La Trompette Gets New Head Chef

Rob Weston joins as restaurant continues refurbishment

Related links

La Trompette will extend into the vacent retail unit

Michelin Award La Trompette One Star

Eating out in Chiswick

Participate

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Chiswick’s Michelin-starred restaurant La Trompette will have a new head chef when it reopens after its refurbishment.

Rob Weston, head chef at the two-Michelin-starred the Square in Mayfair has left there after sixteen years. Weston replaces former Greenhouse and La Trompette head chef Anthony Boyd, who also once worked at the Square.

La Trompette has been closed for some time for an expansion into the building next door. Owners Nigel Platts-Martin and Bruce Poole purchased the vacent shop next door, which has resulted in the extension of the kitchen as well as the expansion of the dining room and the creation of a new private dining facility.

Work is continuing on the expansion although it is not yet known when the restaurant will reopen. Its website says it has "unfortunately taken longer than expected" but they hope to reopen for business at some stage during the week commencing Monday 25 February. We were unable to confirm if this is still the case.

The private dining facility will cater for fourteen guests and the restaurant will have capacity for 95 covers.

It is understood that the new chef is currently busy writing his menus and la Trompette intends to stick to its current dinner format and price range.

His former employer, Phil Howard (who is co-owner of the Square with Nigel Platts-Martin) commented to an industry magazine that Rob Weston’s departure had marked a “sad day” for the Square where he had been instrumental in helping forge the restaurants early reputation.

He said that the Square had lost “a phenomenal cook,” and he had left a big pair of shoes to fill.

La Trompette came to Chiswick in 2001 and won its Michelin star in 2008. The partnership consists of Mr. Platts-Martin, who lives in Chiswick, and Bruce Poole (of Chez Bruce in Wandsworth) who also own the Glasshouse restaurant in Kew.

The Evening Standard carried an article last Friday, noting that La Trompette " where local celebrities such as Clare Balding, Adrian Chiles and Anna Ford are regulars," was given a one-star rating out of five by inspectors. The rating was given in October 2012.

According to the Food Standards Agency, one-star status means “major improvement necessary."

Food Hygiene Ratings are given from 0-5 to businesses with 0 for "urgent" and 5 for "very good".

Council spokesperson said: “A Hounslow Council food safety officer carried out an inspection in October last year and issued an enforcement notice. A follow up inspection was made in December. We are now satisfied La Trompette has met all our requirements.”

Cllr Ed Mayne, cabinet member for community safety and regulatory services, said: “Hounslow Council will not tolerate any drop in the high standards of hygiene we expect in the borough’s restaurants and eateries. We will not hesitate to act swiftly to protect our residents and consumers.”

 

February 15, 2013