Michael Carr heads to Nottingham to take up executive head chef role and open two more sites

Great British Menu 2019 contestant Michael Carr has been appointed executive head chef of the Old Vol gastropub in Nottingham and has revealed plans to open two more sites in the city.

Carr, who was previously head chef of Fenchurch in London’s Sky Garden, will team up with Sean Reddington, owner of the Old Vol and chief executive of skills platform Thrive.

Reddington took over the pub in December 2021 and it has since received two AA rosettes.

The pair also plan to open two more Nottingham eateries. The first will be the Reindeer pub in Hoveringham next month, followed by a fine-dining restaurant, which has been proposed for the city centre in the new year.

Reddington said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring one of the country’s best chefs to Nottingham and inject innovation and daring into its culinary scene. With the Old Vol’s gastro-fusion menu, the Reindeer’s pub classics and plans for a fine dining experience in the city centre soon, our vision is to offer somewhere to eat for every occasion, with the finest food and incredible service as standard.”

Carr added: “We want to take the Nottingham food scene to the next level, and I’m so excited to be joining Sean on this venture. Delivering exceptional customer experience across different establishments and making sure there are dining options to suit every person and occasion, this is going to be something special.”