Tom Aikens and Compass to launch two restaurants at Somerset House

Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens has joined forces with Compass Group to launch two restaurants at iconic London venue Somerset House this summer.

The chef will take over the existing Admiralty Restaurant and River Terrace Café at the 18th century building and relaunch them as Tom’s Kitchen and Tom’s Terrace respectively.

The 90-seat Tom’s Kitchen at Somerset House, which is set to launch on 28 June, will serve an all-day menu of seasonal British dishes similar to Aikens’ original site in Chelsea, which first opened in 2006.

Meanwhile the 60-seat Tom’s Terrace, which will run from May until October, will be housed under a new-built canopy at the venue overlooking the River Thames. It will serve a menu of British food alongside a range of sharing platters.

Aikens said he was delighted to open the new restaurants. “Somerset House is a fantastic venue for this new look restaurant. I am looking forward to offering patrons a fresh and relaxed dining experience in outstanding surroundings,” he said.

Aikens is the latest in a series of Michelin-starred chefs to join Compass including Michel Roux Jr, Albert Roux and Gary Rhodes.

Sarah Miller, business director – leisure at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: “Somerset House is one of the finest locations in London but competition is fierce and we have to give our guests something fantastic if we want them to eat with us rather than at the dozens of other restaurants in the area. With Tom’s Kitchen, which has been a huge success in Chelsea, we have that added ingredient.”

Aikens was set to launch a second Tom’s Kitchen restaurant in Canary Wharf but shelved plans after hitting financial difficulties. His restaurant business collapsed into administration in 2008 and was acquired by a management buy-out (MBO) team, TA Holdco.

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By Kerstin Kühn

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