Honestly .. it is incredible that there is someone that is willing to be straightforward regarding the quality of service and food rather than the smoke and mirrors of the decorum and reputation.
Beware…you might just get invited by the chef to a remote island where you think the chef wants to redeem himself, but instead he will not let you leave the island. If that happens, remember to order a cheeseburger
very disappointing. as a guest, i can understand mistakes and delays -- but the best restaurants know how to charm you and maintain a positive vibe. a special cocktail. a few extra courses. chef coming out to chat. but just left ignored... that makes it seem like they never knew or cared about your wait!
Yes, it's the kind of thing that you might expect occasionally at a "nice" restaurant and once in a blue moon at a one Michelin star restaurant but for three stars that's just unacceptable. Michelin should consider taking away at least one star from Sketch just from this video alone
This might be my new favorite TH-cam channel holy shit a Michelin star restaurant owner reviewing other Michelin restaurants and not afraid to be critical either. Cheers Alex this is great content
Had a terrible customer service as well- they have a 6-person reservation limit so when I went for my birthday I only brought along 5 people with me, but lo and behold, we were seated right next to a table of 10+ people who we later came to find out were the owners family. We pulled a waiter aside who then had the director of operations speak with us and he apologized profusely, and gave me his business card and said that next time if I decide to celebrate there again then he'd make sure I could bring along more than 6 people. The following year, I contact him, and he'd moved to a different business, so we were put in touch with Sketch's chief executive officer who basically told us that they wouldn't honor the promise their director of operations had given us and feigned ignorance over the table of 10+ we were sat by, claiming it must have been an error in their reservation system which allowed them to book for over 6 people (which is of course untrue, even a different waiter had let it slip to us that it was the owners family). Was very unprofessional and lied to us on top of it. Haven't been there again to this day.
@@dobbsmill3676 Because it's not some small town family joint or your restaurant on the corner? Because they actively lied about it afterwards? If you want to bend the rules at a 3-star Michelin restaurant for your family then go ahead and close it for 2 hours on the given day and host your family, but perhaps it's in bad taste to do it in front of other guests? If they thought like you then the DOF shouldn't have apologized, no? Since they, in your opinion, have done nothing wrong by not tying the owners family to their restaurants restrictions, not honoring the agreement and then lying. I can even back this up with the letter I received from the executive officer via email.
@@thomgizziz My whole point is that if they're going to enforce rules then those rules should apply equally, how am I claiming to be special? Accommodating a larger party for me next time around was THEIR offer, maybe have some basic reading comprehension before you reply to strangers on the internet telling them to pull their head out and make rude sarcastic remarks lmfao if you're having a bad day then take a nap or go for a walk, have some decency.
I had dinner here literally this week…! I also left pretty disappointed and when I told friends, colleagues etc. they were all surprised by my reaction and thoughts. Seeing this video the same week of my experience really makes me feel validated! We went for the 7 course tasting menu and had similar lulls in timings, sometimes over 30minutes between courses and then two courses coming within 10 minutes of each other - there was absolutely no flow. Great channel, the YT algorithm is really working!
If it makes you feel any better, when it was first announced at the Michelin ceremony a few years ago that Sketch had been awarded 3 stars, the general reception was polite clapping mixed with bewilderment...several critics and chefs have said as much. I've never been myself so I can't really comment, but everything I have heard and read suggests to me that Sketch is the worst of the 3 stars (certainly in the UK) and there are loads of 2 (and even some 1) stars that are better... it's a good reminder that the Michelin guide is far from infallible.
Michelin do have an odd bias towards this kind of “theatre”. Noticed it before with a restaurant that went way over the top in the gimmicks without really getting the basics right… 2 stars… 🤷♂️
@@Bragglord Even if the Michelin Guide only states simple statements for each star rating, all of which includes the cuisine as being the driving point, it is clearly implied that the establishment as a whole is what is being graded. The food alone isn't all that you are tasting nor does your brain work like that when eating even the most amazing food. A simple comparison anyone can attest to is eating a meal you had consistently throughout your childhood in a safe feeling place, like your parents cooking your favorite dish, being enjoyed at home. You could have that same exact dish, cooked by your parents, but eaten somewhere else, and there is just something missing about it. The same goes for these highly rated restaurants. The ambiance, the service, the show (as described here "to be like an opera") all influence our perception of the food and its quality. A wonderful meal can be ruined by a rude server, a long wait time (this video as an example) or even just not providing the expected level of service (the table not being decrumb'd after each course, as in this video). All of these things contribute to "the food" and it would be naive to think they do not play a role in how the grading is done.
@@winebartender6653 I see what you're saying, and I never stated otherwise- you will notice I said 'allegedly'. My point was that Michelin's only stated criterion is the food itself, hence your comment is a bit needless. It also does not account for places like Jiro Ono's sushi bar, which held 3 stars for years despite no remarkable decor, a generally cold, 'functional' service and not even having a bathroom.
Flow is so so important, I've had such different experiences at one star restaurants where food has been as good but the timing differences have made all the difference!
Honestly it's getting all the little things perfect that usually makes Michelin star restaurants special. So not getting something like that right is actually relevant. Remember you are paying hundreds of Euros per person here.
This is crazy, as a food writer (in french) I came accross your channel and watched a few video of some restaurants I wrote about. And you often have the exact same feelings that I do. Osteria Francescana by example. But Sketch is next level. I can’t understand how they even have one star for the food. Yes it’s beautiful in its own way. Yes you have amazing selection of wine, like the Selosse you had. But something was off in the kitchen and in the service. I had the same experience. Crazy.
'These blazes give more light than heat' someone once said. Instead, visit a restaurant in the Bib Gourmand but drop acid 1/2 an hour before you arrive and it should be pretty similar to Sketch.
Watching these videos has me spoiled. I know that visiting a three Michelin star restaurant takes considerable time and money, so it isn’t like an episode can be posted every day, but after watching all of your videos, I’m impatiently waiting for more😂love the content
Alexander, I appreciate how you incorporated the viewers' feedback and added the description for the dishes. Your commitment to improve every video, coupled with your passion for gastronomy, will surely make this channel blow up soon! Also, I'm yet to encounter the problems you faced at Sketch, even at a 1-Michelin fine dining establishment. I hope Sketch takes notice to improve, and the Michelin inspectors, to reconsider their assessment.
Hahaha.... don't worry you are not alone in being disappointed at the food. This is the from the restaurant critic Jimi Famurewa of the Evening Standard who was absolutely scathing about both the restaurant decor itself and the food which he awarded a score of 2/5 when he reviewed it in Feb 2000,looks like nothing has changed much since! 😂 ........ "But then came the bill, which arrived in a hollowed-out copy of Moby Dick and was the sort of thing to make you want to fling a harpoon. Nearly £400 after service, for two people to drink almost nothing and be scantly fed very slowly. Even writing it down I feel myself vibrating anew with an almost exhilarating anger. But look, if just one person now rethinks a plan to go here, it will not have been totally wasted. If you’re the type of person who has always longed to sit down to a three-star culinary splurge, the Lecture Room & Library may offer a very expensive means to feel better about yourself. But for me, it is an example of the worst kind of brazen restaurant, a culinary carnival game to be avoided at all costs." How on earth is this place being awarded 3*Michelin?! Surely this brings the whole Michelin awards into question as well as the credibility of the awards themselves.
I feel like there must be some backroom deals or something going on. Whenever there's this much money involved it can be worthwhile for the owner to maybe grease some fingers or pull some strings to get the most favorable scenario possible. I don't think this is the case for all Michelin restaurants at all but if a few are bribed in people can attribute it to maybe it not being to their taste or just an off-night as opposed to the usual effort they put in. The rating as a whole can stand with a few bad apples in the bunch as for the most part people don't regularly dine at these places they go there for an experience every once in a long while.
I find it hilarious that anyone still believes that Michelin stars are awarded solely on the food. Your food can be half baked and stil get Michelin stars, because it looks good, is "avant garde" and the service is decent enough. Many 'home cook' food stands and small restaurants simply offer more filling and better tasting food, as they're not interested in giving the customer an "experience", but instaed to satisfy their stomache.
Judging from the size of the portions ( no matter how " exquisite ") I think the menu card should have directions to the nearest Mcdonald's to satisfy the feeling of hunger you're sure to have.
I come from a very financially challenging background. My dream was to work at the kitchen of a michelin star restaurant however, I had to study Law as its the safer route. Your videos allow me to live the life vicariously. I would suggest if you can take us through how a michelin star restaurant works from hospitality down right to the logistics of it through a series of videos, that would be amazing and will give this channel multidimensional content.
if you have time to read, i highly recommend: "Kitchen Confidential," Anthony Bourdain "Soul of a Chef," Michael Ruhlman (following the lives/careers of Thomas Keller and Michael Symon) "Eat a Peach," David Chang "The Apprentice," Jacques Pepin (for a look at the roots of fine dining, and the way French "brigade-style" staffs, still the standard for most Michelin kitchens, operate)
You're not living life tho, you're not experiencing it, you're just watching/reading someone else do it, and then claim it allows you to live life vicariously? How? You're not experiencing it, you're just observing someone else do it, which while might at times make you feel something, that something just goes into obscurity and when you remember watching said video, at best you might think "cool" at worst, you'll end with an existential dread. But oh welp thats me, maybe im just overcomplicating it.
So wonderful to see a review like this! I would not have been happy with the time lag or the multiple dishes being served for a course. It actually hurt to watch him show you the selected wine bottle and then walk away...
This reminds me of a similar experience. I took my wife to Toqué for our 10 year anniversary. It was honestly disappointing and for the price honestly awful. The staff gave a vibe like they were unprepared and nervous. Even delivered out plates to the wring table. Out of the 6 plates we ordered, the amuse bouche was the best. 1 plate was worth it, the other 5 were bad to average. The reduction they resused in 2 dishes was so bitter I thought it was burned. Even the drinks were not balanced. Kinda felt like they were imitating an idea. All this to say high end restaurants can be either great or extremely disappointing. It's going to be the Rib&Reef for 11 years...(High end steak and seafood near Jewish community in Montreal. Garunteed to be best* steak of your life.)
Toqué wasn't great when I visited. Not very creative and the main dish contained black trumpets with a vomit-inducing taste (friends who had the same dish agreed). Tried their sister restaurant Beau Mont, and it was another disappointment. Very basic combinations and flavours. Dessert was worse than what you find at cheap Chinese buffets... So many great restaurants in Montreal, but the Toqué group isn't part of them IMO.
My visit was similar. The fois gras was good but there was one dish with a weird eggplant purée that tasted like kissing a chain smoker. Not sure what that was all about
Just found your channel, I’m a veteran of the Michelin scene from NYC, I’m enjoying very much everything you upload. When restaurants put out so much effort in things that are borderline gimmicky like over the top decor with so many ideas thrown in, it’s cause they’re lacking technique in service and execution, sometimes, less “creativity” in concepts and more into the food is better.
To me a restaurant is where I have great service, food & drinks. The second they start(ed) doing things like putting menu's in envelopes I think people just ran out of inspiration / real improvements
@@v4v819 EMP was amazing, back in the day, them going vegan is just bending over to the woke agenda and will eventually pay the price, everyone keeps saying how amazing it is but it’s the new emperors clothe syndrome.
I am not a veteran at all and eat mostly at the 60-70 euro 4-6 fixed courses restaurants that popup everywhere these days now (in the Netherlands) that it isn't really much cheaper anymore if you go to a normal restaurant and eat 3 courses a la carte. Am I correct that the presentation of those dishes were quite horrid for 3 stars? Even the ones my wallet allows me to go to often have little art paintings on the plate.
I mean plenty of rich people go to these places but there are lots of people that do it for a special occasion as well. It's expensive but not so much so that most people could not afford it if they really wanted to. Which makes it extra problematic when a 3 star place fucks up so much.
Absolutely marvelous getting an honest review when it simply falls short this way. One of the worst meals I have had was at a two star Michelin in Budapest, the reviews did not live up to reality.
These keep getting better! Incredible video. Definitely an unfortunate experience, but I feel like this is almost to be expected when a restaurant relies so much on ‘looks’ and not on cooking.
would love to see you visit 3 Michelin star restaurants in Japan. I had a lot unforgettable experiences there and most notably Ryugin in Tokyo. and as usual love the video. looking forward seeing more!
I binge watched all your videos and I am absolutely amazed by how good these all are and how rapidly the quality of the videos increased. It startet out very good and it got way way better on every new video. One does really feel that you do not want to become the next influencer of some sort, but rather really have fun doing these videos and showing us "normal" people the fine-dining exeperience - and I am so into this. Really incredible stuff and I can't wait to watch more of your videos. Thank you for this content, it is a pleasure!
Congratulations for your channel! I really enjoy your calm and honest opinion. Regarding your conclusions about this specific place - without having visited it, unfortunately, and limiting myself only to the description of the experience you lived and recounted here - I totally agree with you. What's more, I have to say that having worked as a cook in various restaurants of all kinds (from popular menus, tapas, exotic and world cuisine, traditional Spanish cuisine 'based on product'... to fancy and sophisticated ones with a very elaborate cuisine) for almost 24 years, I definitely share with you the opinion that leaving a client "abandoned" is an inexcusable and illogical mistake in a top-level establishment like this one. Thanks for your videos. Subscribed, and "Saludos" from Murcia (Spain)!
I have no idea why youtube algorithm showed me this channel but im glad it did. It is simply amazing! Very pleasant to watch, great production and you can learn a lot!. Keep up great work!
FWIW I went to Pierre G’s at his restaurant in Paris. He came out after the lunch and took pictures with everyone and it was absolutely amazing that he was still there every day. Was the best food quality of any restaurant we have had (and we have been to a couple of other M 3*s) I do feel like having the lead chef there makes a world of difference given when I went to French laundry it was really just ok and got the feeling Thomas Keller isn’t ever there anymore.
My sister went a few weeks ago and thought it was amazing - hopefully your experience was a one off. Very constructive criticism in this video - hopefully they will see it. To be honest, at that price there are a number of other places I'd go to before Sketch based off of this review.
Great review. Personally, not really interested to go there after the review you left. When you go to a three Michelin star restaurant, it is not crazy to expect perfection. The attention to detail on the food should be impeccable. Moreover, the courses should flow smoothly and not have long awkward pauses that make you wonder if they’ve decided to just stop feeding you.
The Lecture Room & Library was my first experience at a 3* establishment. I’d visited various 2* and 1* restaurants prior to Sketch and had always been so impressed with the experience so I had high hopes for this experience and honestly, I left feeling very similar. We were given 5 dishes at the same time for our starter which was very strange as our savoury ice cream had melted by the time it reached the table, most of the starters were very liquid heavy. I had lamb saddle for my main course which was excellent but dessert was another underwhelming course, some kind of strawberry pastry which was the lone ‘dessert of the day’ there were no literal options for dessert. I was actually quite shocked by some of these things considering that these weren’t an issue at any of the 1* restaurants that I had visited. Yes the building itself is very impressive but we came for the food which was altogether not so much. I have visited six Michelin starred restaurants and of the ones I have visited in London you would be far better off visiting Marcus, The Ritz Restaurant or Pollen Street Social (all 1* however provide a far better dining experience than Sketch).
I visited Pollen Street Social for lunch recently and it was excellent, especially at the price...I had three courses, a cocktail, and a glass of wine, and it came to just over £100. Honestly wouldn't be surprised if they jump to 2 stars soon.
@@Bragglord You can also go to St. James. We had a nice 1* experience there last summer. If you want something challenging, than there are also several superb options in London I must say. Regarding this kind of kitchen, I think, London shows a much higher standard and food experience.
I love your videos, editing, and commentary. The only thing that gives me pause it the fact that you're part of the industry as a restaurateur. It would make me very hesitant to critique my peers in such a public forum. I'm sure you understand that as your channel and influence grows, your words will weigh more heavily despite how fair and honest you try to be. With that said, I'm personally really enjoying your videos. Wishing you all the best.
Thx for being the only honest detailled reviewer on youtube, guiding us 🙏🏻 Out of my own experience... the more famous chefs become and the more places they open, the less the quality becomes... My personal preference are the Michelin wannabees... trying the very best, for half the price ❤ Ps: This restaurant looks less than most 1 stars I went... terrible 😢
The 30min wait without them owning up to it is unacceptable. All it took was apologizing and giving out a good glass of wine on the house and no one would've really bothered too much.
the vast majority of 3 stars michelin restaurant are absolute all fuss, hype, and no substance. it's all about edible flowers and plating. most dishes are ridiculous . basically it's a form of art, an experience but it aint really worth it too foten, especially if the decor of the restaurant sucks. the whole MICHELIN DINING thing is way out of control. it's PERCEIVED QUALITY based on exclusivity and PRICE... vast majority suck. and i have been to many... too many become just STATUS SYMBOLS vessels regardless of real quality of food
you have a ability to see the snobbyness, if you subtract the snobbyness and taste the food its usually very very good, with wierd new flavors you havent had yet...
@@lunam7249 THERE IS way too many 3 stars michelin that are actually deserving only one, especially in USA. But the rating system is broken. Michelin doesnt even use INSPECTORS ANYMORE, that's a dirty little secret... it's all corporate market sentiment. ---- there r plenty of good Michelin restaurants, but most r not worth it, are just HYPE, high prices and edible flowers or location appeal, formal service with an army of people catering to you, not JUST the FOOD QUALITY itself like MICHELIN states and lies about it....
The décor looks like a five year olds colouring book and the waiters are so exaggerated, sure maybe its part of the 'show' but I am truly amazed it even has two stars
Huge fan of this channel. Hoping he can get out to Japan, some of their 3 Michelin star restaurants are incredible. Only been to one of them myself in Kyoto called Kikunoi run by Yoshihiro Murata, was a brilliant kaiseki style meal.
one thing i really appreciate about this channel...is that it doesn't engage in the oft nauseating bootlicking of highly rated establishments. it gives fair criticism, even after having been there and meeting the people. 3 star restaurant review channel : )
If that was my restaurant, I'd be on you like _White on a Bride_ to get you back to show you we fixed all the issues you mentioned. Not just for you, but really *fixed.* Those stars are hard to come by but easy to lose.
I don’t usually comment but I had a similar experience and the food at sketch made me and my partner wish we had saved our money. Worst one we had ever been to. One restaurant in London I’d personally love your feedback on is 3 Michelin star Core by Clare Smyth.🙂 I’ve heard great things there!
Hi Alexander, I very much appreciate your honest and fair review. This video reminded me of a similar lackluster experience I had recently, and I would love it if you could give little advice… As both a chef and experienced diner, how would you respond to a service staff asking if everything was okay, when you actually did have a few issues? How can I be clear in pointing out such errors without coming off as dramatic, bitter, or difficult? I’ve spent some time working in fine dining myself and I always feel bad to have to put the server on a spot when I know it’s not entirely - or sometimes at all - his/her fault. Thank you so much!
Just state the facts. Show them proof, if possible. Don't use an accusatory tone. If you want to err on the side of politeness you can even phrase it as if you think it was an innocent mistake (even if you know it wasn't or you're seething). Take a breath before you react/speak if their response(s) make you angrier and you feel your emotions escalating. Stand your ground, don't let them gaslight you. Leave and leave an honest review if they don't fix their mistake(s) - and remember to include the facts. Hope this helps!
Just say what went wrong. I mean this place seems to have issues but from my experience any fine dining establishment will try to help you as much as reasonably possible. Just say what the issue is and perhaps want you want them to do. Thats it. Just don't shout at the staff or whatever. Frankly if you are worried in the first place about that I doubt anyone will take issue with your behaviour.
What a shame , a huge amount of cash for such a terrible culinary experience. Hopefully they'll see this video and learn from their mistakes. I'd be very disappointed if I had the same experience. This is why I choose to eat at the Ritz. I have an amazing experience EVERY time.
luxury snacking amazing how people spend so much money for so little return i'm guessing all the wine gets one drunk enough to not realize you just got hosed.
Entering that restaurant with you at the start was like entering in the middle of a Cirque de Soleil performance, that was breathtaking. The eclectic art, the beautiful colours and then seeing the champagne bucket of wines poured by the glass and seeing a bottle printed with a producer like Selosse (one of the gods of champagne) on the label. Feel quite sorry for the kitchen, even moreso for the sommeliers; but, in any restaurant regardless of style (fine dining, local restaurant, pub, etc..) when one part of the machine slows down, the other needs to pick up the slack, let alone in a 3 michelin. When the kitchen slows down, it demands front of house pick up their game. For someone like you, make an impromptu visit to the cellar - you strike me as someone that is fascinated by wine, I bet you could be distracted for an indefinite period of time by a knowledgable sommelier and a great cellar; I know I would. Some of your reviews, I'm on the skeptical side of some of the critiques you give, but this one is simply unacceptable at a small neighbourhood restaurant, let alone a 3 star in London.
@@minge9 I didn’t say London was special I said the interior of the restaurant he went to was. Also London is far from the worst city in the world. The history, the architecture, the diverse cultures sharing space. Not many cities can you go to and experience authentic cultures and flavours that you can do in London effortlessly. Jamaican, Indian, Chinese, middle eastern, can all be experienced from all price points and are all readily accessible through a pretty impressive public transportation system. London is special, but that’s a matter of perspective.
This is maybe a unique experience to me, but I've consistently found throughout my life that more expensive restaurants are much more dissapointing then low cost/class restaurants. Every time I've been to an high class establishment, I've always been given tiny portions of mediocre food, plated in an artful way. The bill is enormous and I leave wishing I had gone to a local pizza buffet.
I've had a meaningful a five star restaurant only twice. The second time all I asked for was a chicken cutlet, and I got some dry, bland fried chicken, not even as good as mcdonalds. The first time, I wasnt hungry. I decided to order a cup of tea. I thought "well at least I'll have some five star tea!" It was the saddest cup of tea (chai) I ever had, lol. I make it better at home
There are types of restaurants and what you can expect from them is different, there are loads of mediocre ones, some bad ones and a few good ones. Obviously if you get screwed at an expensive place you will remember it for a very long time.
maybe it's not for you? go eat a hotdog and watch baseball. You want to stuff yourself with grease? go do that. You go to the ballet and complain that it is not Avengers 18
I’ve had non-Michelin restaurants fill my glass due to a miscommunication or wait…. This is why the guide can never be taken completely seriously you have to experience a place for yourself there are so many places that deserved it but don’t have it. It’s almost like a curse connected to monetary gain at this point that also puts stress on chefs/kitchen staff. Respect to the places that can survive this pressure and make food for the guest and not the star.
Visually it is reminds me of the Hotel Negresco in Nice. There is a reason why the Michelin undercover diners eat at a particular restaurant multiple times. Any restaurant, even a 3 star, can have an off night. Multiple trips would establish whether his experience was a bug or a feature.
I am impressed by your honesty. To be honest they should review their whole philosophy. At that level both in prestige and price nothing less than perfection is acceptable.
I don't know if I think that TH-cam should become Yelp or Google reviews but you're allowed to post your experiences and you got a new viewer here now so kudos!
It's probably because I'm a pleb, but I think a great food culture is defined by what you can eat for £15, not £150... which is why the true culinary centres of the world are Asian places like Singapore, Bangkok, Japan, Schezuan...
Alexander, thanks very much for the review! I would say that it would be awesome if you gave them another shot. Would make a great follow up. Esepcially once they see this video.
We have visited many many 1, 2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants in Europe and in the USA, we have visited Sketch on 3 different occasions. Every visit, we felt astonished by the quality of food and the service. I feel bad your visit was not as good. But we rate this Resturant ver very highly.
Nicely done ATG. Very balanced and helpful review. I like how your content is enthusiastic and punchy without dragging on forever like some videos. Keep it up
I am curious what they have said as an apologize and what they offered you since you have waited so long and got disappointed… I have never seen something like this… and since I am working myself in a 2 star restaurant, this would never happen, but if there would be anything weird going on with the table, you would definitely apologize and offer them drinks, or give a discount from the bill…
All I could think about was how hard they worked for those stars and how devastated they will be when the lose 1 or more. The table cloth got me and it would have ended my experience right there. But, to also be ignored is just unforgivable. Still, heart breaks for the chef and I hope you sleep with one eye open 😂
It seems to me that you clearly didn't get the concept of The Grand Dessert and Pierre Gagnaire's multi-plate courses. To me, Sketch is one of the most memorable meals I've had across many European countries, having eaten there twice. The waiter who attended to us even remembered me after our first visit and we had a quick chat. Their bread and butter service with three types of butter is amazing. Didn't have any problems with service, or the food, and loved my experience there. Loved it much more than Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
Well sized portions of quality food and a clean updated dining area thats what people want when they go out to eat. Not mosquito size decorated portions for 2000% mark up from cost and a bunch of pretentious overly attentive staff and then you leave the restaurant still hungry.
Somehow, I don't really trust any restaurant that tries to unsubtly tell you "WE'RE AMAZING LOOK LOOK LOOK WOW"... managing a restaurant is already complex enough when it's only about feeding people, but you know something got much less attention than it needed when the bathrooms look like this
Hi Alexander, I would love to see you exploring the Michelin star gastronomy of Portugal. There are 28 Michelin restaurants and 7 have ** Michelin stars. The portuguese hospitality is working hard and fighting for the acclaimed decoration 3 Michelin star restaurant and the reputation of Portugal gastronomy is known worldwide. :) Share your thoughts. Thanks
Good shout-out to Portuguese cuisine and gastronomy but this pretentious crap is unnecessary. Literally every single "3* restaurant" serves these "taster menus" that are almost exactly the same. Some form of lamb or some game meat with a sauce, usually some type of gravy... A bowl of pasta or rice with some truffles on it... A it of lobster or pretentious seafood... Just the same crap
@@beyer8500 I probably wouldn't visit one to begin with. Very little interest in eating at these sort of places that most Portuguese people don't even know it exists. Portuguese gastronomy is a cultural phenomenon based on simplicity and the use of high quality ingredients along with ingenuity in of itself. Alma or Belcanto are really just gimmicks that professional chefs have to emulate to achieve noteworthiness in the culinary world. While it's great to have this sort of advertisement for a culture not having it doesn't really bother me that much. If you were to look at Michelin guides based on these "stars" people would think that Scandinavian food is somehow better, let alone comparable to Portuguese or Southern European cuisine in general!
As a person who loves eating good food, I often find myself having disappointing experiences at michelin star restaurants. Often, you expect the food to be good, but often, the food is, at most, mediocre, at least for the price point, usually the service or the visuals are top tier though... However, I go to a restaurant, predominantly for the food, and unfortunately, a lot of michelin star restaurants fail on this important factor.
I mostly have the same experiences. Especially hate it when they hide their lack of innovation/imagination behind expensive ingredients like truffle, foie gras, caviar, edible gold or things like sea urchins and try to let it carry the whole meal.
I'm guessing the expectation exceeds the reality sometimes. On a wine tour the owner of the winery gave us some good advice - If you like something you like it, if you don't you don't. The award or review is one or more people's opinions and even critics and judges can be swayed by others. But in the end the only opinion that should matter to you is yours
![ลองสุ่มไอโฟน 990 โกงมั้ย? [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.101 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfsWe0j492k/mqdefault.jpg)
Honestly .. it is incredible that there is someone that is willing to be straightforward regarding the quality of service and food rather than the smoke and mirrors of the decorum and reputation.
You said it🙏
Absolutely Agree
as the name suggests.... it's sketchy. it's a mockery.
lmao u are so naive. this guy uses fake promo accounts and his social media to abd mouth restaurant and owners he doesn't like...
You know that it's his competitor right? He has a motive to say bad stuff about them
Beware…you might just get invited by the chef to a remote island where you think the chef wants to redeem himself, but instead he will not let you leave the island. If that happens, remember to order a cheeseburger
Haha XD
"We love you, Chef!"
Thank you Margot for the heads-up 😂
😂 too much 🍿🎥 movies young man
Some of the mistakes were on much lower level than 3*. Let's be honest - leaving a guest hungry and dry is simply difficult to understand.
very disappointing. as a guest, i can understand mistakes and delays -- but the best restaurants know how to charm you and maintain a positive vibe. a special cocktail. a few extra courses. chef coming out to chat.
but just left ignored... that makes it seem like they never knew or cared about your wait!
Yes, it's the kind of thing that you might expect occasionally at a "nice" restaurant and once in a blue moon at a one Michelin star restaurant but for three stars that's just unacceptable. Michelin should consider taking away at least one star from Sketch just from this video alone
It's fine dining. Who gets full 😂 😂
@@alexanderwindh4830 u missed the point... duh
I think the complication may have to do with the fact that they also have a a la crate menu
3 Michelin stars indicates PERFECTION. Anything less than that would understandably leave you feeling underwhelmed.
wrrr
Michelin has been off its game for years. I've never eaten at Sketch but I also know of experienced diner who rates it ***.
Not just perfection in my opinion. Every single decision within the restaurant has a purpose and should add to the experience.
This might be my new favorite TH-cam channel holy shit a Michelin star restaurant owner reviewing other Michelin restaurants and not afraid to be critical either. Cheers Alex this is great content
Bro chefs are not afraid to be critical, definitly if they have a Michelin star themselves. They know what is expected from them
wr,no afraix etc, outx, can outx etc any nmw s perfx
This is becoming one of my favorite food/restaurant related channels and I have no doubt you will reach 1 million subscribers eventually.
2022 fake promo account spotted. be careful guys
wrggg
"no doubt" and "eventually" in one sentence. True comedy
Eventually doesn’t mean „eventuell“ but rather „schlussendlich“ so correct usage in combination with „no doubt“ I would say
@@einunbekannter5813maybe something is lost in translation, there's nothing funny about that to a native English speaker
Had a terrible customer service as well- they have a 6-person reservation limit so when I went for my birthday I only brought along 5 people with me, but lo and behold, we were seated right next to a table of 10+ people who we later came to find out were the owners family. We pulled a waiter aside who then had the director of operations speak with us and he apologized profusely, and gave me his business card and said that next time if I decide to celebrate there again then he'd make sure I could bring along more than 6 people. The following year, I contact him, and he'd moved to a different business, so we were put in touch with Sketch's chief executive officer who basically told us that they wouldn't honor the promise their director of operations had given us and feigned ignorance over the table of 10+ we were sat by, claiming it must have been an error in their reservation system which allowed them to book for over 6 people (which is of course untrue, even a different waiter had let it slip to us that it was the owners family). Was very unprofessional and lied to us on top of it. Haven't been there again to this day.
Wow thats completely unacceptable from a restaurant like that I cant believe their service was that horrible
What on earth makes you think the owners family will be tied to the restaurants booking restrictions??
@@dobbsmill3676 Because it's not some small town family joint or your restaurant on the corner? Because they actively lied about it afterwards? If you want to bend the rules at a 3-star Michelin restaurant for your family then go ahead and close it for 2 hours on the given day and host your family, but perhaps it's in bad taste to do it in front of other guests? If they thought like you then the DOF shouldn't have apologized, no? Since they, in your opinion, have done nothing wrong by not tying the owners family to their restaurants restrictions, not honoring the agreement and then lying. I can even back this up with the letter I received from the executive officer via email.
Well arent you special... smh pull your head out
@@thomgizziz My whole point is that if they're going to enforce rules then those rules should apply equally, how am I claiming to be special? Accommodating a larger party for me next time around was THEIR offer, maybe have some basic reading comprehension before you reply to strangers on the internet telling them to pull their head out and make rude sarcastic remarks lmfao if you're having a bad day then take a nap or go for a walk, have some decency.
I had dinner here literally this week…! I also left pretty disappointed and when I told friends, colleagues etc. they were all surprised by my reaction and thoughts.
Seeing this video the same week of my experience really makes me feel validated!
We went for the 7 course tasting menu and had similar lulls in timings, sometimes over 30minutes between courses and then two courses coming within 10 minutes of each other - there was absolutely no flow.
Great channel, the YT algorithm is really working!
If it makes you feel any better, when it was first announced at the Michelin ceremony a few years ago that Sketch had been awarded 3 stars, the general reception was polite clapping mixed with bewilderment...several critics and chefs have said as much.
I've never been myself so I can't really comment, but everything I have heard and read suggests to me that Sketch is the worst of the 3 stars (certainly in the UK) and there are loads of 2 (and even some 1) stars that are better... it's a good reminder that the Michelin guide is far from infallible.
Michelin do have an odd bias towards this kind of “theatre”. Noticed it before with a restaurant that went way over the top in the gimmicks without really getting the basics right… 2 stars… 🤷♂️
@@Morbuto and yet they claim to score based purely on the food...I think some bias creeps in, for sure.
@@Bragglord Even if the Michelin Guide only states simple statements for each star rating, all of which includes the cuisine as being the driving point, it is clearly implied that the establishment as a whole is what is being graded.
The food alone isn't all that you are tasting nor does your brain work like that when eating even the most amazing food. A simple comparison anyone can attest to is eating a meal you had consistently throughout your childhood in a safe feeling place, like your parents cooking your favorite dish, being enjoyed at home. You could have that same exact dish, cooked by your parents, but eaten somewhere else, and there is just something missing about it.
The same goes for these highly rated restaurants. The ambiance, the service, the show (as described here "to be like an opera") all influence our perception of the food and its quality. A wonderful meal can be ruined by a rude server, a long wait time (this video as an example) or even just not providing the expected level of service (the table not being decrumb'd after each course, as in this video).
All of these things contribute to "the food" and it would be naive to think they do not play a role in how the grading is done.
@@winebartender6653 I see what you're saying, and I never stated otherwise- you will notice I said 'allegedly'. My point was that Michelin's only stated criterion is the food itself, hence your comment is a bit needless.
It also does not account for places like Jiro Ono's sushi bar, which held 3 stars for years despite no remarkable decor, a generally cold, 'functional' service and not even having a bathroom.
The moment he tried to cut that nano sized lobster piece and complained about the knife was the best part.
A dull knive a dull knive. Yes maybe scene made it Little funny but do you know what sizes other pieces had?
Flow is so so important, I've had such different experiences at one star restaurants where food has been as good but the timing differences have made all the difference!
Honestly it's getting all the little things perfect that usually makes Michelin star restaurants special. So not getting something like that right is actually relevant. Remember you are paying hundreds of Euros per person here.
Some might think you're being picky, but at these levels you're not paying for "good enough". Kudos to you sir for your honesty
This is crazy, as a food writer (in french) I came accross your channel and watched a few video of some restaurants I wrote about. And you often have the exact same feelings that I do. Osteria Francescana by example.
But Sketch is next level. I can’t understand how they even have one star for the food. Yes it’s beautiful in its own way. Yes you have amazing selection of wine, like the Selosse you had. But something was off in the kitchen and in the service. I had the same experience. Crazy.
Agree. On everything.
'These blazes give more light than heat' someone once said. Instead, visit a restaurant in the Bib Gourmand but drop acid 1/2 an hour before you arrive and it should be pretty similar to Sketch.
@@Sr19769p Or visit a Kebab shop, up the dose of acid and add some weed to make it taste amazing 😂
@@Sr19769p know any place that has acid as an aperitif?
@@FLMKane Yeah, my house 😂.
Watching these videos has me spoiled. I know that visiting a three Michelin star restaurant takes considerable time and money, so it isn’t like an episode can be posted every day, but after watching all of your videos, I’m impatiently waiting for more😂love the content
Alexander, I appreciate how you incorporated the viewers' feedback and added the description for the dishes. Your commitment to improve every video, coupled with your passion for gastronomy, will surely make this channel blow up soon!
Also, I'm yet to encounter the problems you faced at Sketch, even at a 1-Michelin fine dining establishment. I hope Sketch takes notice to improve, and the Michelin inspectors, to reconsider their assessment.
By far one of the best YTB channels about food. Not often you can watch true opinions about restaurants.
wr
this was the nicest way I've ever heard someone say a restaurant sucks
Hahaha.... don't worry you are not alone in being disappointed at the food. This is the from the restaurant critic Jimi Famurewa of the Evening Standard who was absolutely scathing about both the restaurant decor itself and the food which he awarded a score of 2/5 when he reviewed it in Feb 2000,looks like nothing has changed much since! 😂 ........
"But then came the bill, which arrived in a hollowed-out copy of Moby Dick and was the sort of thing to make you want to fling a harpoon. Nearly £400 after service, for two people to drink almost nothing and be scantly fed very slowly. Even writing it down I feel myself vibrating anew with an almost exhilarating anger. But look, if just one person now rethinks a plan to go here, it will not have been totally wasted. If you’re the type of person who has always longed to sit down to a three-star culinary splurge, the Lecture Room & Library may offer a very expensive means to feel better about yourself. But for me, it is an example of the worst kind of brazen restaurant, a culinary carnival game to be avoided at all costs." How on earth is this place being awarded 3*Michelin?! Surely this brings the whole Michelin awards into question as well as the credibility of the awards themselves.
Well stated!
1
I feel like there must be some backroom deals or something going on. Whenever there's this much money involved it can be worthwhile for the owner to maybe grease some fingers or pull some strings to get the most favorable scenario possible. I don't think this is the case for all Michelin restaurants at all but if a few are bribed in people can attribute it to maybe it not being to their taste or just an off-night as opposed to the usual effort they put in. The rating as a whole can stand with a few bad apples in the bunch as for the most part people don't regularly dine at these places they go there for an experience every once in a long while.
I find it hilarious that anyone still believes that Michelin stars are awarded solely on the food. Your food can be half baked and stil get Michelin stars, because it looks good, is "avant garde" and the service is decent enough.
Many 'home cook' food stands and small restaurants simply offer more filling and better tasting food, as they're not interested in giving the customer an "experience", but instaed to satisfy their stomache.
Judging from the size of the portions ( no matter how " exquisite ") I think the menu card should have directions to the nearest Mcdonald's to satisfy the feeling of hunger you're sure to have.
What kind of world are we living in where we can't trust a tire company to pick out the best restaurants anymore?
I come from a very financially challenging background. My dream was to work at the kitchen of a michelin star restaurant however, I had to study Law as its the safer route. Your videos allow me to live the life vicariously. I would suggest if you can take us through how a michelin star restaurant works from hospitality down right to the logistics of it through a series of videos, that would be amazing and will give this channel multidimensional content.
if you have time to read, i highly recommend:
"Kitchen Confidential," Anthony Bourdain
"Soul of a Chef," Michael Ruhlman (following the lives/careers of Thomas Keller and Michael Symon)
"Eat a Peach," David Chang
"The Apprentice," Jacques Pepin (for a look at the roots of fine dining, and the way French "brigade-style" staffs, still the standard for most Michelin kitchens, operate)
@@modermoder2 because of you, i downloaded them on audible, cant wait
@@jasepee007 -- makes me so happy, hope you enjoy and learn from them!
You're not living life tho, you're not experiencing it, you're just watching/reading someone else do it, and then claim it allows you to live life vicariously? How? You're not experiencing it, you're just observing someone else do it, which while might at times make you feel something, that something just goes into obscurity and when you remember watching said video, at best you might think "cool" at worst, you'll end with an existential dread. But oh welp thats me, maybe im just overcomplicating it.
@@Rose333X yeah bro not everyone is born in the west in a middle or upper class family chill were the ones who actually gotta do real work😂😂
You don#t hold back with your critique, but that is the only way to improve. Also you are very fair and explain what is wrong and how it sould be done
I like your fair and honest approach to restaurants and how they could improve.
I like how Alexander just criticizes and doesn't abuse, makes the whole thing not cringe.
Looks like a fine dining restaurant for people who don't care about the food
So wonderful to see a review like this! I would not have been happy with the time lag or the multiple dishes being served for a course. It actually hurt to watch him show you the selected wine bottle and then walk away...
Glad to see honesty in a review. Over 90% of food influencers would not admit this in a video.
This reminds me of a similar experience. I took my wife to Toqué for our 10 year anniversary. It was honestly disappointing and for the price honestly awful. The staff gave a vibe like they were unprepared and nervous. Even delivered out plates to the wring table. Out of the 6 plates we ordered, the amuse bouche was the best. 1 plate was worth it, the other 5 were bad to average. The reduction they resused in 2 dishes was so bitter I thought it was burned. Even the drinks were not balanced. Kinda felt like they were imitating an idea. All this to say high end restaurants can be either great or extremely disappointing. It's going to be the Rib&Reef for 11 years...(High end steak and seafood near Jewish community in Montreal. Garunteed to be best* steak of your life.)
Toqué wasn't great when I visited. Not very creative and the main dish contained black trumpets with a vomit-inducing taste (friends who had the same dish agreed). Tried their sister restaurant Beau Mont, and it was another disappointment. Very basic combinations and flavours. Dessert was worse than what you find at cheap Chinese buffets... So many great restaurants in Montreal, but the Toqué group isn't part of them IMO.
My visit was similar. The fois gras was good but there was one dish with a weird eggplant purée that tasted like kissing a chain smoker. Not sure what that was all about
wrr, no such thign as prepax or etc, doens tmatte,r no nervx etc nmw
@@Lenfalhow could they miss with black trumpets, it's imo one of the best food there is
Just found your channel, I’m a veteran of the Michelin scene from NYC, I’m enjoying very much everything you upload. When restaurants put out so much effort in things that are borderline gimmicky like over the top decor with so many ideas thrown in, it’s cause they’re lacking technique in service and execution, sometimes, less “creativity” in concepts and more into the food is better.
To me a restaurant is where I have great service, food & drinks. The second they start(ed) doing things like putting menu's in envelopes I think people just ran out of inspiration / real improvements
What's the best experience you ever had in a restaurant?
What do you think of Eleven Madison Park going vegan?
@@v4v819 EMP was amazing, back in the day, them going vegan is just bending over to the woke agenda and will eventually pay the price, everyone keeps saying how amazing it is but it’s the new emperors clothe syndrome.
I am not a veteran at all and eat mostly at the 60-70 euro 4-6 fixed courses restaurants that popup everywhere these days now (in the Netherlands) that it isn't really much cheaper anymore if you go to a normal restaurant and eat 3 courses a la carte. Am I correct that the presentation of those dishes were quite horrid for 3 stars? Even the ones my wallet allows me to go to often have little art paintings on the plate.
A very competent assessment. Obviously rich people see restaurants for the rich in a different way. Interesting!
When you pay that much. You don’t expect to wait 30 minutes for food
I mean plenty of rich people go to these places but there are lots of people that do it for a special occasion as well. It's expensive but not so much so that most people could not afford it if they really wanted to. Which makes it extra problematic when a 3 star place fucks up so much.
Absolutely marvelous getting an honest review when it simply falls short this way. One of the worst meals I have had was at a two star Michelin in Budapest, the reviews did not live up to reality.
Thanks Alexander great honest review as this not easy to do to 3 star Michelin restaurants. Enjoyed and subscribed.
These keep getting better! Incredible video. Definitely an unfortunate experience, but I feel like this is almost to be expected when a restaurant relies so much on ‘looks’ and not on cooking.
All style and no substance ?
These quirky art major restaurants are gauranteed to be garbage
would love to see you visit 3 Michelin star restaurants in Japan. I had a lot unforgettable experiences there and most notably Ryugin in Tokyo. and as usual love the video. looking forward seeing more!
I binge watched all your videos and I am absolutely amazed by how good these all are and how rapidly the quality of the videos increased. It startet out very good and it got way way better on every new video. One does really feel that you do not want to become the next influencer of some sort, but rather really have fun doing these videos and showing us "normal" people the fine-dining exeperience - and I am so into this. Really incredible stuff and I can't wait to watch more of your videos. Thank you for this content, it is a pleasure!
Ditto, fabulous
Im always excited to see what you'll upload next 😁. Keep up the good work. And don't forget to have fun.
no way you guys just ignored that a women in a maid costume is art????? crazy how the other side of the world lives
Congratulations for your channel!
I really enjoy your calm and honest opinion.
Regarding your conclusions about this specific place - without having visited it, unfortunately, and limiting myself only to the description of the experience you lived and recounted here - I totally agree with you.
What's more, I have to say that having worked as a cook in various restaurants of all kinds (from popular menus, tapas, exotic and world cuisine, traditional Spanish cuisine 'based on product'... to fancy and sophisticated ones with a very elaborate cuisine) for almost 24 years, I definitely share with you the opinion that leaving a client "abandoned" is an inexcusable and illogical mistake in a top-level establishment like this one.
Thanks for your videos.
Subscribed, and "Saludos" from Murcia (Spain)!
3:53 Homie you used the wrong edge of the knife... That's one you.
This is what i like of a chef, critical but honest wen it's good and bad things happen.
Love the honesty - Call it as you see it. Keep it going - great videos
Creating a mood is the only important thing for this level of entertainment.
I have no idea why youtube algorithm showed me this channel but im glad it did. It is simply amazing! Very pleasant to watch, great production and you can learn a lot!. Keep up great work!
Honestly wouldn't mind if your videos were much longer, like 30-45 mins. Best & most honest content in a while 👏
Adding the dish compositions in the video is a great plus, thanks !
FWIW I went to Pierre G’s at his restaurant in Paris. He came out after the lunch and took pictures with everyone and it was absolutely amazing that he was still there every day. Was the best food quality of any restaurant we have had (and we have been to a couple of other M 3*s)
I do feel like having the lead chef there makes a world of difference given when I went to French laundry it was really just ok and got the feeling Thomas Keller isn’t ever there anymore.
Love how honest you are! The main dish was simply a mess and did not live up to the standards of a 3 Michelin restaurant. Great video🙌
Huge fan of this channel. Keep up the quality uploads and keep enjoying this journey!
My sister went a few weeks ago and thought it was amazing - hopefully your experience was a one off. Very constructive criticism in this video - hopefully they will see it.
To be honest, at that price there are a number of other places I'd go to before Sketch based off of this review.
So, second hand from your sister. Sounds credible.
It's always amazing to someone who is not used to something like this.
A new fan you just got. It’s nice to see the authenticity especially the flawed mistakes you unfortunately endured during your dining.
Great review. Personally, not really interested to go there after the review you left. When you go to a three Michelin star restaurant, it is not crazy to expect perfection. The attention to detail on the food should be impeccable. Moreover, the courses should flow smoothly and not have long awkward pauses that make you wonder if they’ve decided to just stop feeding you.
Alexander you bring a creative delivery with a great visual overview and i cant wait to see what youd come up with every time. Please keep it going!
The Lecture Room & Library was my first experience at a 3* establishment. I’d visited various 2* and 1* restaurants prior to Sketch and had always been so impressed with the experience so I had high hopes for this experience and honestly, I left feeling very similar. We were given 5 dishes at the same time for our starter which was very strange as our savoury ice cream had melted by the time it reached the table, most of the starters were very liquid heavy. I had lamb saddle for my main course which was excellent but dessert was another underwhelming course, some kind of strawberry pastry which was the lone ‘dessert of the day’ there were no literal options for dessert. I was actually quite shocked by some of these things considering that these weren’t an issue at any of the 1* restaurants that I had visited. Yes the building itself is very impressive but we came for the food which was altogether not so much. I have visited six Michelin starred restaurants and of the ones I have visited in London you would be far better off visiting Marcus, The Ritz Restaurant or Pollen Street Social (all 1* however provide a far better dining experience than Sketch).
I visited Pollen Street Social for lunch recently and it was excellent, especially at the price...I had three courses, a cocktail, and a glass of wine, and it came to just over £100. Honestly wouldn't be surprised if they jump to 2 stars soon.
@@Bragglord You can also go to St. James. We had a nice 1* experience there last summer. If you want something challenging, than there are also several superb options in London I must say. Regarding this kind of kitchen, I think, London shows a much higher standard and food experience.
It's the gimmick. Michelin says otherwise but they love throwing stars after gimmicks. I'd just avoid any place that seems gimmicky.
I love your videos, editing, and commentary. The only thing that gives me pause it the fact that you're part of the industry as a restaurateur. It would make me very hesitant to critique my peers in such a public forum. I'm sure you understand that as your channel and influence grows, your words will weigh more heavily despite how fair and honest you try to be. With that said, I'm personally really enjoying your videos. Wishing you all the best.
Thx for being the only honest detailled reviewer on youtube, guiding us 🙏🏻
Out of my own experience... the more famous chefs become and the more places they open, the less the quality becomes...
My personal preference are the Michelin wannabees... trying the very best, for half the price ❤
Ps: This restaurant looks less than most 1 stars I went... terrible 😢
The 30min wait without them owning up to it is unacceptable.
All it took was apologizing and giving out a good glass of wine on the house and no one would've really bothered too much.
hey, with all the time and effort you put into the content, i am sure that this channel will blow up soon. keep up with the good work!
I appreciate the honesty of this channel if theres something he doesnt like he gives his honest opinion its very refreshing
I have been to Sketch and the visuals are amazing. Every room is so different and every detail is perfect.
Am I alone in finding all of this absolutely nauseating?
the vast majority of 3 stars michelin restaurant are absolute all fuss, hype, and no substance. it's all about edible flowers and plating. most dishes are ridiculous . basically it's a form of art, an experience but it aint really worth it too foten, especially if the decor of the restaurant sucks. the whole MICHELIN DINING thing is way out of control. it's PERCEIVED QUALITY based on exclusivity and PRICE... vast majority suck. and i have been to many... too many become just STATUS SYMBOLS vessels regardless of real quality of food
you have a ability to see the snobbyness, if you subtract the snobbyness and taste the food its usually very very good, with wierd new flavors you havent had yet...
@@lunam7249 THERE IS way too many 3 stars michelin that are actually deserving only one, especially in USA. But the rating system is broken. Michelin doesnt even use INSPECTORS ANYMORE, that's a dirty little secret... it's all corporate market sentiment.
---- there r plenty of good Michelin restaurants, but most r not worth it, are just HYPE, high prices and edible flowers or location appeal, formal service with an army of people catering to you, not JUST the FOOD QUALITY itself like MICHELIN states and lies about it....
Thanks Alex for honest review. Entertaining to watch indeed.
The décor looks like a five year olds colouring book and the waiters are so exaggerated, sure maybe its part of the 'show' but I am truly amazed it even has two stars
I love your channel! I just discovered it and I’m hooked! Thank you!
Imagine watching this guy review his local Taco Bell. I could watch that for days.
a review thats also gauranteed to feature some footage of the bathroom
I believe that this whole world of restaurants with Michelin ratings is now just an antics and an example of desperate marketing
Huge fan of this channel. Hoping he can get out to Japan, some of their 3 Michelin star restaurants are incredible. Only been to one of them myself in Kyoto called Kikunoi run by Yoshihiro Murata, was a brilliant kaiseki style meal.
watching this video I kept thinking -- in what way is this better than an ordinary kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto?
Flavour and Service Justice. Love this Channel.
It’s so kitschy
one thing i really appreciate about this channel...is that it doesn't engage in the oft nauseating bootlicking of highly rated establishments. it gives fair criticism, even after having been there and meeting the people. 3 star restaurant review channel : )
If that was my restaurant, I'd be on you like _White on a Bride_ to get you back to show you we fixed all the issues you mentioned. Not just for you, but really *fixed.* Those stars are hard to come by but easy to lose.
my dude creating high end documentaries for food in 8 minute videos...Jokes aside one of the best and to the point channels
I don’t usually comment but I had a similar experience and the food at sketch made me and my partner wish we had saved our money. Worst one we had ever been to.
One restaurant in London I’d personally love your feedback on is 3 Michelin star Core by Clare Smyth.🙂 I’ve heard great things there!
Yes I would love to see him visit CORE. That is IF he can get in as getting a table is an enormous difficult task
@@barthamstra3240 Looks like he managed it :)
@@sambmortimer link?
Easiest sub of my life - great channel!
Hi Alexander, I very much appreciate your honest and fair review. This video reminded me of a similar lackluster experience I had recently, and I would love it if you could give little advice… As both a chef and experienced diner, how would you respond to a service staff asking if everything was okay, when you actually did have a few issues? How can I be clear in pointing out such errors without coming off as dramatic, bitter, or difficult?
I’ve spent some time working in fine dining myself and I always feel bad to have to put the server on a spot when I know it’s not entirely - or sometimes at all - his/her fault. Thank you so much!
Just state the facts. Show them proof, if possible. Don't use an accusatory tone. If you want to err on the side of politeness you can even phrase it as if you think it was an innocent mistake (even if you know it wasn't or you're seething). Take a breath before you react/speak if their response(s) make you angrier and you feel your emotions escalating. Stand your ground, don't let them gaslight you. Leave and leave an honest review if they don't fix their mistake(s) - and remember to include the facts. Hope this helps!
Just say what went wrong. I mean this place seems to have issues but from my experience any fine dining establishment will try to help you as much as reasonably possible. Just say what the issue is and perhaps want you want them to do. Thats it. Just don't shout at the staff or whatever. Frankly if you are worried in the first place about that I doubt anyone will take issue with your behaviour.
I like your complete style of presentation of a restaurants experience from start to finish
What a shame , a huge amount of cash for such a terrible culinary experience. Hopefully they'll see this video and learn from their mistakes. I'd be very disappointed if I had the same experience.
This is why I choose to eat at the Ritz. I have an amazing experience EVERY time.
What a gem of a channel to find!!
luxury snacking amazing how people spend so much money for so little return i'm guessing all the wine gets one drunk enough to not realize you just got hosed.
You ll have at least 500k by the end of the year, great content
Entering that restaurant with you at the start was like entering in the middle of a Cirque de Soleil performance, that was breathtaking. The eclectic art, the beautiful colours and then seeing the champagne bucket of wines poured by the glass and seeing a bottle printed with a producer like Selosse (one of the gods of champagne) on the label. Feel quite sorry for the kitchen, even moreso for the sommeliers; but, in any restaurant regardless of style (fine dining, local restaurant, pub, etc..) when one part of the machine slows down, the other needs to pick up the slack, let alone in a 3 michelin. When the kitchen slows down, it demands front of house pick up their game. For someone like you, make an impromptu visit to the cellar - you strike me as someone that is fascinated by wine, I bet you could be distracted for an indefinite period of time by a knowledgable sommelier and a great cellar; I know I would.
Some of your reviews, I'm on the skeptical side of some of the critiques you give, but this one is simply unacceptable at a small neighbourhood restaurant, let alone a 3 star in London.
I live here. London is not that special lol.
@@minge9 I didn’t say London was special I said the interior of the restaurant he went to was.
Also London is far from the worst city in the world. The history, the architecture, the diverse cultures sharing space. Not many cities can you go to and experience authentic cultures and flavours that you can do in London effortlessly.
Jamaican, Indian, Chinese, middle eastern, can all be experienced from all price points and are all readily accessible through a pretty impressive public transportation system.
London is special, but that’s a matter of perspective.
yesterday i put a chopped up hotdog in my 2 minute noodles with alfalfa sprouts and frozen veges. it was exquisite.
Enough theater! Fireworks and food as a painting are not worthy of Michelin stars. Give me perfect honest well prepared food.
Me, knowing I'll never eat at any of the places he's eating at:
"Two hours for food and wine? How dare!"
This is maybe a unique experience to me, but I've consistently found throughout my life that more expensive restaurants are much more dissapointing then low cost/class restaurants. Every time I've been to an high class establishment, I've always been given tiny portions of mediocre food, plated in an artful way. The bill is enormous and I leave wishing I had gone to a local pizza buffet.
I've had a meaningful a five star restaurant only twice. The second time all I asked for was a chicken cutlet, and I got some dry, bland fried chicken, not even as good as mcdonalds.
The first time, I wasnt hungry. I decided to order a cup of tea. I thought "well at least I'll have some five star tea!"
It was the saddest cup of tea (chai) I ever had, lol. I make it better at home
There are types of restaurants and what you can expect from them is different, there are loads of mediocre ones, some bad ones and a few good ones. Obviously if you get screwed at an expensive place you will remember it for a very long time.
maybe it's not for you? go eat a hotdog and watch baseball. You want to stuff yourself with grease? go do that. You go to the ballet and complain that it is not Avengers 18
I’ve had non-Michelin restaurants fill my glass due to a miscommunication or wait….
This is why the guide can never be taken completely seriously you have to experience a place for yourself there are so many places that deserved it but don’t have it. It’s almost like a curse connected to monetary gain at this point that also puts stress on chefs/kitchen staff.
Respect to the places that can survive this pressure and make food for the guest and not the star.
Visually it is reminds me of the Hotel Negresco in Nice. There is a reason why the Michelin undercover diners eat at a particular restaurant multiple times. Any restaurant, even a 3 star, can have an off night. Multiple trips would establish whether his experience was a bug or a feature.
I am impressed by your honesty. To be honest they should review their whole philosophy. At that level both in prestige and price nothing less than perfection is acceptable.
Could you try the resturant "restaurang frantzen" in Stockholm? It was the first restaurant in Scandinavia to receive three michelin stars.
I don't know if I think that TH-cam should become Yelp or Google reviews but you're allowed to post your experiences and you got a new viewer here now so kudos!
It's probably because I'm a pleb, but I think a great food culture is defined by what you can eat for £15, not £150... which is why the true culinary centres of the world are Asian places like Singapore, Bangkok, Japan, Schezuan...
Alexander, thanks very much for the review! I would say that it would be awesome if you gave them another shot. Would make a great follow up. Esepcially once they see this video.
We have visited many many 1, 2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants in Europe and in the USA, we have visited Sketch on 3 different occasions. Every visit, we felt astonished by the quality of food and the service. I feel bad your visit was not as good. But we rate this Resturant ver very highly.
Nicely done ATG. Very balanced and helpful review. I like how your content is enthusiastic and punchy without dragging on forever like some videos. Keep it up
I am curious what they have said as an apologize and what they offered you since you have waited so long and got disappointed… I have never seen something like this… and since I am working myself in a 2 star restaurant, this would never happen, but if there would be anything weird going on with the table, you would definitely apologize and offer them drinks, or give a discount from the bill…
Very good and honest review. Thank you for sharing with the wider audience.
All I could think about was how hard they worked for those stars and how devastated they will be when the lose 1 or more. The table cloth got me and it would have ended my experience right there. But, to also be ignored is just unforgivable. Still, heart breaks for the chef and I hope you sleep with one eye open
😂
It seems to me that you clearly didn't get the concept of The Grand Dessert and Pierre Gagnaire's multi-plate courses. To me, Sketch is one of the most memorable meals I've had across many European countries, having eaten there twice. The waiter who attended to us even remembered me after our first visit and we had a quick chat. Their bread and butter service with three types of butter is amazing. Didn't have any problems with service, or the food, and loved my experience there. Loved it much more than Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
Well sized portions of quality food and a clean updated dining area thats what people want when they go out to eat. Not mosquito size decorated portions for 2000% mark up from cost and a bunch of pretentious overly attentive staff and then you leave the restaurant still hungry.
Somehow, I don't really trust any restaurant that tries to unsubtly tell you "WE'RE AMAZING LOOK LOOK LOOK WOW"... managing a restaurant is already complex enough when it's only about feeding people, but you know something got much less attention than it needed when the bathrooms look like this
I love your honesty. Never lose it. Plates looked okay but not 3*.
Hi Alexander,
I would love to see you exploring the Michelin star gastronomy of Portugal.
There are 28 Michelin restaurants and 7 have ** Michelin stars. The portuguese hospitality is working hard and fighting for the acclaimed decoration 3 Michelin star restaurant and the reputation of Portugal gastronomy is known worldwide. :)
Share your thoughts.
Thanks
I can recommend ALMA in lisbon. Amazing food and vibe if you want to have fun and eat good food.
Good shout-out to Portuguese cuisine and gastronomy but this pretentious crap is unnecessary. Literally every single "3* restaurant" serves these "taster menus" that are almost exactly the same. Some form of lamb or some game meat with a sauce, usually some type of gravy... A bowl of pasta or rice with some truffles on it... A it of lobster or pretentious seafood... Just the same crap
@@ivobatista4018 Wich one have you visited? I think there is a fine different
@@beyer8500 I probably wouldn't visit one to begin with. Very little interest in eating at these sort of places that most Portuguese people don't even know it exists. Portuguese gastronomy is a cultural phenomenon based on simplicity and the use of high quality ingredients along with ingenuity in of itself. Alma or Belcanto are really just gimmicks that professional chefs have to emulate to achieve noteworthiness in the culinary world. While it's great to have this sort of advertisement for a culture not having it doesn't really bother me that much. If you were to look at Michelin guides based on these "stars" people would think that Scandinavian food is somehow better, let alone comparable to Portuguese or Southern European cuisine in general!
'and suddenly the owner lunged at me with a knife that's when I got really disappointed' 😆
As a person who loves eating good food, I often find myself having disappointing experiences at michelin star restaurants. Often, you expect the food to be good, but often, the food is, at most, mediocre, at least for the price point, usually the service or the visuals are top tier though... However, I go to a restaurant, predominantly for the food, and unfortunately, a lot of michelin star restaurants fail on this important factor.
I mostly have the same experiences. Especially hate it when they hide their lack of innovation/imagination behind expensive ingredients like truffle, foie gras, caviar, edible gold or things like sea urchins and try to let it carry the whole meal.
I'm guessing the expectation exceeds the reality sometimes. On a wine tour the owner of the winery gave us some good advice - If you like something you like it, if you don't you don't. The award or review is one or more people's opinions and even critics and judges can be swayed by others. But in the end the only opinion that should matter to you is yours