Something Wicked this way comes: Gemma Austin on bringing A Peculiar Tea back to Belfast
The Great British Menu star is relaunching her sellout story-driven restaurant concept within a former prison that’s also home to a distillery.
Chef
Former Sète and Rose Inn chef Billy Stock to launch Margate pub and dining room
North Kent Coast-based chef Billy Stock will open a pub and dining room with his partner, Ellie Topham, later this year.
Flash-grilled: Johnnie Crowe
The executive chef and co-founder of Restaurant St. Barts and Nest in London on why tasting menus trump à la carte, his love of pizza, and why truffle is overrated.
Heston Blumenthal: “I had created a monster and was hanging onto its tail”
As The Fat Duck celebrates its 30th anniversary, its founder reflects on the huge pressure behind retaining creative momentum, its continued reinvention, and a lightbulb moment about what gastronomy really means.
Gizzi Erskine returns to Mare Street Market as chef creative director
Gizzi Erskine is returning to London’s Mare Street Market as chef creative director, developing ‘revitalised’ menus across both its sites and launching a new health concept.
There’s something about Maré: Rafael Cagali on his new South Coast restaurant
The chef behind acclaimed East London restaurant Da Terra has opened a Hove restaurant that balances ambition and accessibility.
Former Native chef Ivan Tisdall-Downes goes solo with Hackney restaurant
Former Native chef Ivan Tisdall-Downes will launch a restaurant in Hackney later this year.
Oliver McGeorge named the new UK candidate for the Bocuse d’Or
Freelance chef Oliver McGeorge has been named the new UK candidate for the Bocuse d’Or following a cook-off at the University of West London earlier this week.
Nokz Majozi departs The Pie room at Rosewood London
Nokz Majozi has announced her departure from Rosewood London hotel after 11 years.
Daniel Alt named head chef at upcoming Canary Wharf restaurant Nora
Former The Barbary and Ottolenghi chef Daniel Alt has been named head chef at soon-to-launch Canary Wharf Turkish restaurant Nora.
Flash-grilled: Holly Middleton-Joseph
The head chef at Peckham restaurant Hausu on jalapeno poppers, Gordon Ramsay and the perils of after-work drinks.
Apricity chef Chantelle Nicholson launches Copenhagen restaurant
Apricity founder Chantelle Nicholson has made her international debut with a restaurant in Copenhagen.
Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen restaurant to make its UK debut next year
Gordon Ramsay will bring his Hell’s Kitchen restaurant brand to the UK for the first time next year with the opening of a site within Marble Arch’s Cumberland Hotel.
Deepak Mallya promoted to head chef at The Ritz
Deepak Mallya has been promoted from executive sous chef to head chef at The Ritz.
Jamie Oliver blames getting the basics wrong for the downfall of his restaurant empire
Jamie Oliver has admitted that getting the basics wrong led to the downfall of his restaurant group.
Le Manoir chef Luke Selby to join Palé Hall as chef partner
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons executive chef Luke Selby is to oversee the culinary direction of North Wales country house hotel Palé Hall as chef partner, it has been confirmed.
Flash-grilled: Sian Almond
The breakfast development chef at Pavyllon London at the Four Seasons Hotel on Park Lane on working in McDonald’s, dealing with ridiculous customer requests, and being confident in the kitchen.
Former Lita chef Luke Ahearne to front huge Fitzrovia ‘London-Italian’ restaurant
Luke Ahearne is joining forces with fellow chef Stevie Parle to open a large ‘London-Italian’ restaurant in Fitzrovia this October.
John Javier named executive chef at Caia
Former The Tent (at the end of the universe) chef John Javier has been appointed executive chef at Notting Hill bar and restaurant Caia.
The Thin Duck? Rise in Ozempic use prompts Heston Blumenthal to rethink portion sizes
The Fat Duck could soon offer smaller portion sizes due to the number of diners on weight loss drugs, according to its founder Heston Blumenthal.
Matt Tebbutt to replace Gregg Wallace as judge on MasterChef: The Professionals
Matt Tebbutt is to replace Gregg Wallace as judge for the next series of MasterChef: The Professionals.
Comment
Rebooting Hell’s Kitchen is at odds with attempts to shed the industry’s shouty chef persona
Gordon Ramsay appears poised to relaunch Hell’s Kitchen on TV in the UK, but the show’s highly pressurised and often combative representation of how a restaurant operates feels outdated.
Stuart Ralston acquires the former site of Fhior for wine-led restaurant and cocktail bar
Edinburgh-based chef and restaurateur Stuart Ralston will open a wine-led restaurant and separate cocktail bar on the former site of Fhior next month.
What’s driving the current fascination with non-Neapolitan-style pizzas?
Neapolitan pizza may have been dominant trend in the UK over the past decade, but an increasing number of players are opting for the myriad of other styles at their disposal.
Flash-grilled: Leonard Tanyag
The executive chef at LUNA Omakase on finding inspiration from his mother, negative energy, and singing Happy Birthday to a dog.
Updated: Ben Murphy to lead the kitchen at WSH Restaurant’s new project on former Mere site
Former Launceston Place chef Ben Murphy will lead the kitchen at WSH Restaurant’s soon to launch new project within the former site of Mere in London’s Fitzrovia.
Gordon Ramsay Academy launches first accredited culinary course
Gordon Ramsay Academy is launching its first accredited culinary training programme at its flagship site in Woking Surrey, marking the first time it has offered professional chef training.
Ceviche founder Martin Morales to return to London’s restaurant scene for one night only charity dinner
Ceviche and Andina founder Martin Morales is making a return to the UK restaurant scene for one night only for a special fundraising dinner.
Book review: BiBi The Cookbook
Chet Sharma’s debut book tells the story of one of the UK’s most progressive and exacting Indian restaurants.
Finding an OTHER way: how ex-Casamia chef Zak Hitchman left fine dining behind
Best known for his two-year stint running Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’ Bristol flagship, Zak Hitchman and his partner Emma Lyons are switching things up with their progressive Bedminster bistro.
Anthony Demetre to oversee food offer at relaunched Belgravia pub
Wild Honey chef Anthony Demetre has joined The Lunar Pub Company’s soon-to-open Belgravia site, The Elizabeth, as culinary director.
Flash-grilled: Sacha Townsend
The head chef at 670 Grams in Birmingham on the McDonald’s dessert that’s better than any she’s had in a Michelin restaurant, and her problem with Turkey Twizzlers.
Chef Cleverson Cordeiro promoted to proprietor of Frog by Adam Handling
Adam Handling has announced the promotion of Cleverson Cordeiro from head chef to proprietor of Frog by Adam Handling, his Michelin-starred flagship restaurant in London’s Covent Garden.
Fulham FC adds high-profile chefs to matchday line-up
Chefs Sally Abe, Judy Joo and Ben Murphy have joined the line-up at Fulham FC’s The Gourmet restaurant within its Riverside stand.
TV chef Joyce Kudia on laying down permanent roots for her Congolese concept Biléyi
Five Star Kitchen’s Joyce Kudia has focused her passion for Congolese cuisine into a new concept called Biléyi, which has just launched a permanent spot at Boxhall City in London.
The Grill at The Dorchester to relaunch with culinary director Martyn Nail at the helm
The Dorchester’s culinary director, Martyn Nail, has taken full responsibility for the hotel’s grill restaurant following the departure of Tom Booton earlier this month.
Flash-grilled: Brian Hennessey
The head chef of the Winter Garden Restaurant at the Landmark London hotel on his signature dish, the best meal he’s ever eaten, and his kitchen pet hates.
Leo Carreira to help open restaurant on former Lisboeta site as Nuno Mendes departs
Former The Sea, The Sea chef Leo Carreira will help open a Portuguese restaurant on the former site of Nuno Mendes’ Fitzrovia restaurant Lisboeta next month.
HAM Restaurants promotes Lewis de Haas to group executive chef
HAM Restaurants, the London-based group whose portfolio includes Crispin, Bistro Freddie and the recently opened Canal, has named Lewis de Haas as its first group executive chef.
Chef Dom Taylor to close Marvee’s Food Shop after just four months
Chef Dom Taylor will close Marvee’s Food Shop later this month due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’.
Paul Welburn to head up new Cornwall restaurant Fern
Chef Paul Welburn is to lead the opening of a new restaurant in Cornwall.
The Crown at Bray and The Victoria chef Matt Larcombe to launch ‘purposeful’ Berkhamsted restaurant
Matt Larcombe, formerly of top Home Counties gastropubs The Victoria and The Fat Duck Group’s The Crown at Bray, will bring his ‘purposeful, hyper-seasonal cooking’ to the Hertfordshire town of Berkhamsted later this year.
Former Kolamba executive chef to open ‘elevated’ Indian restaurant in Putney
The former executive chef of Sri Lankan restaurant group Kolamba will launch an ambitious Indian restaurant on Putney’s Lower Richmond Road later this year.
This team has just opened a bakery by day, Italian restaurant by night in the Cotswolds
With the launch of their hybrid project Ferment & Flour and Riccardo Bastardo’s, Richard and Solanche Craven are bringing something new to their part of the Cotswolds.
Brighton chef Bookie Mitchell begins new chapter with progressive Thai restaurant Namo
Well-known Brighton and Hove chef Bookie Mitchell will launch her eagerly awaited debut solo restaurant project later this month.
Humm, actually... Eleven Madison Park puts meat and fish back on the menu
New York-based chef Daniel Humm is putting animal products back on the menu at Eleven Madison Park four years after making the three-Michelin-star restaurant plant-based.
Flash-grilled: Alessandro Bay
The executive chef at Italian seafood restaurant Azzurra in London’s Kensington on his years working with Giorgio Locatelli, learning lessons from criticism, and why focaccia and a cappuccino pair perfectly.
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair parts ways with chef Akira Back
Akira Back’s restaurants at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair in London have closed and relaunched under new concepts after the hotel ended its partnership with the high-profile Korean chef.
Victor Garvey launches crowdfund for his new ‘definitive ingredient-led’ restaurant
Chef Victor Garvey has launched a crowdfund campaign to help fund the launch of his new Marylebone restaurant.
Flash-grilled: Sam Clowes
The co-founder of Bad Boy Pizza Society, which opens its first permanent restaurant this week in London’s Bethnal Green, chats about the ‘Instagram glove police’ and his best hangover cure.