Ernst van Zyl secures site for new restaurant

Chef Ernst van Zyl has secured a site in Manchester's Stockport for his new restaurant.

Van Zyl has taken on the former Winter's jewellers and clockmakers site, more recently operating as Winter's wine bar, to open a 46-cover modern British restaurant. The restaurant will have an open kitchen and bar counter dining.

"We immediately loved it and saw the awesome potential it had," said Van Zyl, speaking to The Caterer.

The South African chef announced his intention to crowdfund a new restaurant in March and has reduced his crowdfunding bid from £100,000 to £30,000 to just cover refurbishment, crockery and furniture. £709 had been raised at the time of writing. See the crowdfunding page here.

He has also changed the name of the concept from Urtica to Klok, which means clock in Afrikaans, to reflect the building's heritage.

"[The site] was originally a jewellers and clockmakers when it started out in the 1880s, and it's got a big clock on the side of the building which is one of only five [of its kind] left in the UK, so respecting its history and setting we decided on a name change to something a bit more fitting," he added.

Van Zyl was due to head the food offering at Signature Living's Cunard House venture in Liverpool as executive chef, however three months after the announcement it transpired his three-month contract with the company had expired and was not going to be renewed.

Ernst van Zyl to crowdfund Urtica restaurant >>

Ernst Van Zyl's contract with Signature Living's Cunard House ‘not being renewed' >>

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