Tom Cenci appointed head of food for 26 Grains and Stoney Street

Chef Tom Cenci has been appointed head of food for both 26 Grains at Neal’s Yard in London’s Covent Garden and sister restaurant Stoney Street in Borough Market.

Cenci has been operating a residency at Stoney Street for nearly a year serving dishes that focus on British produce, sustainability and reducing food waste.

He said: “Despite the challenges we've had to overcome, it's been a great success. I hope to bring my experience of running top kitchens throughout London and help the brand achieve new goals.”

The concept aimed to utilise every element from each ingredient, including nose to tail cooking and championing ‘unsung off-cuts’ such as onglet and cheek, to recycling coffee grains into desserts and repurposing produce that would have normally been thrown away.

Cenci previously ran neighbourhood restaurant Loyal Tavern in London's Bermondsey. The former Duck and Waffle executive chef partnered with restaurateur Adam White to relaunch the former Village East site in 2019, showcasing British produce. However, last year he announced that the restaurant would not reopen due to the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on the hospitality industry combined with fixed costs, making the venue unviable.