James Martin to launch first London restaurant

TV chef James Martin is planning to open his first London restaurant.

The host of BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen told the Standard it would be a “casual, accessible” venture in central London.

Martin, right, who has a restaurant in Manchester and has run other venues in his home county of Yorkshire, said: “We’re about four weeks away from exchanging on the London site.

“It won’t be fine dining, it will be casual. It will be different but I want it to be accessible to everybody.”

Martin, 43, said the restaurant — a permanent venture which he hopes to launch in “six to eight months” — will use British produce.

“Yeah, it’s got to be, as a pig farmer’s son,” he said. “What sort of food? Let’s get the site then figure out the food. I’ve an idea and we’ve got a few plans.”

Martin, who found fame on Ready Steady Cook, insisted he is not a celebrity chef as he still works in his restaurant and said he would have a hands-on role in London. “I’m a chef by trade, I don’t look at this celebrity stuff.