CODE meets Leonid Shutov, Bob Bob Ricard

The restaurateur behind Bob Bob Ricard, Leonid Shutov couldn’t have imagined 13 years later it would be an iconic London restaurant. Here, we speak to Shutov about how his Russian heritage influences the restaurant, his favourite dish on the menu and a highlight from the past decade.

You started Bob Bob Ricard back in 2008. Did you imagine 13 years later you’d still be such a big part of London’s dining scene?

Not in a million years. It is incredible to see Bob Bob Ricard evoking so much love and affection, and very gratifying to see it described as an ‘iconic London restaurant’.

For those who have never visited, what can guests expect from Bob Bob Ricard?

Food that brings out a smile of joy, memorable wine, and the pleasure of sharing it all with friends, loved ones or important guests. But above all else – fun.

You set up the restaurant a year after moving from Russia to London. Where did the idea for the restaurant come from?

I have always loved restaurants, and like so many of us, whenever I dined out, I caught myself thinking “I would do this differently” or “I could do that better”! So when an opportunity presented itself to change from a career in advertising to one in hospitality, I got my chance to put my ideas to the test.

And did your heritage impact how you created the restaurant?

It comes through in many of the details and nuances both in the décor and on the menu.

If you had to pick a favourite dish on the menu, what would it be?

I would be hard pushed to choose between the Beef Wellington, and the Truffle Waffle with Crispy Bacon served during our Waffle & Bellini Hour!

Your ‘press for champagne’ button has been shared all over Instagram. Why did you decide to introduce the feature?

It embodies everything we want the restaurant to be for our guests – a place of celebration, with a touch of excess.

In 2019, you launched second site Bob Bob Cité. What would you say are the key differences between the two sites?

Where Bob Bob Ricard is all about luxurious British comfort food, Bob Bob Cité is about elegant French home cooking. Bob Bob Ricard was inspired by the dining cars of the Orient Express and the opulence of the early 1900s.

With a more modern location, we drew inspiration for Bob Bob Cité from the 21st century bullet trains and the future of travel. Both have Russian influences and touches throughout, and both restaurants feel like they share the same spirit, but in different eras.

Obviously, the past year has been incredibly tough for hospitality. What has your experience been as a restaurateur?

When things get difficult, it’s more important than ever to make sure that everything we deliver is top-notch: the food, the wine, the service and ambiance, and – even at the luxury end of dining – value for money.

What do you think will happen with hospitality over the course of 2021?

Life always goes on and hospitality will go on as well. But that is not to say that there will not be much pain for many in our industry.

To end on a positive note, could you pick a highlight from the last 13 years?

The day before the first lockdown, a big international star arrived at Bob Bob Ricard declaring, for everyone to hear, “if this is destined to be my last meal on Earth – I want to have it here!”

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