logo
‘This is what food should be in 2025': William Sitwell reviews Josephine Marylebone, London

‘This is what food should be in 2025': William Sitwell reviews Josephine Marylebone, London

Telegraph26-06-2025
I feel I've been willing Claude Bosi on to this moment. The French chef was born in Lyon (a town so culinarily accomplished that it lends its name to a salad and is famous for dishes such as coq au vin, andouillette, quenelle and tête de veau). Then over he popped to England and, in the ensuing decades, has dished up food from Ludlow to London, collected Michelin stars and purveyed a type of cuisine that marries complex gastronomic technique with classic French ingredients.
Hence dishes at Hibiscus (which opened in Shropshire then moved to the capital, now sadly closed) such as chicken with onion fondue and licorice, or mackerel tartare with strawberries and celery. Fabulous, for sure, but I've been itching for him to do something properly, traditionally, unequivocally French.
This he began to do when he took over Bibendum in South Kensington, although he couldn't help but segue into stuff like peas with coconut, chocolate and mint. And then there was one of his other places, Brooklands, where a complex dinner for two costs around half a grand…
But last year he must have felt it was time to behave like a proper Frenchman. So he opened Joséphine in Chelsea. And, lord, was it (and still is) good. A French bistro, awning at the entrance, tablecloths and rabbit and veal.
Now, ever generous, Bosi is spreading the love and has opened a branch of Joséphine in Marylebone. And while it's not quite as gloriously decorated as the mothership it's a grand job; no doubt, eyeing up a nest egg alongside his stable of independent restaurants, he'll fling out some more then flog them to a Qatari.
You must hope he does a Joséphine near you. Then you can dine, as we did, gloriously guided by great waiting staff, on fish soup served at the table from a large china tureen with its jolly chums, the croutons, rouille and shaved Gruyère. As decent a fish soup as you'd get at Henry Harris's Racine and with baguettes that are miraculously as fine as fresh ones in Paris, sounding as good to break as they are to taste.
We ate half a dozen snails, for which I yearned a bigger punch of garlic, before sharing a shoulder of lamb which did deliver garlic along with flageolet beans – such perfect bedfellows they seem both as natural and wondrous as the juxtaposition of sun and earth. The lamb glistened, dark skin charred from the oven, with pink flesh falling off the bones. It was a clarion call: put down your tweezers, chefs, this is what food is, or should be, in 2025. We had some greenery of steamed spinach. And then, turning the dial up to 11, shared a chocolate mousse which was rich and fluffy and fun.
Every mouthful of lunch at Joséphine confirmed my long-held disparagement of tasting menus. And that's before the fun of the wine offer: the classic system of 'au metre'. They bring out the house white and red and, at the end, get a ruler and figure out the bill. Sure, it's more economical to buy by the bottle, but this feels more adventurous, and more French.
With Joséphine 2, Claude Bosi (in partnership with his wife Lucy), stands at the pinnacle of his career, serving food that's posh, fancy and bank-plundering in one direction, and in the other, hearty, gorgeous, life-enhancing, un-bastardised, fully-fledged, bold and authentic. Order carefully, do a little sharing, don't go mad on the wine and you'll find great value, too. As Napoleon Bonaparte pointedly did not say, 'Tonight, Joséphine.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Louise Thompson proudly displays her stoma bag in a yellow bikini as she admits she notices people staring at it and urges others to 'be kind'
Louise Thompson proudly displays her stoma bag in a yellow bikini as she admits she notices people staring at it and urges others to 'be kind'

Daily Mail​

timea minute ago

  • Daily Mail​

Louise Thompson proudly displays her stoma bag in a yellow bikini as she admits she notices people staring at it and urges others to 'be kind'

Louise Thompson proudly displayed her stoma bag in a yellow bikini as she admitted she feels people staring at her and urged people to 'be kind'. The former Made in Chelsea star, 30, who nearly died when giving birth to her son in 2021, revealed last April that she had been fitted with a stoma after years of battling with ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic bowel condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed and small ulcers develop on the colon's lining, which can bleed. A stoma is a surgically-created opening made on the abdomen, which is made to divert the flow of body waste into a medical device, which the person can then empty. But taking to Instagram on Sunday, Louise admitted in a candid post that she us wearing less bikinis and switching to swimsuits, in part because she notices people looking at her stoma. Louise went on to say that she feels confident having her stoma on show now, but gave advice to those unfamiliar with them to 'be kind', not judge and let people with them wear what they want in peace. Sharing a snap and clip of herself in the yellow two-piece, Louise wrote: 'I'm not a big bikini girl these days. I don't think it's a confidence issue, I just really enjoy the comfort of a swimsuit. It's very practical and dare I say it - when you reach your mid 30s I think practicality equates to sophistication. 'There's another thing. I don't LOVE people looking at me that much. Stoma or no stoma. It doesn't happen to me often now I'm a bit older and a mother (gone are the days of men checking me out on the tube or the beach), but regardless of circumstances - you definitely get more attention with a random black or grey bag glued to your abs. Unsurprising really. 'I have no doubt that if I saw someone in a similar situation as me I'd look on in fascination/with curiosity/appreciation for what they might have gone through. It's natural. We are intrigued by uniqueness. We intrigued by medicine and health.' She continued: 'On the note of appreciation I've actually been serving myself lots of self-appreciation recently. Yesterday I got out of the shower and went straight to my phone to write down the words "remember you can get through TOUGH shit, ur tough as nails'" on a WhatsApp thread I have with myself (where I dump all my creative [thoughts]) because I really believed it. I wanted you to too. 'Regardless of the above I feel no shame when I look at my body. I don't attach much emotion to it at all. It just exists. That's the main thing. It's a privilege to exist. Literally. Metaphorically. 'But I fancied giving my tummy a bit of tan time/vit d on holiday… so here she is. The old bod. Me and Winnie hanging out. Wearing her with pride. I think I've still got it. I feel good. I roamed freely in the villa. I didn't feel the need to display my tummy in the beach clubs because tbh I'm not really a big lie down and tan kind of girl anymore. I think I dress really well and v freeely and vvvv ME regardless of my stomach situ.' Louise added: 'I don't feel held back at all, but I know some do and I want to remind anyone out there that doesn't really understand what this is that lots of normal and nice people in the uk have them (100k) and to be kind. 'Don't judge. Let people wear what they want. Ask nice questions if you really can't help it. You might learn something cool. #stoma.' In holiday snaps from earlier this month, Louise showed off her incredible figure in the two-piece, before slipping into a black swimsuit. Louise and fiancé Ryan Libbey have been enjoying a short trip 'just the two of them' at the luxurious Maslina Resort on Hvar island. Louise recently opened up about suffering a 'horrendously debilitating' stoma leak while out in central London. Since her diagnosis, Louise has continued to spread awareness and proudly show off her stoma, which she's nicknamed Winnie, in a hilarious reference to Winnie The Pooh. However, taking to her Instagram on Wednesday, she revealed she'd had a leak the day before, which left her in tears and needing some time out by herself. She explained she had headed to Marylebone with her fiancé Ryan on his motorbike for an appointment and a coffee, before going to record a podcast. However, Louise explained that despite their 'great start', she suddenly realised her stoma bag had unfortunately leaked, forcing her to rush to the nearest hospital for supplies. Sharing several selfies of her and Ryan on their bike journey before everything went wrong, she wrote: 'Yesterday I found myself in a really depressing situation. 'l had a great start to the day. I had a medical appointment at @ in the morning with Ryan... we biked there to get ahead of the traffic and managed to shave off 20 minutes from the journey. 'Then was off to record a podcast with 2x good friends which has been in the diary for ages. Had a lot of excited energy in my belly following a c**p week of of c**p health. 'We got off the bike in Marylebone blissfully happy and headed to @watchhouse for some delicious coffee and cookies pre-recording because we were a smidge early, but then I felt something a bit wet in my pocket. I looked down and had had the most horrendously debilitating stoma leak.' She recounted how she was left 'too overwhelmed' to explain the situation, but Ryan had stepped in, while she was left in a bathroom for an hour waiting for staff to try and source any new stoma bags, while 'covered in mess'. Louise said: ' I had to hobble to the nearest hospital which was a private one so a bit awkward. I was actually too overwhelmed to speak when we got to reception so thankfully Ryan who I was with handled it for me. 'I then literally waited locked in a bathroom for an hour sat on the loo covered in mess whilst they dug around to see if they had any stoma bags for any of their [sic] inpatients.'

Major update in MasterChef saga as embattled BBC forge ahead with new series
Major update in MasterChef saga as embattled BBC forge ahead with new series

The Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Sun

Major update in MasterChef saga as embattled BBC forge ahead with new series

SCANDAL-hit MasterChef is casting for contestants for a new series. The BBC show put out an internet plea days after confirming it would air episodes already filmed with Gregg ­Wallace and John Torode, despite both being axed. Bosses said the decision came 'after consultation with the contestants'. Earlier this month, a report revealed more than 40 historic complaints against Wallace had been upheld, along with a claim that Torode once used a racist term. The BBC said it had taken the decision 'after consultation with the contestants' but some of the women who came forward with claims against Wallace have slammed the move. Saturday Kitchen 's Matt Tebbutt is expected to be the new host, with Great British Menu star Andi Oliver also in the frame. Production firm Banijay posted: 'For over 20 years we have been putting Britain's best food talents through their paces. 'Cooking doesn't get tougher than this. 'Whether you're an amateur cook looking to showcase your home-taught skills or a professional chef wanting to take your career to the next level you can apply for a UK MasterChef series below.' Hopefuls can apply online at Shamed Gregg Wallace says 'I'm no groper, sex pest or flasher,' as tearful star refuses to accept blame for BBC sacking 1

I'm being booted out of our £4m home in 10 days… but I REFUSE to leave, says Harry Potter star Leslie Phillips' widow
I'm being booted out of our £4m home in 10 days… but I REFUSE to leave, says Harry Potter star Leslie Phillips' widow

The Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Sun

I'm being booted out of our £4m home in 10 days… but I REFUSE to leave, says Harry Potter star Leslie Phillips' widow

CARRY ON star Leslie Phillips' widow is being ordered to leave the home they shared throughout their married life. Zara Phillips has been warned by lawyers that if she does not vacate by August 7, they will go to court to get her out. 4 But Zara, 69, insists: 'I am not going.' After Leslie, who voiced The Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter films, died two and a half years ago aged 98, the contents of his will remained private. But when his last wishes were made public in 2024, it became clear that Leslie' s will had been changed during the Covid crisis. The new will, approved in the Court of Protection, was substantially different to the one drawn up by Leslie the day before the couple married in December 2013. In 2014 Leslie suffered a massive stroke, and Zara quit work and looked after him until his death in November 2022. Leslie's first will had allowed Zara, his third wife and 36 years his junior, to stay in his £4million West London home for the rest of her life. But former air stewardess Zara discovered that a new will states the property must be sold and the proceeds put into a trust fund to be divided between her and Leslie's two sons and two daughters from his first marriage to actress Penelope Bartley. The new will, drawn up in November 2020, insists Zara has to be out of the five-bed property next month. According to a legal letter seen by The Sun, if she refuses to go, lawyers will apply to the courts for possession. Fighting back tears Zara says: 'Where would I go? I am in ill-health, old and frail, not well enough to move and I am still grieving.' She adds: 'Leslie would not have wanted me to be thrown onto the street. I had known him for nearly 30 years. 'They told me that if I do go to court, they will deduct the money from my inheritance. 'The court can bring the bailiffs to throw me out but I won't go. The executors said, 'We know you looked after Leslie very well 24/7. That's the reason we're giving you money'. 'I found it very disrespectful. A wife doesn't charge her husband for looking after him when he is ill.' In a showbiz career lasting eight decades, Leslie appeared in more than 200 movies as well as hit TV series and on stage around the world. He was best known for his catchphrases 'Ding Dong', 'Well, Hellooo' and 'I Say' from appearing in 'Carry On' movies, delivered in rich dulcet tones. He wooed a new generation of fans as the voice of The Sorting Hat in Harry Potter movies, and also appeared with Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider as well as Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun and in Out of Africa with Robert Redford. Leslie's personal life was plagued by tragedy. His first wife Penelope died in a house fire in 1981, while Leslie was in Australia. The following year he married Bond girl Angela Scoular, who killed herself in 2011 with a lethal cocktail of drugs and alcohol after suffering terminal bowel cancer. Zara, a friend for more than 20 years, helped Leslie come to terms with Angela's death. They fell in love and married in December 2013. The actor's estate is valued at over £5million, including the house, which he bought in the 1960s at the height of his fame. When Covid shut down the country in 2020, Zara protected Leslie from the effects of the pandemic. But at that time Leslie changed the will, giving Zara just two years nine months after his death to vacate the house. Zara says: 'I was very vulnerable that time. The country was in the grip of the Covid crisis. 'I was the main carer for Leslie, who was disabled. His will was not my priority at that time. 'I was younger than him and I was devoted and committed. He was my main priority. I loved him with all my heart. I did what I had to do and put Leslie first.' A spokesman for the executors of Leslie's will says: 'I confirm that the administration of Leslie Phillips' estate is ongoing in accordance with a Will approved by the Court of Protection. 'It would not be appropriate for me to comment further for reasons of confidentiality.' 4 4

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store