David Moore hunts for new Pieds Nus site
Restaurateur David Moore plans to continue with his Pieds Nus restaurant concept, even after the existing pop-up operation closes on 11 March.
Moore, who owns Michelin-starred London restaurants Pied à Terre and L'Autre Pied, opened Pieds Nus in October last year, offering a "less is more" concept, with traditional dishes stripped back to their main components.
Now however, the Blandford Street site, which also previously housed Simon Rogan's Roganic pop-up is to be taken back by landlord, the Portman Estate, which plans to redevelop it.
Moore said he was on the look-out for a new location for Pieds Nus - either another pop-up or a permanent home.
He said he was open to suggestions on where Pieds Nus may open next but is thought to be looking for a site of no more than 50 covers in London, possibly east London, and would also consider the possibility of opening it as part of a hotel's food and beverage offer.
Speaking about the reception Pieds Nus has had since its opening, he said: "It has had an amazing response and everyone loves it. Because it was a pop-up, I decided we couldn't afford to spend money on designers and I did it myself. Had it been a £100,000 premium and £100,000 rent, I would never have done that. So it has given me a real confidence boost."
There is expected to be a gap between the closure of the existing pop-up, run by head chef Ed Dutton, and the opening of its replacement, but Moore predicted that it would remain substantially the same concept, although with a menu that offers more seasonality.
Ed Dutton to be head chef of David Moore's Pied Nus pop-up >>