Chef Richard Wilkins to open first solo restaurant

Chef Richard Wilkins is to open his first solo restaurant in Buckhurst Hill in Essex.

The 30-cover venue, called Restaurant Richard Wilkins, promises modern French fine-dining cuisine and is set to launch in late September.

Situated on Queen's Road, the venue has already been granted an A3 licence and is currently undergoing refurbishment.

Wilkins, originally from Swansea, has worked at a string of top restaurants in the UK and France, including Gordon Ramsay's Petrus, the three-Michelin-starred Waterside Inn in Bray and the three-Michelin-starred Maison Pic in France.

Commenting on the new opening, Wilkins said: "Queen's Road in Buckhurst Hill is a beautiful area. It's on the border between London and Essex, so it's accessible to people from both.

"I've really focused on comfort and quality in the restaurant - our biggest single expenditure from the whole refurbishment was the chairs.

"It's a massive cliché, but we really will be focusing on searching out the best ingredients that both this country and the world has to offer. We will be looking for local suppliers in Essex too, to tap into the quality that surrounds us.

"It's all about quality and respecting classic techniques with a modern twist, not following the latest cooking fads."

Pictured: Wilkins working at Maison Pic, France.

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