Cherished Restaurateur of Old Bohemian Soho, Andrew Edmunds, Has Died
One of Soho’s most celebrated and cherished restaurateurs, Andrew Edmunds, has died at the age of 79.
“genial x charming x a great host x wonderful vintner and keeper of one of Soho’s most beloved restaurants that stayed true always to good cooking x bonhomie x much fun x a great lunch x and dinner x gone too soon,”
Cherished Restaurateur of Old Bohemian Soho, Andrew Edmunds, Has Died
Restaurateur and art dealer based out of a beautifully decrepit and charming double store front on Lexington Street passed away at 79.
In an Instagram post on Monday 19 September, the restaurant wrote: “So terribly sad x so many happy memories x such a very great part of Soho x unique x inimitable x a consummate host x a superb vintner x possessed of great charm x as wonderful at table as he was at greetings x what a joy x what a loss x gone too soon but not forgotten x with many condolences.”
Is there a better backdrop than Old Soho for the beginning (or, indeed, the end) of an affair? For more than 30 years Andrew Edmunds has been setting the scene with a Franco-British menu encompassing asparagus, dressed crab, confit duck and rhubarb jelly with cream. Upstairs it’s all flickering candlelight, wax dripping down claret bottles (steady on) and wildflower posies. The discreet tables downstairs, meanwhile, are very popular with men of a certain age whose wives don’t understand them — or maybe understand them a little too well.
Drapers Arms’s publican Nick Gibson was among those paying tribute to Edmunds in the comments: “My inspiration for steadfast hospitality, absurd generosity, unfussy but fabulous food, some intensely romantic lunches I wished could have lasted forever,” he wrote, “memories and experiences that have enriched my life.”
While Times restaurant critic Marina O’Loughlin said it was the “saddest news.”
Former Quality Wines sommelier, Gus Gluck, who now imports wines wrote that Edmunds inspired his own career path: “Andrew is the truest form of Legend. An inspiration to my own hospitality career. He fostered a place young wine professionals could afford to drink the wines they normally could only serve.”
A fellow Soho legend, Quo Vadis chef Jeremy Lee wrote that he was “deeply saddened.” “genial x charming x a great host x wonderful vintner and keeper of one of Soho’s most beloved restaurants that stayed true always to good cooking x bonhomie x much fun x a great lunch x and dinner x gone too soon,” he added.