Entrepeneur and philanthropist Peter Boizot established the Kettner Society as a monthly dining group with speakers and occasional musicians in 1974.  The name was taken from ‘Kettner’s’, a famous restaurant started by Auguste Kettner, chef de cuisine to none other than Napolean.  After being purchased by Peter Boizot, this venue was used as the flagship restaurant of his Pizza Express 'empire'.  Peter knew everyone and his largesse was legendary: some notable attendees at the Kettner Society gatherings included film star Hermione Gingold, Sir Roy Strong (director of the National Portrait Gallery), Bernard and Laura Ashley (of the Laura Ashley design business), Lord Carlile QC, former England cricket opener Bill Edrich, Lord Byers, Lady Tina Robson (wife of Lawrence Robson), Jeremy Thorpe and his first wife, Catherine Allpas, Clement Freud, grandson of Sigmund Freud, Sir Cyril Smith MP, sculptor Sir Eduardo Paulozzi, and Lady Barnet. The first ever Kettner meeting was addressed by Mark Bonham Carter, chairman of the Royal Opera House.

A former King’s chorister, Peter Boizot loved music and was a keen jazz musician; amongst his many other accomplishments he founded the Soho Jazz Festival. Music was very much a part of the Pizza Express world, and remains so to this day, with numerous well-known performers having appeared at various venues.

In 2003 the Kettner Society relocated to the National Liberal Club, and in 2005 became a registered charity.  The first Kettner Concert took place in 2018, on a piano once played by Rachmaninoff! Since then, we have been lucky enough to acquire a magnificent Steinway model D concert grand, and are very grateful for the continued use of the David Lloyd George room in the National Liberal Club as our concert venue. We now function primarily as a concert series.