Private Dining Rooms

Overview

Set in the heart of Covent Garden in easy reach of Soho, Piccadilly, Fitzrovia, St James’s and the West End, The Private Room at The Ivy is situated on the first floor of The Ivy Restaurant directly below The Club at The Ivy.

The dining room is still a favourite amongst theatre, literary, film and media crowds. The room has the same distinctive stained glass windows and wood panels as the restaurant and club and is perfect for press breakfasts, awards ceremonies, press launches, receptions, lunches and dinners.

Recently renovated and adorned with a new, specially-commissioned art collection, the reception area, with its wood-panelled bar and baby grand piano, accommodates up to 60 guests for drinks and canapés.

The main dining area can seat up to 32 people on one table or 60 on individual tables of 10 for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The room can also hold up to 120 guests for a canapé reception.

Capacity: 50 - 60 seated (25 minimum) / 80 - 120 cocktail reception (80 minimum).

Minimum spend: £1,800 - £4,500
Service charge: + 15%

No room hire charge.

Three courses & coffee from £44, wine from £26.75 per bottle.

Insider View

Need we say more? No, but we will because, well, it thoroughly deserves it.

Walking into the private dining room here, you might think that you’ve found yourself on another floor of the main restaurant. You haven’t, the private dining room really is that large.

The staff at the The Ivy are 100% customer focused, simply wanting you to have a wonderful time in their venue and, in this private dining room, anything else would be impossible.

It’s not just big, it’s absolutely beautiful. Wooden panelled walls, stained glass windows, a grand piano and radiant artwork…. did I mention that this place is perfect?

Gary Lee

How long have you been at the restaurant?
5 years.

Which was the first restaurant you worked in?
Queen Elizabeth Carvery in Chingford… I was 18!

What was the last London restaurant you went to, apart from your own?
Les Deux Salons in Covent Garden (new restaurant from Anthony Demetre – founder of Arbutus and Wild Honey).

Which London restaurant is your favourite and why?
•    Polpetto in Soho for its innovative menu and its simplicity of style.
•    Hix in Soho – Mark Hix’s attention to flavours is unique.
•    Nahm in Belgravia for its authenticity. I had the pleasure of working with David Thompson and his knowledge and skill is second to none.

What or who has been the biggest influence on the way you cook and why?
•    Mark Hix for his natural approach to food, his knowledge, his daring and his constant encouragement.
•    Tim Hughes (Chef Director, Caprice Holdings) for his reliability, execution and attention to detail.

What is your personal signature dish?
Seared scallops, sticky pork, perilla cress & sesame.

Which other chef(s) do you most admire?
Marcus Wareing (at The Berkeley), Christine Manfield (she is Australian – I met her when she was working at East West) and Skye Gyngell (Petersham Nurseries) and Nigel Slater.

What’s the best part of your job?
To see others succeed (the job is very demanding, so success is all the more sweet).

And the worst?
To see others not succeed because it takes stamina, determination, self-discipline and patience to survive in the kitchen.

What would your last meal be?
Something cooked by my daughters – they know what I like and would never get it wrong.

Do you have a chef’s shortcut that you can share with us?
This is not really a shortcut, but it produces fantastic results, so it’s worth it.  Depending on how many people you need to cater for, put large baking potatoes on a roasting tray that is layered with salt.  Score the potatoes.  Bake until crisp and soft on the inside.  Take out of the oven; cut them in half and scoop out the flesh.  Discard the skins and put the potato into a saucepan.  Add cream, butter, salt & white pepper; beat with a whisk.  This will produce a light, fluffy, mashed potato like you have never tasted before.