Armed with just a rolling pin, this is the extraordinary moment when a chef at one of Britain’s leading restaurants tried to defend diners from masked rioters at the height of last summer’s London riots.
Kitchen staff, bottom right, battle with a rioter, centre, when rioters invaded the Ledbury restaurant in West London during the riots of 2011
Captured on CCTV, the unidentified chef joined 20 kitchen staff armed with knives and brooms as they fought thugs who had attacked The Ledbury, Notting Hill a year ago yesterday.
As violence and unrest swept the capital, the masked rioters forced their way into the establishment, one of only a handful of British restaurants with two Michelin stars, where they attempted to rob terrified customers.
Inside, they forced up to 40 diners to kneel before robbing them of jewellery, mobile phones and wallets while one woman had her wedding ring ripped from her fingers.
Staff at the restaurant, run by the leading Australian chef Brett Graham, attempted to barricade the door but the mob burst in carrying wine bottles and baseball bats.
They then ransacked the dining room and robbed the mainly wealthy customers as the chefs and waiters attempted to fight them off using kitchen utensils.
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