Tom Brown to close Cornerstone after six years

Tom Brown is to close his Michelin-starred Hackney restaurant Cornerstone after six years of trading.

An announcement on behalf of the chef said the high costs of running a tasting menu concept and changing diners’ preferences had contributed to the decision.

Earlier this year, Brown was understood to be looking to relocate Cornerstone to a larger site in London, but a representative for the chef told The Caterer this was no longer the case.

Brown will instead focus on Pearly Queen, his relaxed oyster and fish restaurant in Shoreditch, which opened in November 2023.

He said: “Cornerstone has been my proudest moment, and it still fills my heart with pride to reflect on what it represents for me, the people who have worked here, and those we have had the pleasure of serving.

“As well as being my home for the last six years, it has been a place where I have had the privilege of working with some of London’s greatest talent including head chef, James Toth, and Kelly Cullen.

“Now, I’m excited about the future of Pearly Queen and what we’re doing there and exploring new projects in the future too!”

A protégé of chef Nathan Outlaw, Brown worked as head chef at the St Enodoc Hotel in Rock and later led the kitchen at Outlaw’s eponymous restaurant at the Capital Hotel in London’s Knightsbridge, where he retained its Michelin star.

He launched Cornerstone as his first solo restaurant in 2018 and quickly won acclaim for its seafood-focused menu, including the crab crumpets and hake Kiev.

The restaurant won the Newcomer Award at the 2020 Cateys and a Michelin star in 2021.

Details of Cornerstone’s last service and closing events will be shared on its Instagram page.