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Former Gaucho boss, Martin Williams, promises London's best steaks at new "M" restaurant

Published:  13 October, 2014

The competition to have the best steaks in London will go up a notch next month when Martin Williams, formerly and famously of the Gaucho Group, opens his own highly ambitious steak themed restaurant in Threadneedle Street.

Former Gaucho chief is going it alone at MFormer Gaucho chief is going it alone at MMartin Williams is offering not one but two premium steak restaurants with Japanese and Australian premium steaks

The competition to have the best steaks in London will go up a notch next month when Martin Williams, formerly and famously of the Gaucho Group, opens his own highly ambitious steak themed restaurant"M" in Threadneedle Street.

Williams caused a quite stir in steak circles when he left the Gaucho Group earlier in the year, where he was managing director of its restaurants division, after 10 years to go in to direct competition with his own operation.

He has also poached former Gaucho head sommelier, Zack Charilaou, as wine director who will head up an offer that will include a dedicated wine room, and the chance to taste unique and world famous wines on a series of Enoteca machines. Opus One and Petrus vintages, for example, will be available at £25 and £45 per glass. 

It is a big move for Charilaou who has been with Gaucho since he left school at 16 in 2007 and has seen his wine career blossom and grow under the leadership of Gaucho's acclaimed wine director, Phil Crozier.

M's executive chef Mike Reid has also worked at Gaucho, but was most recently head chef at Jardin Tan in Australia.

Williams is claiming to bring arguably the most premium steak to the capital with the first restaurant in Europe to serve grade 10++ Kobe beef compared to the normal Grade 6++ served by restaurants.

Noticeably the focus at M will be Japanese Kobe and Australian Blackmore Wagyu beef, which is currently only available in Australia, the US and Asia, rather than the Argentinian steaks that have made their mark at Gaucho.

The people behind M claim the quality of its Kobe beef "is so high that it doesn't even fit on the normal beef grading chart". It will also offer exotic meats such as crocodile and kangaroo.

By his admission Williams has taken on a major project with this new 15,000 square foot operation that will include two 100-cover restaurants, a wine tasting bar, a cocktail bar, private dining rooms, event spaces and even a "secret den".

As part of the theatre M will include a walk-in ageing room where butchers will be on hand to offer beef master classes and give guests the chance to choose their own cuts.

Another key member of the M team includes restaurant director, Francesco Cappucci of Corinthia Hotel and Cecconi's.

M promises to offer steak and meat courses starting at under £20.

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