Atul Kochhar confirmed to take over new Macdonald Compleat Angler restaurant

Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar has been confirmed as setting up a new restaurant at the Macdonald Compleat Angler hotel in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.

Located on the banks of the River Thames, the two AA-rosette, four-AA-red star, 64-bedroom Macdonald Compleat Angler hotel formerly housed the 40-seat Aubergine restaurant, part of the London Fine Dining Group.

No other details have yet been released, but a spokesperson confirmed to The Caterer that more information on Kochhar's plans for the site would be announced next week.

The hotel will now have two restaurants, as Kochhar's site is set to open alongside the Riverside Restaurant, which underwent a refurbishment earlier this year. This was part of the £2m investment programme across the Macdonald portfolio, following the appointment of new restaurant operations director, Harwood Warrington, in January.

This covered 16 restaurants in the 45-strong group, including a £600,000 renovation of the Rocca@Holyrood site at Macdonald Holyrood in Edinburgh, the introduction of the Scottish Steak Club concept at Macdonald Inchyra hotel and spa near Stirling, and the new 1650 St Johns Restaurant at the Macdonald New Blossoms hotel in Chester.

Upon announcing the investment in September, Harwood Warrington said: "This is not just about rolling out the same concept in every hotel. Our team is working tirelessly to develop bespoke offerings that suit the location of the hotel and the clientele."

Indian-born Kochhar, whose flagship restaurant is Benares in London's Mayfair, won a Michelin star for his restaurant Tamarind in 2001, and for Benares in 2007.

He runs the restaurant Indian Essence in Petts Wood, Kent, and Ananda in Dublin, and is also a well-known television chef and cookbook author, regularly appearing on programmes such as BBC's Saturday Kitchen, and publishing five books, including his most recent, Atul's Curries of the World.

Macdonald Hotels and Resorts appoints new restaurant operations director >>