New chef

• London Fields pub The Prince Arthur scores a hot new head chef

  

  With all the comings and goings in the London food world, we took note when The Prince Arthur in London Fields announced the arrival of its new head chef. Joe Couldridge arrives at the pub with a very interesting career history. Pre-lockdown he was at Hawksmoor before spending the Covid period down in Cornwall with ex-Fera chef Dan Cox on his farm, Crocadon. After that, he was a year at Leroy before most

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• Chef Kerth Gumbs takes over at high rise City restaurant Fenchurch at Sky Garden

  

  It's all change at high rise City restaurant Fenchurch at Sky Garden, with the arrival of Kerth Gumbs as Head Chef.

  Gumbs, you may recognise from his stints as a finalist on the Great British Menu (back when he heading up the kitchens at Ormer in Mayfair). He's also due to get a lot of screen time next year when he joins BBC Three's new Young MasterChef as a judge.

  It's a good move for Sky

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• Chef Alyn Williams to join London’s Park Row as Executive Chef

  

  Information we’ve just received via the Bat-Signal is that DC Comics-inspired restaurant Park Row has recruited a new Executive Chef: Alyn Williams.

  Having trained under chefs Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsay, Williams rose to fame with his eponymous restaurant Alyn Williams at The Westbury in Mayfair in 2011, which received a Michelin star less than a year after its opening. He was also named National Chef

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• Luke Selby and his brothers take over at Evelyn's Table

  

  14/10/20 - Updated with full opening details

  Over on the edges of Chinatown, Evelyn's Table is gearing up for a reopening with a changeover of chefs that sounds very promising indeed.

  The diminutive restaurant, tucked away in the basement of The Blue Posts won a slew of awards when it first opened two years ago (and we were ...

• The Cavendish relaunches with ex-Oystermen and Hartnett chef and new look

  

  Over in Marylebone, gastropub and dining room The Cavendish is about to reopen and is setting out its stall as a serious destination for food. Key to that is who they've put in charge of the kitchen. Executive Chef Alex Povall was most recently Head Chef at The Oystermen, but before that spent years working under Angela Hartnett at her restaurants.

  At his new digs in Marylebone, Alex will reference his most recent position, by featuring

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• Stoke Newington's Wolf's has a new all-star food and wine team

  

  Almost four years after opening its doors in Stoke Newington, British-Italian restaurant Wolf has brought in a whole new (and very interesting) team.

  The neighbourhood spot, which was opened by cousins Antony Difrancesco and Onofrio Dicarlo in 2016, now has Head Chef Rory Buchanan (ex-Calcot Manor) in the kitchen.

  Add to that, the arrival of wine man Zeren Wilson and you have a hot new combo of talent whose first menu launches

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• Eric Chavot will be leaving Bob Bob Cite at the end of January

  

  Ah now this is a shame. News reaches us this morning that Eric Chavot, who made such a hit of the new Bob Bob Ricard restaurant Bob Bob Cité, is departing the restaurant.

  In a statement issued today Chavot and the restaurant's owner, Leonid Shutov, say "Eric is to leave his post at the critically-lauded City restaurant at the end of January 2020. His departure is for private, family reasons."

  “Since joining us over two years ago at

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• Eleven Madison Park's Daniel Humm is taking over at Claridge's with Davies and Brook

  This sees Daniel Humm take over the main restaurant at Claridge's. With his Eleven Madison Park regularly touted as one of the very best restaurants in New York (not to mention topping the World's 50 Best list), the expectations for this London opening are sky-high.

• Selfridges' The Corner Restaurant brings in ex-Breslin NYC chef Grant Clark

  

  It's all change at Selfridges where their second floor spot, The Corner Restaurant, now has a new NYC chef running the show. Grant Clark, who comes here via The Breslin where he worked with April Bloomfield and the East Village classic, Hearth, has taken over as Head Chef.

  Tucked into one corner of the store's Oxford Street building (you enter via the Women’s Designer Galleries) the restaurant's

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• Camden's Golden Lion pub gets an ex Drapers Arms chef in the kitchen

  

  Who doesn't like a David against Goliath story? And you couldn't find a better one than the one featuring the indie Camden pub The Golden Lion up against the evil pub closing developer - as so brilliantly chronicled in long form by the Guardian here. 

  Now, several years on from winning their

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• Neil Borthwick leaves Merchants Tavern for The French House in Soho

  

   

  Big news today. Neil Borthwick announced on Instagram today that he has left Merchants Tavern in Shoreditch and from next week will be in Soho cooking at The French House.

  "I stepped down as head chef at Merchants Tavern earlier this year," the chef (pictured here with wife Angela Hartnett) tweeted. "and I want to say a big thanks to all the team for their hard work and dedication over the last 5 years, it’s been a blast and I know you will go on to great

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• Tamarind Mayfair prepares to reopen with Amaya and Chutney Mary head chefs on board

  

  So there was us thinking that London's Indian restaurant scene was at peak excitement with the opening this Autumn of Kahani, Kricket White City and the new Gunpowder at Tower Bridge not to mention the imminent openings of Kutir, Farzi Cafe and London Jukebox.

  But then we heard about what was going on at Tamarind Mayfair. The Mayfair spot closed its doors eight months ago for a major refit. When it reopens next month it'll not only have a swish

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• André Garrett will be the new executive chef at Corinthia Hotel London taking over The Northall

  André Garrett moves back to London from Cliveden - taking on everything at Corinthia Hotel London that isn't Tom Kerridge's restaurant and bar.

• Polpetto gets a new chef, look, menu - well everything really

  

  Polpetto (from the same stable as the Polpo family) has been given a new lease of life with a redesign, a new chef at the helm and a new menu and wine list to boot too.

  It sounds like the space has had a total revamp, with an entirely new layout, styling and design. Booths will run along the walls and we’ve been told there'll be better spacing with larger tables, which will come in hand for the new menus which are designed for sharing and feasting. The chefs

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• The Guinea's new chef Nathan Richardson introduces new dishes but don't worry, the pie's the same

  

  It may be one of London's oldest restaurants, but there's a new influence in the kitchen at the Guinea Grill.

  Chef Nathan Richardson and the Guinea's GM Oisin Rogers go way back - they worked together first at the Ship in Wandsworth and then at Rogers' last place, The Canonbury Tavern in Islington.

  After a short stay down under, opening up a restaurant in Brisbane, Nathan's now back in London and has taken on the position of Head Chef at The Guinea.

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