When he was 19, he signed up for the Fleet Air Arm division of the Royal Navy. However, he was unable to join due to recurring knee dislocations from playing rugby at school, and thus had to look for a career elsewhere.
Having always had a love for food and cooking, he went to Shaun Hill of Hill’s Restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon for advice. Even though Hill's restaurant was on the verge of closing down and he only worked there for one day, it was all the inspiration he needed to become a chef.
Anthony's culinary career truly started at Lucknam Park in Wiltshire, before he moved on to The Castle in Taunton.
After that, he worked at The Greenhouse in Mayfair before his next move took him to The Four Seasons Hotel in London. He worked there under head chef Bruno Loubet for three years before leaving to join Loubet for the launch of his restaurant Bistro Bruno in Soho, as well as L'Odéon on Regent Street.
Image Credit: Ming Tang Evans
In 1999, Anthony was appointed as the chef director of Putney Bridge restaurant, which was then awarded a star in the Michelin Guide for Great Britain an Ireland 2000.
In 2006, he was finally able to realise his dream of opening his own restaurant with the launch of Arbutus in Soho. This was followed by Wild Honey in Mayfair in 2007.
In October 2018, Anthony opened Vermuteria, in the new Coal Drops Yard development in King's Cross.
The chef co-owns the café and bar, which - as its name indicates - offers a vast selection of European Vermouths, as well a select menu prepared using produce from respected suppliers.
Wild Honey's Mayfair site closed early in 2019 to reopen at Sofitel London as Wild Honey St James.
In 2021, Anthony joined the team at The Crossing (formerly The Tree House) in Barnes as a consultant chef, working with head chef Alessandro Carulli to create a menu which reflects his style.
After two years of tumult for the hospitality industry, Wild Honey St James was awarded a star in the Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland 2022.
Wild Honey St James
Wild Honey's new location is a corner site outfitted into a striking dining room designed by interior specialist Jim Hamilton.
While the brasserie is a part of the Sofitel London St James hotel, it feels like a completely separate and standalone place. This effect is partially achieved by the fact that the restaurant has its own entrance on Pall Mall.
Image Credit: Anthony Demetre
The restaurant itself is in a Grade-II listed building - a former banking hall.
Food
Anthony's style of modern European cooking has been defined by a lack of pomposity and showmanship, according to the Michelin guide.
The guide notes that Anthony's food is all about the flavours, so while his dishes might look quite simple, they are packed full of flavour, adding that the special nature of his menu is amplified by the fact that he regularly brings in new dishes to complement his specialities.
Guests can choose between a la carte, tasting or pre-theatre - the restaurant is in the West End, after all - with dishes such as Cornish cod with grey shrimps, parsley and lemon ‘Dieppoise’, leeks, Charlotte potato; Daphne’s Denbighshire lamb, roast and slow-cooked with lacquered January king greens; and, naturally, Wild honey ice cream with raw honeycomb.
Book
In 2008, Anthony wrote a recipe book that collects some of his best recipes from Arbutus and Wild Honey, titled 'Today's special: A new take on bistro food.'
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
