Tom Aikens to close Chelsea restaurant
The 52-cover restaurant in Elystan Street, which originally opened in 2003, will shut up shop at the end of the month as Aikens is looking to relocate to a more central London location.
“Following the successful opening of Tom's Kitchen Canary Wharf and the first international outlet in Istanbul in 2013, Tom and his partners will continue to focus on the expansion of Tom's Kitchen throughout 2014 and beyond,” reads a company statement.
“They are delighted to announce that there will be another Tom's Kitchen opening at St. Katharine Docks this May. Tom is also currently exploring other opportunities, including the US and Asia, which will be announced later in 2014.
“Tom would like to thank all of the supporters of Tom Aikens restaurant and is looking forward to welcoming you to his new venues in the near future.”
In January 2012, Tom Aikens Restaurant re-opened after a six-month refurbishment, with Turkish designer Hakan Ezer brought in to give the premises a look to reflect the new, less formal style of the restaurant.
Aikens and his business partners London Doors, who bought the business from Peter Dubens in March 2011, decided they wanted a simpler approach to the whole venue. It regained its Michelin star later that year.
Tom's Kitchen expansion
As reported by our sister title M&C Report, the fourth Tom’s Kitchen restaurant will open at St. Katharine Docks’ Commodity Quay in May, as part of Max Property’s plans to transform central London’s only marina into 'a more food and drink-led leisure destination'.
Aikens, who was the youngest British chef to win two Michelin stars, opened his third Tom’s Kitchen site in Canary Wharf last summer.
Following news of the London Doors' investment it was made clear that expansion of the Tom's Kitchen was planned. A spokesperson for the restaurant group said it planned to open 12 sites under the Tom's Kitchen name, principally in London, by 2016.
Tom Aikens Restaurant in Elystan Street will close at the end of January.
