As unsavoury as it sounds, the former St Paul's hospital was the launch pad for one of London's biggest gastronomic events last night. Now a smart private members club in Convent Garden, The Hospital drew celebrity chefs and foodies of all kinds for the start of London Restaurant Week - an annual tribute to the city's culinary scene which this year is fronted by French fancy Jean-Christophe Novelli, and boasts over 100 eateries which are graciously (though temporarily) slashing their prices for the occasion.

Photos: Dafydd Jones