L’Ortolan near Reading, a beacon of UK gastronomy for four decades, is to close down at the end of next month. Peter Newman, the IT entrepreneur who has owned the restaurant since 2000, blamed the closure on a familiar combination of Brexit, pandemic lockdowns and the cost-of-living crisis, which left customers less inclined to spend […]
If you want to get your Valentine’s venue fixed, then our Top 10 Best for Romance list is a great place to start… so long as you began weeks ago, as the most famous passion magnets book up so far ahead. Perhaps your soul is too romantic and spontaneous for so much forward planning? In which case, here are […]
Ian Swainson has been announced as the new head chef for The Pass restaurant in Horsham’s South Lodge Hotel. He takes the reins from Matt Gillan (of Great British Menu fame) who spent over a decade in the kitchens of this celebrated dining spot, where “chefs bring your meals to the table, so you can […]
After quitting Berkshire’s L’Ortolan in September last year chef Alan Murchison has pulled out of plans to take over La Bécasse in Ludlow. He posted in a Facebook update: “After much soul searching and many sleepless nights, I have decided not to open another restaurant. Been there, done it. Bit of success and some big failures. Head […]
After 13 years of turning out “brilliant” and “stylish” (if “pretentious”) dishes, Alan Murchison has finally announced he is to quit L’Ortolan in Berkshire. One-time owner of the famous Shinfield restaurant, Murchison stayed on as executive chef after his company sold the place last year. Alan Murchison Restaurants Ltd – part of the rather ill-conceived 10 in […]
