Chef Neil Rankin to launch Covent Garden branch of Temper
Following on from the success of the Soho and City branches, Neil Rankin is opening a third Temper in Covent Garden’s Mercer Walk. The new site will focus on cured meat pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven, ragu, vermouth and top-quality wines. Temper Covent Garden will offer two types of American-influenced pizza, ranging from the Goat Ragu Detroit Red Top (slow cooked goat ragu with goat salami and burnt pepper pesto) to the Soft-shell Crab Detroit (bisque and tomato base with whole soft-shell crabs, onions, green chilli and brown crab sour cream). Ragus will use game, goat and pork, all served with fresh bread or gnocchi, and signature pasta dishes will include beef fat and pesto tortellini.
Mini Patel named as the new chef-patron of the Blueprint Café
Mini Patel, the former head chef of The Pointer restaurant in Brill, has been named as the new chef-patron of London’s Blueprint Café in Shad Thames. Patel says he is moving away from the traditional starter, main course and dessert format and offering British-inspired small plates and snacks. Dishes include baked hispi cabbage, mustard, Cheddar and crispy Cumbrian ham, and Cornish lamb pie with crispy lamb nuggets, wild garlic pesto and lamb roasting juices.
Former Angler chef takes the reins at new London hotel restaurant
Tony Fleming, who was until recently at Angler in Moorgate, is the new executive head chef of the newly opened Holborn hotel L’oscar. The main restaurant at the hotel is The Baptist Grill, which will serve a 'classic British menu with European influences’. The hotel will also include the all-day, 50-cover Café Oscar, serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
Tom Barnes returns to Rogan & Co as chef-patron
Chef Tom Barnes has been appointed chef-patron of Rogan & Co in Cartmel after a year working in Denmark. Barnes was previously head chef at L’Enclume before before leaving to work at the celebrated Geranium restaurant in Copenhagen. Barnes started his career at L’Enclume as a chef de partie at the start of 2011 and worked his way up to the position of head chef, which he held in three years.
MasterChef winner joins Marcus Wareing’s flagship restaurant
Craig Johnston, winner of MasterChef: The Professionals 2017, has joined Marcus Wareing’s restaurant, Marcus, at London’s Berkeley hotel. Previously sous chef at the Royal Oak Paley Street in Berkshire, Johnston has been appointed a senior chef de partie at Marcus under chef-patrons Mark and Shauna Froydenlund.
