Ben Tish to oversee new Sicilian restaurant at Fitzrovia hotel
The Stafford London in Fitzrovia will be launching its first independent restaurant project this summer under the direction of the hotel’s culinary director Ben Tish. Tish, who previously cooked at Salt Yard, will look to Sicily for inspiration at Norma, with particular emphasis on the Moorish influences on the island’s cuisine. The new restaurant will be housed in a converted townhouse on Charlotte Street, split across three floors: the bottom two will be dedicated to the restaurant and a first-floor cocktail bar with the top floor a private dining space. There will also be a crudo bar serving seasonal raw seafood.
Alyn Williams leaves The Wild Rabbit to return to London restaurant
Alyn Williams has left his position of chef patron at The Wild Rabbit in Kingham and returned to London to focus on his restaurant, Alyn Williams at The Westbury. Speaking of the decision, Williams said: “I’m delighted to be back at The Westbury full time. I had a brilliant time with the team at The Wild Rabbit and we’ve ended on extremely amicable terms, but London is where my heart really lies. I’ve got an exceptionally talented kitchen brigade at The Westbury and I’m hugely excited for this new chapter.”
Atul Kochhar’s new regional Indian restaurant opens in Mayfair
Atul Kochhar’s new restaurant has opened on Mayfair’s Maddox Street. Kochhar’s first venture with Tina English, Kanishka aims to explore lesser-known regions of Indian food, showcasing cuisine from the country’s more remote territories and borders. The menu explores the flavours and cooking methods of the Indian states, with techniques such as salting, smoking and fermenting. The influence of bordering countries such as Nepal, China and Bangladesh is also explored through the use of ingredients like soya, raw meat, dumplings and noodles. Dishes include Tibetan guinea fowl thupka; seafood Alleppey curry, and pan-seared seafood with coconut and turmeric sauce.
Mark Donald goes back to his Scottish roots as he joins Number One in Edinburgh
Scottish chef Mark Donald has been confirmed as the new head chef of Number One, the restaurant at the Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh. It marks a welcome return to Scotland for Donald, who has spent the past few years as head chef of Bentley restaurant and bar in Sydney, Australia. Prior to working in Australia, he was senior sous chef at Claude Bosi’s Hibiscus in London and chef de partie at Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles. Donald, who replaces Brian Grigor, has created a new menu with dishes including hand-dived scallops with Iberico pork and black garlic ketchup, and Highland wagyu beef with beetroot and smoked bone marrow.
Ex-Ritz chef named as new executive chef of The Vineyard in Newbury
Tom Scade has been named the new executive chef of The Vineyard in Newbury. Scade has worked as sous chef of The Ritz for the past three years and also ran The Mariners in Rock, Cornwall. Earlier in his career, he was head chef at Martin Blunos’ eponymous restaurant in Bath and held the same position at the Crab and Boar in Chieveley. Scade replaces Robby Jenks, who left the Vineyard to join the Samling in Windermere, Cumbria, with his partner Rebecca Galland.
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