Ambassadors Clubhouse and JKS Restaurants
Ambassadors Clubhouse sits within the wider JKS Restaurants family and is often discussed alongside Gymkhana, the group’s two-Michelin-starred flagship in Mayfair.
That relationship matters in understanding the restaurant’s place in the group: Ambassadors Clubhouse is not a copy of Gymkhana, but another expression of serious Indian cooking with its own regional focus, identity and tone.
The restaurant presents itself as a place of abundance, high spirits and generosity. Food is designed for sharing, cocktails lean into theatre and large-format serves, and the lower-ground music space, AMBASSY, extends the experience beyond dinner.
Shantibhushan Lal’s cooking style
At Ambassadors Clubhouse, Shanti’s work is rooted in the cooking of Punjab, drawing on roadside stalls, family homes and royal palaces from northern India.
The restaurant says the menu celebrates the shared food heritage of India and Pakistan, while the Michelin star announcement from JKS described it as the result of a team creating a restaurant with a strong sense of place and purpose.
His role also reflects the broader standards of JKS Restaurants. The group said that the Michelin star arrived in the same week Ambassadors Clubhouse launched its first US outpost, underlining the scale of the moment for both the restaurant and the wider business.
For Shanti, it marked another milestone in a career built around launching restaurants, developing teams and delivering quality at group level as well as at the pass.
Michelin star at Ambassadors Clubhouse
In February 2026, Ambassadors Clubhouse was awarded its first Michelin star at the ceremony in Dublin. Michelin now lists it as a one-star restaurant in London, while JKS Restaurants described the award as a historic first for Punjabi cuisine in the UK.
The timing made the moment even more notable. The star was announced in the same week that would have marked the 116th birthday of the former Indian ambassador who inspired the restaurant’s name, and just as Ambassadors Clubhouse New York opened its doors.
Beyond the kitchen
Alongside his restaurant work, Shanti has also been positioned as an advocate for the industry.
The background provided around his role notes his support for formal apprenticeships and for making kitchens accessible to work experience students, showing that his focus extends beyond menus and openings into training and progression.
That wider approach fits with Ambassadors Clubhouse’s own emphasis on impact beyond the restaurant.
It works with the Sustainable Restaurant Association and its community partnerships, including a three-year partnership with the British Asian Trust, alongside support for Action Against Hunger, StreetSmart and The Felix Project.
Shantibhushan Lal at Ambassadors Clubhouse
Today, Shantibhushan Lal is one of the most important chefs within JKS Restaurants and one of the key figures behind Ambassadors Clubhouse’s success.
Through the restaurant, he has helped turn a bold Punjabi concept into a Michelin-starred destination in the heart of Mayfair.
With one Michelin star now attached to Ambassadors Clubhouse, Shanti’s profile continues to grow.
What stands out is not just the award itself, but the role he has played in shaping restaurants across the group and in helping Punjabi food achieve a new level of recognition in the UK.
