Michelin-starred chef and self-confessed ‘manic food fanatic’ Simon Bonwick is the latest appointment made by Barry Weller, co-owner and operator, in the strategic development of Noble Inns.
Previously chef/patron at Michelin-starred The Crown in Burchetts Green, Simon will be joining as Head Chef at The Princess of Shoreditch in East London from the end of August, taking over the kitchen from the much-lauded and influential chef Ruth Hansom who along with the team has ensured that the Princess of Shoreditch has reached the highest levels of pub dining. The Princess of Shoreditch is the only London pub with 3 AA rosettes, and it received the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award in the 2022 Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs.
Simon has been at the forefront of pub and restaurant dining for several years, most recently at his own gastropub, The Crown in Burchetts Green, Berkshire, where he gained and maintained a Michelin star for seven years; won the Michelin Welcome and Service Award in 2020 and was listed in the NRA-Restaurant Awards UK Top 100. He and his family sold The Crown last year, announcing at the time that he was looking for new opportunities for himself.
He will be bringing his distinctive style and flair and, in line with the ethos of the Princess of Shoreditch, his love for top quality British ingredients, to develop a new offering at the pub. A new a la carte menu will be introduced which will be served throughout the pub.
Simon Bonwick says “Barry and I go back twenty years and is both a good family friend and passionate operator who understands pubs. We will continue to keep the ‘Bonwick standard’ in the new menu and be running through honest and unfussy dishes that will feature classic combinations, which focus firmly on the main ingredient. Sitting in the Princess, I already feel comfortable, and my family is excited for this new chapter.”
Ruth Hansom, who says she is incredibly proud of the success that the Princess of Shoreditch has achieved, will be stepping away from Noble Inns for some time to undertake a series of stages at top restaurants in the UK: “I want to use this valuable time to learn new things and open my eyes to fresh ways of working that will help to keep my style of food relevant today and tomorrow, and benefit me and everyone I work with.”
Barry Weller says: “We fully support Ruth, and she is going with our blessing, and look forward to a new project with her in the coming months.”
This is the second Michelin-starred chef to join the food-led pub group in as many months, with Tony Parkin having started in July as Head Chef at the Brickmakers Arms, in Windlesham, Surrey. Tony has brought his Michelin-starred skills to build the reputation of The Brickmakers Arms as a destination country pub.