Chef Sam Lomas to open debut restaurant in former Osip site

Sam Lomas, the former head chef at Glebe House in Devon, is set to open his first restaurant at Number One Bruton in Somerset, the former home of Osip.

It comes after the Great British Menu 2022 finalist announced earlier this month that he will be leaving Hugo and Olive Guest’s Glebe House after three years as head chef. He said: “I’m very grateful to have been part of the gang from the beginning.”

Lomas had hinted at an “incredibly exciting” project in his announcement, which has now been confirmed as a restaurant partnership between the 2023 Roux Scholarship finalist and husband-and-wife team Claudia and Aled Rees, owners of the Number One Bruton hotel.

Number One Bruton opened in 2020 in a Georgian townhouse, complete with 12 bedrooms.

Farm-to-table restaurant Briar is set to launch in early September in an old hardware store that was later relaunched as Osip by chef Merlin Labron-Johnson.

Osip, which holds a Michelin star as well as a Green Michelin star, relocated to a larger site with four overnight bedrooms last month.

At Briar, Lomas will serve a daily changing menu of small plates, snacks and sharing dishes showcasing Somerset produce from local suppliers such as Stavordale Dairy and Landrace Milling, as well as foraged ingredients from the hotel’s garden in Batcombe.

Example dishes include Sam’s porridge loaf with local butter; Berkshire pork chop with Swiss chard and cider sauce; Jerusalem artichoke and green onion tart with poached egg; and honey tart with poached quince.

The restaurant will open for lunch and dinner between Wednesdays and Saturdays, but there are also plans to host supper clubs in the courtyard.

Lomas said: “I’m delighted to be bringing Briar into the beautiful space at Number One – we are flattered by the shoes we’re stepping into, and are looking forward to bringing our affordable and approachable Somerset fare to the table in Bruton.

“I am fizzing with ideas for Briar and can’t wait to share more details soon – we’re hoping to do regular weekend feasts in our ancient orchard, and host dinners and celebrations with our cherished suppliers. There’s a lot of excitement brewing and still to come, and we can’t wait to open our doors and share it with our guests.”

The chef started his career in 2013 after securing an apprenticeship with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall at River Cottage.