Tom Booton’s next step after leaving The Dorchester

Tom Booton has confirmed his next step after leaving his restaurant at The Dorchester.

Tom recently left The Grill, having made history in 2019 by becoming the restaurant’s youngest ever head chef, aged 26.

At the time, he said: “After six incredible years at The Dorchester, I have decided it’s time for me to begin a new chapter in my career.

“When I was brought on board, the mission was to put The Grill at The Dorchester back on the map - and looking back, what we’ve achieved together is nothing short of impressive and something I am massively proud of.

“I’m forever grateful to everyone at the Dorchester Collection for believing in me and for the many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities I’ve had the privilege to experience.

“It’s been an unforgettable journey, I leave with immense pride in what we’ve built and excitement for my next step in this beautiful industry.”

Now it has been confirmed Tom will run a three-day pop-up at the OXO Tower Restaurant in London, from September 19-21.

The London Evening Standard report dishes on the menu will include beef tartare, saddle of lamb with a barbecued lamb belly kebab and cherry Bakewell trifle with almond ice cream.

Ben Purton, group director of restaurants, kitchens and hospitality for Harvey Nichols, which owns OXO Tower, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Tom Booton to the OXO Tower Restaurant for this unique collaboration.

“Tom’s energy, originality and passion for British cooking make him a perfect match for our culinary philosophy. This three-day event is set to be something truly special for London’s dining scene.”

Lunch

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and dinner will be served on the Friday and Saturday, with a long lunch on Sunday and reservations are now open.

Alongside his work at The Dorchester, Tom has had various other projects keeping him occupied, including a restaurant in St Moritz, Switzerland, and live demo appearances across the UK.

Speaking to The Staff Canteen earlier this year, Tom said: “What does the future mean for me? I still want to grow. I’ve still got a lot of ideas.

“I’ve got an amazing team. I’d love to be able to be in a position one day to give them a site, give them something else and all of us grow together as a collective.”

Following Tom’s departure, The Dorchester have appointed former Claridge’s chef Martyn Nail as culinary director, with Jacob Keen-Downs to work as head chef.

Michelin-starred background

Tom’s culinary journey began at a young age, at the Talbooth restaurant with Ian Rhodes. Spells then followed working for Alyn Williams, running the kitchen at his Michelin-starred restaurant The Westbury.

He went on to work at L’Autre Pied in Marylebone under Andy McFadden.

And Tom admits he has faced some scepticism when he joined The Dorchester, regarding his progress at a young age.

“I did get trolled by people who said he's way too young to be a chef, he's never been a head chef,” Tom explained.

“But none of them knew my backstory of already being head chef of a Michelin star restaurant, sous chef in multiple Michelin star restaurants. If it wasn’t hard, we wouldn’t love it.”

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