Centre Point’s Paramount restaurant to open to public

Paramount, the restaurant and bar situated on the top three floors of London’s Centre Point building, will next month open to the public for the first time.​

Owners Pierre and Kathleen Condou, who once owned L’Odeon and Bistrot Bruno and first launch Paramount as a private members club in November 2008, have decided to open up the restaurant on 14 May in response to ‘overwhelming demand’ from the public.

Situated on floors 31-33 on the Richard Seifert-designed building, Paramount incorporates a restaurant, private dining room and bar, and a Champagne and cocktails viewing gallery, offering 360-degree views across London.

Pierre Condou told BigHospitality that he wanted to change Paramount into a globally iconic restaurant that all members of the public could enjoy.

“The board of directors felt that we were turning away hundreds of people on a weekly basis who wanted to go up to Paramount,” he said. “And it seemed foolish to continue to reject this level of business when we had the chance to nourish it. We also felt that this was such an iconic building with such amazing views of London, it seemed undemocratic to create something that only a few people could access.”

Destination dining​

He added that with the appointment of head chef Colin Layfield, who previously worked with Condou at L’Odeon, he hoped Paramount would become a destination restaurant in London.

“Before we had a broad menu with a few staple dishes, but while it was good we wanted to raise the gastronomic experience. I wanted to create a culinary experience that would be an iconic place; we want a top restaurant with the best food.”

Paramount will initially serve a predominantly British menu using simple ingredients on the 32nd floor, which has been expanded to cater for 100 covers, but will launch a second food offering on the top floor shortly after opening next month.