Former Leon bosses to open pork-based Blackfoot restaurant

The former co-founder and operations manager of fast casual dining chain Leon have started their own casual neighbourhood restaurant business, dedicated to pork.

Blackfoot is the brainchild of former Leon operations manager Tom Ward and his ex-colleague and Leon co-founder Allegra McEvedy (pictured).

The first site for the new venture will open in London's Exmouth Market in early December, and the kitchen will be headed up by James Knight, formerly of Copita.

Knight's dishes will include slow-roasted belly with Szechuan pepper and black treacle; spare rib steak with fennel, cayenne, garlic; and pulled pork tacos. At lunchtime, the restaurant will also serve porchetta sandwiches from the counter.

Much of the pork served at the restaurant will be supplied by Mark and Paul Haywood of Dingley Dell.

"The food is simple with bold flavours and at times a little bit mischievous. We want to find purveyors and producers of pork from around the UK and bring the best under one roof," said Ward.

McEvedy added: "I've always had an emotional attachment to all things porky, so opening a pig-centric restaurant is a bit of a dream come true. No animal has such incredible diversity, and Tom & I have been having tons of fun in the kitchen exploring the full, impressive breadth of what a pig has to offer."

Blackfoot will be located in what used to be Clark's pie and mash shop, which was part of Exmouth Market from the 1960s until it closed in early 2013. The new design has retained many of the original features.