Rick Stein Is Opening His First Restaurant in Central London

Rick Stein, renowned for his Cornish eateries and dubbed the king of Padstow, is now focusing on central London.

Rick Stein by Sam Harris

Chef Rick Stein of Padstow is planning a new restaurant in London.

The team is seeking an ideal location in the city center, following a resurgence in business for Stein’s hospitality group, which is recovering after a challenging period during the epidemic. Ian Fitzgerald, managing director of Rick Stein’s hospitality firm, informed The Caterer: ‘After restructuring our finances and enhancing operational efficiencies, we are currently seeking expansion opportunities.’

In 1975, Stein, together with his wife Jill, inaugurated his inaugural establishment, The Seafood Restaurant. It was a modest cafe located on the harborside in Padstow, although it swiftly attained critical acclaim and continues to be one of the UK's most cherished seafood establishments, renowned for dishes such as lobster thermidor, turbot hollandaise, and Indonesian seafood curry. The duo proceeded to establish a number of enterprises, both large and small, including fish and chip shops, restaurants with accommodations, patisseries, and further endeavors.

The Seafood Restaurant, by James Ram

The group currently operates six restaurants in Cornwall, three in the Southwest, one in Barnes, London, and two in Australia. Nonetheless, the latest launch will mark Stein's inaugural endeavor in central London.

While information is limited at this juncture, it is probable that the upcoming launch would emphasize seafood, given that fresh fish has consistently been central to Stein's restaurants.

Charlie Stein, the executive director and shareholder of the business, stated: ‘Our priority in the upcoming months is to optimize the prospects to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the business in 2025. Now is an opportune moment to refine our restaurant concepts to attract a broader clientele, and we are diligently seeking to establish our inaugural location in central London.