WINTER 2018 SLUG HERE ISSUE 14 RETURN OF THE KING The Elvis '68 Comeback, by Jonathan Wingate SITWELL BITES BACK William Sitwell on the dangers of joking Also inside about vegans TOM PARKER BOWLES ON FRENCH DINING COURTNEY PINE ON JAZZ THE POWER AND THE POLITICS OF BIG TECH WWW.BOISDALE.CO.UK CREDIT IMAGE BRUCE ANDERSON ON WW1 £4.95 $7.40 ED CUMMING, CON COUGHLIN 1 €6.70 BOISDALELIFE.COM ¥880 CONSTANCE WATSON AND MORE... WINTER 2017 ISSUE 10 ALL THE YACHT YOU WANT. ALL THE TIME YOU NEED. Welcome to the easiest way to own a yacht. At a fraction of the cost. A brand new, fully crewed, luxury Princess Y75 Motor Yacht, with every aspect of its management taken care of. YachtQuarters fractional ownership delivers all the joy of ownership with a surprisingly low initial outlay. We currently have an opportunity berthed in Port Adriano, Mallorca. To find out more please visit yachtquarters.com or contact us on +34 971 676 439. Shared ownership ALL THE YACHT YOU WANT. ALL THE TIME YOU NEED. 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U K / E P S O M - R A C E C O U R S E MADE IN ENGLAND | SINCE 1879 BY APPOINTMENT TO HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER OF FOOTWEAR CROCKETT & JONES LIMITED, NORTHAMPTON Hatton A classic semi-brogue Oxford, made in England using the fnest Black & Bracken Burnished Calf CROCKETTANDJONES.COM THE MAGAZINE OF BOISDALE RESTAURANTS Editor’s letter One of the funniest and most utterly without thought or said in exasperation. brilliant films of all time, Monty Now in most moderately civilised Python’s Life of Brian, will be 40 years countries neither church nor state are old when you read this magazine. likely to demand blood for serious A satire on the life of Christ is a transgressions, but the mob mentality particularly precarious and sensitive of festering hatred still exists. It hides subject matter and the Monty Python behind constructs of moral indignation, team created a remarkably poignant as new insidious orthodoxies of offence and hilarious film as relevant today as have evolved into hideous forms of it was in 1979. I don’t think anyone political correctness. need have been offended, but obviously Now, like the worst totalitarian some people were: a peaceful campaign regimes of yesteryear – but enabled condemning the film on the grounds of and accelerated by the internet – blasphemy resulted in it being banned the secret police of public opinion in parts of Britain, the whole of Ireland acts as court and jury to concoct JAMIE LAU and Norway. Incidentally the Swedish unsubstantiated judgements that would marketed the film as being “so funny cause Maximilien Robespierre to blush. it was banned in Norway”. In the US, To our shame, the state and media boisdale meanwhile, protesters calmly gathered collude and reputations and careers are outside cinemas. Prior to the film shattered before the evidence is even going into production the Canon at St considered by a court of law. On a more George’s Chapel Windsor Castle was mundane level, but in many respects Editor & Chief shown the script and determined that equally shocking, in this the 14th issue Ranald Macdonald the film was definitely not blasphemous of Boisdale Life we learn how William and said it was merely “extracting Sitwell’s attempt to be amusing about a Publishing director Andrew Davies the maximum comedy out of false particular lifestyle preference ignited a Managing editor Timothy Barber religion and religious illusions”. He tirade of appalling abuse and changed Creative director Scott Bentley even suggested the hysterical scene in his life forever. Marketing director Barbara Widera which a scantily dressed old man is to Would or could Life of Brian be made be stoned to death for blasphemy, but is in today’s world? I think probably not. Copy editor Michael Karam reprieved when the crowd turns on the Sub-editor Katia Hadidian hapless Pharisee played by John Cleese, Picture editor Leanne Bracey who had inadvertently said ‘Yahweh’ Cover illustration Pietari Posti at Debut Art himself while trying to control the mob. Editors-at-large Paddy Renouf We all know perfectly well that Contributing editors William Sitwell, throughout history men and women RANALD MACDONALD Jonathan Wingate, Bruce Anderson have been murdered by the state or by Editor & Chief and founder of Boisdale Ben Oliver, Bill Knott the mob for things they have uttered Restaurants and Bars WELCOME TO BOISDALE LONDON’S ORIGINAL RESTAURANTS & BARS BOISDALE OF BELGRAVIA BOISDALE OF BISHOPSGATE BOISDALE OF MAYFAIR BOISDALE OF CANARY WHARF 7 BOISDALELIFE.COM WINTER 2018 ISSUE 14 EQUITIES | FIXED INCOME | REAL ESTATE | LIQUIDITY | PRIVATE MARKETS | MULTI-ASSET | QUANTITATIVE When you’ve got big goals, it’s no time to think small. Welcome to truly global asset management. Find out more at aberdeenstandard.com Capital at risk. Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited is registered in Scotland (SC108419) at 10 Queen’s Terrace, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB10 1YG, Standard Life Investments Limited is registered Aberdeen Standard Investments is a brand of the in Scotland (SC123321) at 1 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2LL, and both companies investment businesses of Aberdeen Asset Management are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. and Standard Life Investments. 121034725_IT_ADVERT_BOISDALE_BRAND_210x280mm.indd 1 16/11/2018 11:40 BOISDALE LIFE FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS LUCIE GREENE Lucie Greene is the worldwide director of J Walter Thompson’s trend forecasting unit, The Innovation Group. On page 46, she considers how BRUCE ANDERSON episodes like the Cambridge Boisdale Life contributing Analytica scandal may be the editor Bruce Anderson is a tip of the iceberg for tech journalist and columnist, and f rms using our personal data the former political editor of for murky political purposes. the Spectator. On page 33 he Her new book, Silicon States: considers what World War I the Power and Politics of Big would have looked like had Tech and What It Means for Britain never joined it. Our Future, is out now. JONATHAN WINGATE Boisdale Life’s Music Editor is an award-winning journalist and BBC broadcaster, whose writing appears in the national press and magazines. In this issue, he celebrates the 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s iconic TV concert, the ’68 Comeback Special. ROB CROSSAN CONSTANCE WATSON Rob Crossan is a freelance Freelance journalist Constance Watson journalist and radio contributes to publications including the presenter, whose writing Spectator, the Telegraph, the Literary Review, appears in the Sunday Times, Standpoint, the Catholic Herald and the Financial Times, Conde Nast Oldie. In Boisdale Life’s Table Talk comment Traveller, BA High Life and section, she gives her thoughts on how to Monocle among others. On survive the hell that is Christmas. page 28 he asks whether 2018 marked the moment when the UK’s stiff upper lip disappeared forever. Boisdale Life ISSN 2058-499 Any facts stated or opinions expressed anywhere in the magazine BPA Audited Circulation of 161,152 are the responsibility of the individual writers and contributors. All boisdale material omitted intentionally is the sole responsibility of the © 2018. Published four times individual contributors. Boisdale Life and the Editor are not Twitter @boisdalelife a year by Boisdale Limited, responsible for any injury or loss relative to such material. All Instagram @boisdalelife 15 Eccleston St, London, material is compiled by sources believed to be reliable, but Web boisdalelife.com SW1W 9LX published without responsibility for errors or omissions. 9 BOISDALELIFE.COM WINTER 2018 ISSUE 14 CREATING POSTERITY... …YOU’RE TOO GOOD FOR THERE TO ONLY BE ONE OF YOU The Stork is a unique introduction service for those wishing for more than just a partner. We introduce successful, educated individuals to one another who all have one thing in common: to not only meet someone they adore, but to have a child or start a family sooner rather than later. Within a romantic relationship, or outside of one. MATCHMAKING FOR ‘WANT TO BE’ PARENTS Mayfair • London 020 358 0680 • www.storkforlife.com Thoroughly modern courtship CONTENTS BOISDALE LIFE WINTER 2018 18 36 38 64 REGULARS TABLE TALK FEATURES PURSUITS 14 28 38 64 BOISDALE LIFE & TIMES OPINION REMEMBERING ELVIS MOTORING The parties, people and Rob Crossan longs for the Jonathan Wingate honours Ben Oliver takes the Bentley places plus the Eat Game return of British reserve the 50th anniversary of pop’s Continental GT for a spin Awards and The King’s greatest ever comeback Ginger Chefs Shooting Cup 30 60 VEGANOMICS 42 RARE CRAFTS 17 William