly changing guest chef’s special.

The restaurant will also feature a separate ‘Kitchen Table’, which will seat a maximum of 19 guests, with three or five courses at lunch priced from £25, with evening menus priced from £50.