A Culinary Journey Aboard the British Pullman

The line-up includes several household names and each event brings cuisine from all over the globe to the 1920s vintage carriages of London's iconic train, sister train to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

From award-winning proper ‘pub food' to ‘Cuisine Naturelle' with the Royal seal of approval; contemporary Indian cuisine to the UK's youngest Michelin starred chef; the pop-up dinners on board the British Pullman are exclusively for just 100 guests and each evening promises to be a theatrical culinary experience.
Robbie Gleeson, Executive Head Chef of the British Pullman, has invited some of his favourite chefs into his kitchen for the unique experience of recreating their menus to be served in the art-deco Pullman dining cars.

“Cooking on board the British Pullman is like nothing any chef has ever experienced before - I'm excited about collaborating with the all of the chefs that we have invited to join us and looking forward to working with them to create an unforgettable menu within the constraints of the train's galley kitchen,” comments Robbie Gleeson, Executive Head Chef.

Following the inaugural pop-up dinner in November 2013, and back through popular demand, Chef Patron Raymond Blanc, OBE, is to return with his team from the critically acclaimed Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire to the Pullman's galley kitchens on 13th March.

The sumptuous aroma of Indian spices and flavours will take guests on a journey back to India on 8th May with Vivek Singh, Executive Head Chef of The Cinnamon Club, Cinnamon Kitchen and Cinnamon Soho. Bringing a taste of the East with a modern interpretation to the vintage carriages, Vivek is set to craft a menu of authentic Indian dishes with a contemporary twist; drawing inspiration from traditional recipes and pairing spice with matching wines.

Tom Kerridge, Chef Patron of the UK's only Two Michelin starred public house, The Hand & Flowers, boards the train on 12th July. Tom and his team are set to make a new first by re-creating their pub experience on the British Pullman - becoming the first ‘train publicans' for the night.

Recognised as the rising star on London's restaurant scene, Tom Sellers steps aboard with Restaurant Story later this year on 10th October. A protégé of Tom Aikens and Noma, Tom's culinary vision offers a creative and nostalgic journey through bold British flavours, telling a story along the way.

The host of BBC One's Saturday Kitchen, James Martin boards the train on 23rd October and showcases dishes from his career spanning over 20 years. His show is a platform for many well-known and up and coming chefs, and a regular slot for many of the names coming aboard this year.

Mosimann's, tucked away in Belgravia, London, is one of the most prestigious private dining clubs. Its gourmet expertise is a favourite of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge having catered for their wedding and most recently, the team has been supporting the House of Switzerland in Sochi, during the Winter Olympics. Cooking for guests on 13th November, Anton Mosimann's ethos of ‘Cuisine Naturelle' is evident in each dish, using only fresh ingredients and avoiding the use of oils, fats and salt.

With Robbie's exceptional culinary talents, guests on the British Pullman enjoy the very best of creative British cuisine developed over a lifetime of experience as a chef at some of London's finest establishments such as The Dorchester and through running his own restaurant ‘Gleeson's' in Ireland – named ‘Restaurant of the Year' by Good Food Ireland. Robbie hosts a seasonal tasting menu, paired with specially selected wines and Champagne on 5th June and 11th September and will co-host an evening in association with Laurent Perrier, on 12th April and 12th December.

Dining on board the British Pullman, sister train to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is one of London's most exclusive and luxurious dining experiences. With its original 1920s art deco carriages and exceptional personal service by authentic stewards in fine livery, the train evokes the golden age of travel; allowing guests the opportunity to engage with a period of time when travellers were elegantly dressed and had the time to slow down and enjoy the journey. The series of events follows the success of Marcus Wareing and The Gilbert Scott's ‘Best of British' pop-up event in January this year.

The Celebrity Chef Dinners are priced at £495 per person. To book call 0845 077 222 or visit www.luxurytrainjourneys.com

Departing from London Victoria Station, the British Pullman, sister train to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, welcomes the following celebrity chefs in 2014:

Raymond Blanc – 13th March 2014

Raymond Blanc is a gastronomic icon, acknowledged as one of the finest chefs in the world. Yet his philosophy is endearingly simple: ‘My team and I aim to excel in what we do, but never to take ourselves too seriously.' He is chef-patron and chairman of Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, the two-starred Michelin hotel-restaurant in the Oxfordshire village of Great Milton. His significant influence on British cuisine has brought scores of awards, as well as decades of critical praise and glowing admiration from fellow professionals and food lovers.

Vivek Singh – 8th May 2014

Since first opening its doors in 2001 at the old Westminster Library, The Cinnamon Club has been redefining the expectations of Indian cooking. Vivek liberated Indian food from its straitjacket of tradition and crafted a brilliant marriage between Indian spicing and western culinary styles. Vivek authored The Cinnamon Club cookbook to wide acclaim in 2003 and The Cinnamon Club Seafood Cookbook in 2006. He is widely believed to be one of the most articulate Indian chefs of his generation, continuing to make appearances on cookery shows such as Saturday Kitchen, Masterchef and Market Kitchen and a regular face at food festival demos such as Taste of London and BBC Good Food Show.

Tom Kerridge – 12th July 2014

Tom Kerridge's first catering job was a stint as commis chef at Calcot Manor in Gloucestershire. He also worked for Stephen Bull and Gary Rhodes before joining Odette's in Primrose Hill. After a spell at Monsieur Max in Hampton he moved to Norwich to take over running the Michelin starred restaurant Adlards. He then decided it was time to find his own place taking over a run down pub in Marlow called the Hand and Flowers, which was awarded its second Michelin star in 2012.

Tom Sellers – 10th October 2014

Tom Sellers is one of the rising stars of London's buzzing restaurant scene, within just 5 short months of opening his restaurant Story he received his first Michelin star. The restaurant has received incredible critical acclaim and has been solidly booked out since its opening on Tooley Street in early 2013. Tom has worked alongside some of the greatest, Michelin-starred chefs in the world. These include Thomas Keller (The French Laundry, Per Se) Rene Redzepi (Noma) and UK-based chefs Tom Aikens (Tom Aikens) and Adam Byatt (Trinity).

James Martin – 23rd October 2014

James has made a great impact since he began to appear on television in November ‘96 and has rarely been off screen since. Currently presenter of BBC 1's hugely successful Saturday Kitchen; regularly attracting viewers in excess of 3.5 million (nearly triple the amount of viewers when James inherited the show). It is one of the most popular weekend shows with a phenomenal 32-35% audience share. James continues to have success with his restaurant at The Talbot Malton and his new restaurant James Martin Manchester at Manchester235 Casino. He also appears at food festivals internationally, always attracting vast crowds.

Mosimann's – 13th November 2014

Mosimann's is an exclusive dining club situated in a converted Scottish Presbyterian church in London's Belgravia. It was established twenty-five years ago by celebrity chef, Anton Mosimann and now has an enviable reputation for its fine cuisine and the luxurious surroundings. A favourite with politicians, royals, celebrities and captains of industry who all enjoy the healthy cuisine that is synonymous with Anton Mosimann. Indeed such was the demand for his cooking, it extended to members' homes and Mosimann's Party Service was created. This has gone from strength to strength and was granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales in 2000.

Executive Head Chef, Robbie Gleeson – 5th June and 11th September

Robbie joined the British Pullman and Northern Belle – sister trains to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, in 2011 from the five-star The Westbury Hotel, Dublin, where he was Executive Chef and led a team of 27, catering for two restaurants and many private dining rooms. Before working in Dublin, Robbie ran his own restaurant with wife Alex in County Cork for six years; Gleeson's Restaurant won numerous awards and accolades and in particular, won Restaurant of the Year, 2006, by Good Food Ireland.