Mitch Tonks unveils new Dartmouth restaurant details

Mitch Tonks, co-founder of the fishmonger-cum-restaurant chain FishWorks, has unveiled full details of his new Dartmouth restaurant, The Seahorse.

The 45-seat eatery, just a few doors down from John Burton Race’s Michelin-starred New Angel restaurant, will specialise in seafood and simple grilled meat dishes.

Tonks, who opens The Seahorse with business partner Mark Eli and chef Mat Prowse - who has worked with him on 13 restaurant openings - will for the first time in six years be back in the kitchen.

Tonks, who lives locally in Brixham, has vowed to use locally landed seafood and seasonal food from regional markets.

“This is a new and really exciting venture for us, to go back to what I love doing best is so exciting.  Sourcing and cooking great food that makes people happy is so utterly satisfying,” he said.

“The South West Coast is such a fantastic place to live, I love it here and we are looking forward to being in Dartmouth and running a real local restaurant that will also be a great place for visitors to eat good food.”

Last October, Tonks was replaced as chief operating officer at FishWorks by Paul Goodale and became executive director. 

It followed the February takeover of the chain by recruitment and restaurant entrepreneur Gary Ashworth and Luke Johnson, former chairman of Pizza Express and Belgo.

FishWorks co-founder buys restaurant in Devon >> 

Fishworks buys first new restaurant under new ownership >> 

John Burton Race to reopen his Michelin-starred restaurant in Devon >> 

By Daniel Thomas

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