Jeremy King

Spear’s Review

Famed restaurateur Jeremy King has returned to reclaim his crown with the opening of a trio of restaurants in 2024: The Park, a 21st-century take on one of his signature ‘grand cafés’ within Fenton Whelan’s Park Modern; Arlington (better known as Le Caprice 2.0); and the much-anticipated revival of Simpson’s on the Strand. 

It is the latest chapter in a glittering career. Together with business partner Chris Corbin, King bought the fading Le Caprice in 1981 and transformed it into a London landmark. This same golden touch was later brought to the Ivy and J. Sheekey. In 2005, the Ivy and Caprice Holdings were bought by fellow Power Lister Richard Caring.

A downfall of sorts came in 2022 when a long-running boardroom saga culminated in King being messily – and publicly – ousted from Corbin & King, the company he co-founded in 2003 with Corbin. Thai hotel conglomerate Minor International, which had amassed a 74 per cent stake in the group behind the Wolseley, the Delaunay, Brasserie Zédel and others, forced the company into administration. A battle for the entire business ensued. King and his supporters were eventually outbid, and Minor – now known as Wolseley Hospitality Group – took control. 

Now, the King-dom is being re-established. But the man at the centre of the empire is careful never to buy into his own hype. ‘The moment I become complacent, I’m in trouble,’ he told Spear’s.