Simon Rogan – the chef whose first London venture (Fera at Claridges) rocketed straight into our top 100 restaurants in the UK for 2014 – is to open two new restaurants this year. Speaking at the Hospitality Show in Birmingham the restaurateur behind the acclaimed L’Enclume in Cartmel and The French at Manchester’s Midland Hotel said he was close to finalising on a site in the Windermere area and one on the south coast.

Rogan is planning a 100-cover “Mr Cooper’s-style” brasserie for the site in Cumbria with influences from across the world. His second new venture will be on the south coast (no specifics on the exact location as yet) but the chef says it will be “fish-orientated”, his first seafood-only venture. Let’s hope standards remain under the strain of rapid expansion.

To keep up to date with all the latest London goings-on and news from across the country sign up for our free newsletter. You can follow us on Twitter @HardensBites, like us on Facebook and pin us on Pinterest.