MasterChef's John Torode to expand his restaurant business

Celebrity chef John Torode has secured £3m-worth of investment and plans to roll out his Luxe restaurant concept.

The BBC's MasterChef co-presenter, who currently runs Smiths of Smithfield and the Luxe in east London, has been provided with the debt facility by Barclays Corporate and intends to invest in the two sites and further grow the business.

The facility will support the development of a possible roll-out strategy for the Luxe concept, which opened in 2009 and is spread over three floors, offering a different eating and drinking experience on each.

Commenting on the deal, Torode said: "We are pleased to have found a new financial partner in Barclays, especially in these difficult times. We are looking forward to a profitable working relationship and to the better times which surely are ahead of us and the people who come to enjoy our venues."

Torode came to the UK at the age of 25, and worked in many London restaurants, including Pont de La Tour, Quaglino's, Mezzo, and the Bluebird. He opened Smiths of Smithfield a decade ago.

MasterChef - an interview with John Torode and Gregg Wallace >>

Recipes by John Torode >>

By Kerstin Kühn

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