Mattioli denies rumour of Walnut Tree Inn sale

Francesco Mattioli has dismissed rumours that he is to put landmark Welsh restaurant the Walnut Tree Inn on the market.

Mattioli said speculation concerning the sale of the property had continued since former head chef and co-owner Stephen Terry left in February 2003. "[The rumours are] not true," he said. "I have not been approached by anyone [to buy the property]."

More recently, rumours were fuelled when the restaurant agreed to participate in Gordon Ramsay's already notorious Channel 4 TV series Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. The Walnut Tree Inn will feature in the final episode, to be screened on 18 May.

Mattioli confirmed that a new head chef, Spencer Ralph, was now in the kitchen after being interviewed as part of the TV series. "He is the best thing to have happened to the restaurant since last February," said Mattioli. "We are looking forward to a positive summer after a long and grey winter."

Although Mattioli said he was happy with the television programme overall, he did take issue with recent comments Ramsay made in the press concerning the restaurant's prices. "He told me to hammer down the prices," he said, "but I run this place, not him."

He added: "I was a bit worried that this place was being associated with a nightmare, but it was an honest nightmare."

Ralph moved to the Walnut Tree from QC (which reopens as Pearl at the end of May) at the Renaissance Chancery Court in London, where he worked under head chef Jun Tanaka.