Mark Hix to open new West End restaurant on site of former Aaya

Mark Hix is due to launch his latest restaurant venture in Brewer Street in London’s West End.

The restaurant, situated on the former premises of Japanese restaurant Aaya, is to feature Hix’s “own brand of British food”, according to his weekly column in the Independent.

He said: “I'm very excited because I have a great opening team for the new restaurant – somewhat different from the time, a couple of years back, when I opened my Chop House in Smithfield.

“Then I had a team that I hadn't worked with before, and found it pretty tough trying to relay my philosophy to a bunch of strangers. Happily most of them are still with me and we now have a really good, solid team at the Chop House.

Kevin Gratton, formerly running the kitchen at Le Caprice, will take up the position of head chef and the new basement bar, added as part of Hix’s refurbishment of the property, will be manned by Nick Strangeway, an old friend of the patron.

Hix chose the site because it is in a very central location and it had already had a substantial amount invested in it, which meant refurbishment costs could be kept down.

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By Janie Stamford

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