‘Flexitarian’ Restaurant in Notting Hill Changes Its Chef Ahead of Opening [Updated]

29/1/18 — Updated with opening date.

184 Green and Grill — the restaurant which formerly announced itself as opening with an ex-Momofuku and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal chef — has issued new information saying that in fact a completely different chef, Heath McDonald, will be in place when it launches in Notting Hill this month. The restaurant is now due to open around the 16 December.

The restaurant will now open on Thursday 1 February.

The statement said: “Head chef Heath McDonald, originally from Santa Cruz, California, has worked in San Francisco and New York City. He has been cooking and consulting across London for the past five years contributing to London's emergence as a top international restaurant capital.”

It continues: “Heath has created several top rated dishes in London that have been recognised by Fay Maschler [when in February 2015 her review of Bo Drake referenced “co-chef is Heath McDonald, whose inspiration and expertise are sharpened by Californian street food trucks and Korean/Mexican barbecue”] and Marina O'Loughlin [whose review of Bo Drake is favourable.]”

McDonald, the owners say, has “created the menus for a number of restaurants including Bo Drake in Soho and Chicama in Chelsea” and is “inspired by [fellow Californian] Jeremiah Tower, [LA Koreatown favourite] Roy Choi and Virgilio Martinez [of Restaurant Lima, in Peru and London].”

It is not yet known why chef Peter Tongue is no longer part of the restaurant’s opening plans.