Turner's prize is new London five-star hotel

Andrew Turner, executive head chef of restaurant 1837 at Brown's hotel, Mayfair, London, is leaving to join the Bentley hotel, which opens in South Kensington this autumn. He is expected to make the move next month.

The 65-bedroom Bentley, in Harrington Gardens, is owned by International Luxury Hotels. It is currently being refurbished and is expected to enter the market at the five-star de luxe level. International Luxury Hotels also owns the four-star Washington Mayfair hotel in London.

David Cowdery, previously house manager at the Lanesborough hotel, London, is the general manager at the Bentley. He took up his new post last month.

Turner is leaving Brown's, which was bought from Raffles International by Rocco Forte Hotels in July, after four years as executive chef. Rocco Forte Hotels said that it had not yet found a replacement for the three-AA-rosetted chef. "We are currently looking," said a spokeswoman.

Turner is expected to transfer his trademark multi-course "grazing menus" to his new restaurant at the Bentley.

Meanwhile, rumours suggest that the dining room at Brown's will be transformed into a traditional, grill-like operation, but this was neither confirmed nor denied by Rocco Forte Hotels. "We are currently working on the menu," said a spokeswoman.

While the restaurant at Brown's is currently called 1837, the year the hotel was opened, a source has suggested that it would change its name - to the Grill or the Albemarle Grill - and serve traditional hotel food.

Dishes expected to appear on the new menu at Brown's include omelette Arnold Bennett, Dover sole Gruyère and peach melba. A trolley serving items such as roast beef will also be introduced, it was suggested.

In keeping with the grill theme, the source also claimed that Angelo Maresca, who left his position as maître d' at the Savoy Grill last month (Caterer, 31 July, page 10), would be joining Brown's next week.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 7 - 13 August 2003