Fat Duck alumni team up for London restaurant

By Sophie Witts

06-Jun-2018 - Last updated on 06-Jun-2018 at 10:25 GMT

Chef Jonny Lake and master sommelier Isa Bal have announced plans to launch a restaurant project in London in 2019.

The pair worked together for over 12 years at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck Group, with Canadian-born Lake serving as executive chef and Bal head sommelier. They both departed earlier this year.

Further details on what they have planned are yet to be confirmed, but the pair indicate it will be a highly collaborative project.

"We share a mutual love of food and drink as well as a passion for the creative process and look forward to sharing this in our own restaurant," says Bal.

Lake adds that the pair share the "same philosophy and passion for creating interesting flavour combinations".

Turkish-born Bal is recognised as one of the world’s leading sommeliers, and won the title of Best Sommelier in Europe in 2008, organized by the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI).

Further details what the duo have planned will be announced in due course, so watch this space.